Deadline to Sign Up for Cover Crop Insurance Discounts Extended to January 27

DES MOINES, Iowa (Jan. 21, 2021) – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig has extended the deadline for farmers who planted fall cover crops to sign up for a $5 per acre reduction on their 2021 crop insurance premiums. Farmers and landowners now have through January 27 to sign up online at apply.cleanwateriowa.org.

Fall 2020 cover crop acres enrolled in other state or federal cover crop cost-share programs are not eligible. Farmers who received prevent plant payments in 2020 are still eligible for the discounted insurance premiums.

The insurance premium reductions will be available for fall-planted cover crops with a spring-planted cash crop. Some insurance policies may be excluded, like Whole-Farm Revenue Protection, or those covered through written agreements. Participants must follow all existing farming practices required by their policy and work with their insurance agents to maintain eligibility.

For questions regarding the application process, call 515-281-5851 or email covercropdemo@iowaagriculture.gov.

This is the fourth year the crop insurance discount program is being administered by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA). Interest in the program continues to grow and new farmers and fields join each year. To date, about 1,700 farmers have enrolled nearly 500,000 acres of cover crops in the program.

Farmers are encouraged to visit their local USDA service center offices to learn more about other cost-share funding available to support the implementation of conservation practices.