🌱 Support Cover Crop Adoption -
Farmers for Soil Health (FSH)🌱
We’re excited to share some important information about a new initiative designed to provide financial and technical assistance for farmers adopting cover crops. Farmers for Soil Health (FSH) is a cost-share incentive that can be stacked with non-federal state and private funding to help producers improve soil health and sustainability.
🚜 Enrollment Periods:
- The current enrollment period for cover crops planted in Fall 2024 ends on February 28, 2025.
- Another enrollment period will open later in the growing season for Fall 2025 cover crops.
This initiative is supported by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and funded through a USDA Climate Smart Commodities Grant. The Atlantic Soybean Council is partnering with Sustainable Chesapeake to bring this valuable program to farmers in Pennsylvania.
KEy Details for Participation:
Farmers will need to self-certify the following:
- USDA farm, tract, and field numbers (can be obtained from your local USDA Farm Service Agency office).
- Verification that you are not receiving NRCS cover crop payments on the same acres (for Transition Incentive Payments).
- Compliance with USDA Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation requirements (AD-1026 form required).
- Adherence to NRCS conservation practice standards for cover crops (or pre-approved alternate practices).
- Use the enrollment platform’s map tool to identify enrolled fields, confirm/edit field boundaries, and provide necessary payment info (e.g., W-9 tax form).
💸 Incentives:
- Transition Incentive Payments (TIPs): $50 per new acre of cover crops across three years for corn and/or soybean rotation fields.
- Signing Incentive Payments (SIPs): $2 per acre for existing cover crops.
✅ There is no acreage limit for new or existing cover crop fields.
This program is available for three years and aims to expand cover crop adoption to 30 million acres by 2030. 📈
Take advantage of this great opportunity to enhance your soil health and sustainability practices. 🌾💚
Apply before February 28, 2025 for Fall 2024 planting!
👉 Click here to learn more and apply!
