How Does it Work?

Utilizing a cover crop can improve soil health, manage erosion, enhance nutrient cycling, and suppress weeds between main crop cycles. High-clearance drones can interseed cover crops into standing corn or soybeans.

Soybeans

When to Plant:

• R6 to R7 to establish cover crops before soybean canopy opens, ensuring they get enough light after leaf drop.

Specific Benefits:

• Average savings of 41% on both herbicide and fertilizer costs and 5% yield increase sustainableagriculture.net.

• Average net return of $25.13/acre card.iastate.edu.

Common Cover Crops:

• Cereal Rye: Excellent winter hardiness and weed suppression.

• Annual Ryegrass: Rapid establishment and good nitrogen scavenging.

• Radish or Turnips: Breaks up soil compaction but will winterkill.

Corn

When to Plant:

• V4 to V6 for shade-tolerant species like annual ryegrass, clover, or radishes.

• R5 to R6 for fast-growing species like cereal rye, oats, or winter wheat.

Specific Benefits:

• Average savings of 39% on herbicide and 49% on fertilizer costs and 2% yield increase sustainableagriculture.net.

• Positive net impact of $21.83/acre vs. no cover crops blogs.edf.org.

Common Cover Crops:

• Legumes (e.g., clover, vetch) - Fix nitrogen in the soil.

• Grasses (e.g., rye, oats) - Prevent erosion and improve soil structure.

• Brassicas (e.g., radishes, turnips) - Break up soil compaction and scavenge nutrients.

Benefits:

• Soil Health: Increases organic matter and enhances soil structure.

• Nutrient Management: Fixes nitrogen (legumes) and reduces nutrient leaching.

• Erosion Control: Protects soil from wind and water erosion.

• Weed Suppression: Outcompetes weeds for light and nutrients.

• Pest and Disease Management: Breaks pest and disease cycle by diversifying crop rotation.

• Potentially up to $50/acre compensation for new cover crops conservesd.org.

• Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) offers assistance to implement conservation practices, including cover cropping nrcs.usda.gov

Section 45Z Possibilities

• Available between January 2025 and December 2027

• Rewards climate-smart practices (e.g., no-till farming, cover cropping, and optimized nitrogen management)

• Fuel producers may offer significant premiums to farmers

  • Corn: $0.30/bushel equates to ~$66/acre
    (3x the cost for cover crop spreading)

  • Soybeans: ~$15/acre above costs for cover crops

• Orion Vision Drones provides cover crop spreading

  • Precise coverage (downwash increases seeds to ground)

  • Detailed records (quantity and location) for tax credit