Five years of survey data about cover crop adoption among farmers shows overall numbers of those planting covers remaining roughly the same — but within that group, interest and intensity in the practice is increasing.

Univ. of Illinois publication farmdoc daily cites the latest Purdue Univ. national Ag Economy Barometer (AEB) data compiled from the September 2024 survey on cover crop use.

The data show approximately 53% of AEB survey respondents currently plant cover crops. Since 2020 that figure has ranged from 52% to 57%, with 40% of respondents in the latest report say they have used the practice for 5 years or less and 9% reporting they’ve planted covers for more than 20 years.

Farmdoc daily authors note combined 5-year average responses from September AEB surveys (in which sentiments concerning cover crops are polled), shows an overall adoption rate of approximately 22%.

In somewhat of an obvious disconnect, nationally, the USDA-ERS 2022 Census of Agriculture reported an adoption rate of only 4.7%, and reported “Not Profitable” and “Hurting Crop Yields” were popular reasons not to adopt cover crops or to discontinue planting covers.

In the September 2024 AEB survey, however, of those who currently use cover crops 75% indicated covers improve soil health and crop yields, say University of Illinois economists. They also explain, unlike the Census of Agriculture, the AEB monthly surveys focus on full-time farms.

The number of respondents in the AEB polling indicating they have been using cover crops for 5 years or less indicates the practice has gained much traction since 2020 as soil health, environmental, and carbon sequestration benefits become more evident.