Farmers for Soil Health

Enrollment Begins May 1!

We’re just weeks away from making more than $3.5 million in direct payments available to farmers in Minnesota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. The Farmers for Soil Health cover crop incentive program has updated its terms to be more inclusive of all farmers who are planting covers.

Here are some program highlights:

• One-year contracts
• $35 per acre
• All acres are eligible regardless of management practice from the previous year (no additionality)
• 2,000-acre cap per FSA farm entity
• Guided enrollment support with our soil health specialists
• Farmer-to-farmer support network with our Cover Crop Coach program
• Stackable with many state, local, and private-entity programs
• Simple verification process

We’ll have a relatively short time to enroll producers, so sign up now to reserve your funding, or connect with your state’s soil health specialist below for more information!

Need more information? Contact our Soil Health Specialists for guidance on stacking, timing, and more details about the program.

Meet our Farmers for Soil Health team:

Minnesota

South Dakota

Wisconsin

In another state or want to make Farmers for Soil Health incentives available to your network of farmers? Contact our program lead to partner with us!

Farmer-to-Farmer Support

As part of our mission, CTIC prioritizes farmer-led perspectives and technical assistance because we know farmers need a sounding board from other farmers who have the same challenges with weather, soil, and other geographic variables. We have support for that. Consult with our Cover Crop Coaches – working farmers in your area – to discuss real-world solutions to leading agronomic challenges.

Meet Our Cover Crop Coaches

Minnesota

South Dakota

Wisconsin

More about our Farmer-to-Farmer Cover Crop Coach Program:

Soil health and the biological interactions that cause crops to flourish – or not – is complex and often fraught with contradictions. Add cover crops into the mix and it gets even more confusing. 

Thanks to a generous grant from General Mills, CTIC established a Cover Crop Coach program to help farmers navigate the complexities of cover crop selection, planting, and management that allows us to help tailor solutions to each farmer’s specific needs and circumstances.

This program furthers our support of farmers across Minnesota, Wisconsin, and South Dakota as part of the Farmers for Soil Health program, but we’re not done yet. We’re expanding this great program to other farmers interested in adopting cover crop best practices. 

More about Farmers for Soil Health

Farmers for Soil Health is a farmer-driven initiative that provides incentives and technical assistance for cover crops. It is backed by the National Corn Growers Association, United Soybean Board, and the National Pork Board.

CTIC delivers enrollment support and technical assistance to farmers in South Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Our dedicated, full-time Soil Health Specialists work one-on-one with farmers and their advisors. We understand the unique needs of each operation and support farmers in adopting or expanding their use of cover crops.

We are committed to empowering farmers to make choices that benefit their agronomic and financial operations as well as the natural resources on their farms. Whether your goal is to drive yield enhancements with better soil health, weed suppression, and infiltration; to reduce erosion and nutrient runoff; or to enhance your grazing pastures, we can provide guidance to find the right operational fit for you.

Need a primer? Check out our webinar series on cover crop profitability and management at our Farmer Resource Center.

The Benefits of Cover Crops and Farmer Resources

The Farmers for Soil Health program provides resources for cover crop species selection; best practices for seeding, management, and termination; agronomic studies and financial analysis to help inform decisions. Visit Farmers for Soil Health for resources, cases studies from enrolled farmers, recorded webinars hosted by Dr. Abby Wick, a state directory of technical assistance providers and more. 

Power of Partnership

Together with partners such as the American Soybean Association, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) National Association of Conservation Districts, Soil Health Institute, and more, Farmers for Soil Health is poised to make a significant impact on agriculture. Our commitment to keeping farmers’ goals at the center of our mission drives us forward. With a bold vision of expanding cover crops to 30 million acres by 2030, FSH is at the forefront of sustainable agriculture practices.

This material is based on work supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture under agreement number NR233A750004G003.