Ag Policy Blog

For a third-consecutive year a cover crops survey of 1,200 farmers across the country continue to see bumps in corn and soybean yields following the use of cover crops. In addition, the Conservation Technology Information Center Cover Crop Survey recorded an increase in the number of cover crop acres planted nationwide.

The survey found corn yields increased by about 3.7 bushels per acre, or 2.1%, when planted following cover crops, while soybean yields increased an average of 2.2 bushels per acre, or 4.2%. Other studies have found decreases in yields in some situations.

Total reported cover crop acreage planted by farmers surveyed in 2014 was about 20% higher than in 2013, even with lower commodity prices.

"This year's survey revealed an increase over last year's in the number of respondents planting brassicas and cover crop mixes," according to the survey results. "In addition to hinting at a growing sophistication among cover crop users, the data on the most-planted cover crop species -- led strongly by cereal rye, but also including a range of grasses, brassicas and legumes -- will help seed producers and dealers focus their development, training and promotional efforts.

"Details on where cover crop users source their seed, and where they would like to buy cover crop seed in the future, points to growth opportunities for cover crop seed specialists, and challenges for ag retailers and commodity crop seed dealers eager to enter or expand in the growing cover crop market."

The survey found 92% of farmers who do not currently plant cover crops indicated that economic incentives would "somewhat or always influence cover crop adoption.

"Similarly, while about half (46%) of cover crop users say they would be motivated to plant more cover crops if the practice reduced their crop insurance premiums, that number jumps up to 70% of non-users who said reduced crop insurance premiums could or would influence them to plant cover crops," the survey results show.

Interestingly, the survey found that almost 75% of farmers who plant cover crops said the "market outlook for cash crop prices would have little to no impact on their decision to plant cover crops. That challenges assumptions that cover crop acreage is closely tied to commodity prices," the survey results said.

When asked to report the number of cover crop acres planted in previous years and estimate how many acres they intended to plant in 2015, survey respondents "projected a mean cover crop average of 300 acres. Those farmers also reported planting a mean of 259 acres in cover crops in 2014 and a mean of 225 acres in 2013 -- a steady and rapid increase in cover crops on their farms over the past several years," the survey results said.

"In fact, the average number of acres planted to cover crops by cover crop users in this year's study nearly tripled between 2010 and 2015, rising from 119 to 300 acres. Reported cover crop acreage from 2010 to 2013 in the most recent survey very closely tracked results of the 2014 SARE/CTIC Cover Crop Survey.

The survey results said "the larger the farm, the lower the proportion of acreage planted to cover crops."

"Because of both a rise in acreage per farm and additional farmers using cover crops for the first time in 2014, total reported acreage rose among survey participants by 20.8% in 2014 versus 2013 (326,441 acres vs. 270,308 acres)," according to the survey results. "The total acreage of cover crops reported per year in the most recent survey was somewhat lower than the 2013-14 survey because fewer farmers reported their acreage this year. However, the pattern in year-over-year increase is very similar for both surveys."

Read the full survey results here, http://tinyurl.com/…

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