New Report: Use of Cover Crops Continues to Grow Stronger

Results of the recently released 2026 National Cover Crop Survey indicate strong interest in cover crops among many farmers. Among respondents to the survey, the average acreage planted with cover crops was 397.9, and their projections anticipate crossing the 400-acre mark by next year. Almost half of the cover crop users in the survey had 10+ years of experience with cover crops.

This year’s survey, conducted by the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC), USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, and American Seed Trade Association, was completed online by 657 farmers in 46 U.S. states and Puerto Rico. According to Ryan Heiniger, Executive Director of CTIC, farmers who used cover crops in the past were grouped as “intermittent users” instead of “former users” to acknowledge the role that cover crops play in adaptive management systems. Of those intermittent users, 28.6% said they were definitely or probably open to considering cover crops again, and another 34.7% said “maybe” they would consider the practice.

“Though many fans of cover crops can’t imagine not using them, other farmers choose whether or not to plant covers based on economics, field conditions, crop rotations, or other factors,” says Heiniger. “In the past, research had a tendency to group people as ‘users’ or ‘non-users.’ We’ve learned — and through this survey, confirmed — that intermittent use of cover crops can be a dynamic decision, not an abandonment of the practice or its principles. Better data showing a positive return on investment and incentive programs to help cover the costs of cover crop establishment could bring cover crops back to many of those acres.”

More than 60% of cover crop users said in this year’s survey that there are years when they do not use cover crops on certain fields. Late harvest of cash crops accounted for non-use among 41.8% of the respondents, followed by “conditions too dry or wet to plant covers” selected by 38.6%, and “not enough time or labor to plant covers,” which was selected by 38%. In addition, 73.5% of the respondents who reported never using cover crops indicated that they were open to trying the practice.

Incentives Can Help

This year’s survey indicated that although many cover crop users or intermittent users have not received payments to try cover crops, incentive programs can play a significant role in encouraging adoption of the practice—particularly if they are well-designed programs.

Of 256 cover crop users in the survey who reported receiving an incentive payment for cover crops in 2025, 81.6% said they probably or definitely would continue. Only 4.7% said they probably would not continue using cover crops beyond the term of their incentive program.

For more and to download a copy of the 2026 National Cover Crop Survey Report, visit sare.org.