Uncover Earnings With Cover Crops

Farmers for Soil Health is a farmer-led program built by farmers, for farmers. It was created in partnership with the Soy Checkoff, Pork Checkoff and National Corn Growers Association. This program supports farmers in the adoption of cover crops to help improve profitability, strengthen soil health and meet sustainability goals.

Enroll your 2026 cover crop acres in Farmers for Soil Health today! From financial assistance to dedicated technical advisors, this program is designed to better your land and your bottom line.

Learn More About the Program

Who Can Enroll?

Any corn, soybean, wheat, grain sorghum, or cotton farmer operating within Iowa is eligible to enroll in Farmers for Soil Health, regardless of cover crop history.

 

Get Paid to Improve Your Soil

Whether you’re transitioning to soil health practices for the first time or expanding your current usage, Farmers for Soil Health offers financial incentives to help offset the costs. These incentives allow you to try new practices while setting your farm up for long-term profitability and resilience.

Enroll today to receive up to $35 per acre, per year, for a maximum of 2,000 acres each year for planting cover crops.

Enjoy flexible, 1-year enrollment contracts that you can renew for the duration of the program.

Start Your Enrollment Today!

Meet Your State Technical Advisor
Mike Gilman

You won’t be figuring this out alone. Enrolling in Farmers for Soil Health provides you access to dedicated technical advisors in your area, like Mike Gilman.

Mike not only understands the variables you face but can meet you in your fields to provide hands-on, boots-on-the-ground assistance whenever you need it.

Email Mike

Extensive Educational Resources

Farmers for Soil Health is a centralized hub of cover crop and soil health resources. Backed by years of research, these resources are compiled from Iowa and the other participating states to ensure you have what you need to feel confident in your decision-making. If you have any questions about what you find, you can always reach out to Mike for direct, one-on-one support tailored to your operation.

Check out these resources!

Seeding Cover Crops While Harvesting

Learn from Jim O’Connell, a farmer based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, as he shares his experience with seeding cover crops while harvesting corn or soybeans.

Watch Now

Grazing Cover Crops Farmer Toolkit

This toolkit by Practical Farmers of Iowa contains resources covering the many aspects of grazing cover crops such as how-to guides, videos, on-farm research results and more.

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Tips and Considerations For Getting Started With Cover Crops

This article from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach discusses several tips and considerations that will help ease the transition to a cover cropping system for farmers and agronomists new to the practice.

Read Now

How Enrollment Works

  • Sign Up Today → Click here to login or create an account with our technology partner, DTN.
  • Get Contacted → Mike is automatically notified once you enroll, and will contact you within 5 business days to walk through the enrollment requirements and next steps.
  • Enroll → Work with Mike to gather and submit enrollment documentation.
  • Uncover Earnings → Receive financial incentives and local support.
Ready to Take the Next Step? Enroll Today!
Two men looking at iPad during 2026 Farmers for Soil Health enrollment