ASTA, CTIC, SARE Announce Results of Annual Farmer Cover Crop Survey

Despite the crippling rainfall that significantly delayed planting across much of the country in 2019, more than 90% of farmers participating in a national cover crop survey reported that cover crops allowed them to plant earlier or at the same time as non-cover-cropped fields. Among those who had “planted green,” seeding cash crops into growing cover crops, 54% said the practice helped them plant earlier than on other fields.

Those findings were among several new insights from the 2019-2020 National Cover Crop Survey, conducted by the non-profit Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC), with financial support from the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program and ASTA. The three organizations – which have worked together on several past national cover crop surveys, with the first survey dating back to the 2012 crop year – held a press conference earlier today to roll out the results of the report.

The 2019-2020 survey included perspectives from 1,172 farmers representing every state in the U.S., and was the first by SARE, CTIC and ASTA to include detailed exploration of planting green – a tactic employed by 53% of the respondents – as well as crop insurance use among cover croppers and the impact of cover crops on the profitability of horticultural operations. Special thanks to the following ASTA member companies whose contributions made this project possible: Agassiz Seed, Ampac Seed Company, Beck’s Hybrids, Grassland Oregon, Green Cover Seed, La Crosse Seeds, Mountain View Seeds, ProHarvest Seeds and Seedway. Learn more and access the full report here.