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Program enrollment is open for Indiana farmers to test cover crops on their farms
Indiana farmers have until August 6 to enroll in the INfield Advantage program cover crop trials.
The Indiana Soybean Alliance, Indiana Corn Marketing Council, Indiana State Department of Agriculture, and Truterra, the sustainability business of Land O’Lakes, one of America’s largest farmer-owned cooperatives, made the announcement.
The INfield Advantage program gives Hoosier farmers the resources and tools to try out cover crops on their farms and evaluate the results before deciding to adopt the practice across their operation. It also allows growers to prepare their farms for participation in emerging carbon markets.
To be eligible for the cover crop trial, farmers must be new to planting cover crops. Twenty acres of cover crop seed will be provided and at least a 40-acre field is recommended.
Indiana farmer Matthew Chapman, and ISA board chair, says the program gives farmers the data to know that implementing a practice can make sense for their operation.
Funding from a USDA NRCS grant and ISA and ICMC checkoff dollars will cover all costs of farmer participation, including soil testing. The INfield Advantage program has also partnered with Ceres Solutions and Premier Ag. The two ag retailers are part of the Truterra network and will provide additional agronomic and technical assistance to farmers through the Truterra Insights Engine.
ISDA Director Bruce Kettler says partnerships are key for the program and the department is proud to work with organizations focused on assisting farmers and increasing soil health.
Mariah Murphy, senior manager with the Truterra field team says they are thrilled to be a partner in the program as it will help Indiana farmers consider new on-farm conservation practices that could benefit the environment and their bottom line.
The INfield Advantage program offers tillage and nitrogen use efficiency trials throughout the year, in addition to cover crops, all designed to help Indiana farmers test drive practice changes for three of the largest indicators of a farm operations’ greenhouse gas emissions.
Click here to sign-up or find out more about eligibility requirements.
