The USDA embarked on promotion of cover cropping funded in part by Inflation Reduction Act with expenditure amounting to $150 million since 2023.  A recent study questioned the value of the program noting that improved fertilizer management and changes to the feeding of livestock are more cost-effective than cover crops to enhance the quality of soil and the environment.  The report noted that the climate benefit from cover crops is variable and in many cases, is overstated.  The study recommended that cover crops should be promoted only in areas where mitigation of soil and prevention of erosion is possible and only after alternative agricultural practices have been introduced.

The report comes at an opportune time since USDA is intent on “investing” as much as $2.5 billion in Inflation Reduction Act funding for cover crops through 2026.