Donnelle Eller

deller@dmreg.com

Cover crops, a weapon to prevent soil, nitrogen and phosphorus from leaving farm fields, grew on 2.6 percent of Iowa's nearly 23 million acres of corn and soybeans last spring, a report released Wednesday says.

By comparison, Indiana farmers had cover crops on 7.1 percent of their 11 million corn and soybean acres, and Illinois growers on 2.3 percent of nearly 21 million acres, says the Environmental Working Group and Practical Farmers of Iowa in their report looking at the three states.

Iowa had 591,880 acres of cover crops; Indiana, 794,724; and Illinois, 488,626, based on satellite data looking at cover-crop growth between the fall of 2015 and spring 2016.

To see the full report and where farmers are using cover crops across Iowa, click here.

Source: Environmental Working Group and Practical Farmers of Iowa

Farmers typically plant cover crops such as cereal rye in the fall. The plants prevent soil erosion over the winter and soak up nitrogen and phosphorus during heavy rains in the spring.

The report said at its current pace, it could take the state at least three decades to reach a cover crop goal of 12.6 million acres.

The cover-crop acres are part of one scenario outlined in the Iowa's Nutrient Reduction Strategy to cut by 45 percent the nitrogen and phosphorus that leaves the state and contributes to the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico.

"The trend shows that more and more farmers are adopting this simple practice to protect clean water, which is welcome news," said Soren Rundquist, director of spatial analysis at Environmental Working Group. "Unfortunately, it's still an uphill battle.

"At this rate, it will take decades to achieve enough use of cover crops to make a real difference. That's too long to wait," he said.

Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey said the report's projections to ramp up adoption are based on "flawed assumptions."

The groups matched early state cover crop cost-share information with recent satellite data. It showed 40 percent of Iowa farmers continued growing cover crops without state financial incentives.

"Sixty percent of farmers, however, appear to have stopped using cover crops once the financial support ended," the report said, although noting that growers could have tapped federal assistance.

"I do think some of their analysis is off-base," Northey said. "It is much more likely many of those farmers are trying cover crops on a different field on their farm.

"From our surveys and interactions with farmers, we see most farmers continue with cover crops and expand acreage, not abandon the practice," Northey said.

The state's data indicates that 75 percent of farmers plan to continue the effort.

That also impacts the groups' projection on how long it will take to reach Nutrient Reduction Strategy goals to cut nitrogen and phosphorus losses.

The groups run three scenarios to reach 12.6 million acres of cover crops: With $10.6 million in existing state and federal funding, it would take 30 years if every farmer who tries cover crops continues the practice; 40 years with 75 percent continued adoption; and 75 years with 40 percent continued use.

"It has never been our intention to cost-share all the cover-crop acres in the state," Northey said. "Our approach has been to help farmers get started with the practice and learn about how it can fit on their farm."

Even though cover crops are used on less than 3 percent of acres, Northey's agency says a recent Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll showed about 21 percent of farmers used cover crops in the 2015 and nearly 34 percent thought they would use the conservation practice in the future.

The Environmental Group and Practical Farmers of Iowa recommend shifting some spending from crop insurance programs to efforts to add cover crops. For example, Iowa farmers received about $1 billion in insurance premium support and in crop failure payments in 2015.

Craig Cox, an Environmental Working Group senior vice president, said funding would need to be tripled to meet the state's goals in 10 years. "We've waited so long for clean water in Iowa, trying to meet the goal in 10 years would be a reasonable expectation," Cox said.

Northey opposes efforts to take support from crop insurance. "The federal crop insurance program is too important to farmers and should not be undermined," he said.

Sarah Carlson, Practical Farmers of Iowa Midwest cover crop director, said the report shows farmers and leaders where efforts have taken hold and where more work needs to be done.

The report also shows the need for sustained funding, Carlson said. Several legislative proposals have been floated but none have taken hold.

Farmers, she said, respond with sustained use of cover crops after they've had a chance to try them.