NY farmers use cover crops to protect soil, boost yields

Monday, October 2, 2023

A new study by Cornell University has found that New York farmers who participated in cover crop incentive programs used double the amount of cover crops on their farms even after the payments stopped.

The study, which included responses from 328 farmers, found that cover crop usage on average went from 125 acres to 250 acres per farm after participating in an incentive program.

"One thing that we saw that was really exciting is that there was a group of respondents that had participated in a cover crop incentive program, but then stopped for various reasons, we saw 37% greater cover crop usage than before they enrolled in the cover crop program," said Matt Ryan, associate professor of soil and crop sciences at Cornell University.

Cover crops are plants that are grown to protect and improve soil health. They are not harvested, but instead left to die and decompose, which helps to add organic matter to the soil and prevent erosion.

Ryan said that covering crops is an expense that doesn't provide an immediate short-term return, so it's difficult for farmers to justify it if they are on a tight budget.

"Farmers typically will be spending anywhere from $20 to $60 per acre for cover crop seeds and then there's the expense of the labor and the fuel used to seed your cover crop," Ryan said.

However, the long-term benefits of cover crops can be significant, including improved soil health, increased crop yields, and reduced fertilizer costs.

Rick Villnave, a farmer in Cortland County, New York, has been using cover crops for four years. He said that he is seeing the benefits in terms of improved soil health and increased crop yields.

"We're in our fourth year of doing cover cropping and now we're reaping the rewards for doing it over and over," Villnave said. "We're seeing yields increase, and with the ups and downs in weather and especially the severe rainstorms that we have come through, we are starting to see less erosion."

Villnave said that he has also been able to use less fertilizer on his fields as the cover crops have helped the soil retain nitrogen.

"Compared to last year, we're looking at a $10,000 savings so it's a very important tool. Less fertilizer also means less leaching," he said.

Villnave encourages other farmers to give cover crops a chance, even though it takes time for the investment to pay off.

"Try it, but don't think it's going to happen overnight. It's a long-term thing and takes time but we can see it in the soil now," he said.