The executive director of the Association of Illinois Soil & Water Conservation Districts says farmers across the state are speaking out about a proposed cut to a popular cover crop program.

Eliot Clay says the “Fall Covers for Spring Savings” initiative would see $300,000 less next year in current budget proposals.

“The state itself is dealing with a very difficult financial situation.”  He says, “That said, recently in central Illinois, there was a huge dust storm down here that shut down I-74 for a period of time. We’re seeing these every year.”

He tells Brownfield the program, which offers $5 per acre crop insurance discounts for farmers who plant cover crops in the fall, has been key to spreading the practice.

“Farmers that are living on these major interstates are not equipped with the tools that they need to be able to get cover on the ground to stop this from going on.”  He says, “I think in a perfect world the state would be wanting to invest in conservation because it’s in the interest of the long term economy, and public health, and a lot of other things.”

Clay says the program annually sees more farmers apply for assistance than acres available, so he expects even more competition for the funding should the cut take place.

Source - https://www.brownfieldagnews.com