Cover crop discount available for federal crop insurance

LYONS — Cover crops are a conservation practice with wide ranging benefits, from improving soil health to protecting water quality. Many farmers who planted fall cover crops are now eligible for a discount on their crop insurance premium, thanks to a new program announced June 1.

The Pandemic Cover Crop Program (PCCP), available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency, offers a discount of $5 per acre on a farmer’s 2021 crop insurance premium, but no more than the full premium price.

To be eligible, a producer must report their fall cover crops to the Farm Ser...