Cover Crops and No-till Aren’t Just Good for Soil — They Also Make Farmers More Money, Study Says
Farmers can save money by using practices that improve soil, according to a study from the Soil Health Institute.
The study surveyed 30 farms across the United States that are using no-till agriculture, which minimizes soil disturbance, and cover crops, where plants are used primarily to keep soil in place between growing seasons.
Across 29 of those farms, these practices increased net farm income by an average of $65 per acre annually. The study also found that these practices cost farmers on average $14 per acre less to grow corn and $7 per acre less to grow soybeans.
“This is a way that is not only more profitable, but these practices can really help them build that resilience to those more extreme weather events,” said Wayne Honeycutt, president and CEO of the Soil Health Institute.
A 2021 study by the same institute that focused on 100 farms across the Midwest also found that these practices saved money and increased net income.