NRCS definition: Grasses, legumes, and other forbs planted for seasonal vegetative cover. 

This practice is applied to support one or more of the following purposes:

• Reduce sheet, rill, and wind erosion.
• Maintain or increase soil organic matter.
• Improve soil aggregate stability.  
• Improve habitat for soil organisms.
•  Reduce water quality degradation by utilizing excess soil nutrients.
• Reduce weed and plant pest pressure.  
• Improve moisture management.
• Reduce soil compaction.
• Supply nitrogen to the subsequent crop.
• Improve habitat for pollinators, beneficial organisms, or natural enemies of crop pests. 

 

Need help deciding what cover crop will work well for you?
Cover Crop selector

Looking for financial or technical assistance for cover cropping?

Farm Agronomic Practices Program (FAP)- VT Agency of Ag

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)- NRCS

Vermont Pay for Performance (PFP)- VT Agency of Ag
           - Reach out to us at RNRCD if you are interested in PFP

Assistance for cover cropping equipment

Capital Equipment Assistance Program (CEAP)- VT Agency of Ag

Rent a cover crop seeding drill from Poultney Mettowee NRCD
          -PMNRCD rents a Haybuster 107C No-Till drill which features 2 large seed boxes and a legume/small seed box.  This unit is prioritized for farms in the South Lake (Poultney and Mettowee) watershed, followed by        farms in the Lake Champlain Basin of Rutland and Bennington Counties. Reach out to Jennifer Alexander (ACAP.Jennifer@gmail.com) or Whitney Hier (whitney.pmnrcd@gmail.com) of PMNRCD for more info and pricing.