Thanks to funding from the Lake Champlain Basin Program, farms on the New York side of the Lake Champlain Basin are eligible to apply for a cover crop cost share payment. The project’s goal is to implement at least 1,000 acres of cover crops per year for 2 years.

Cover crops are an effective best management practice to reduce erosion on agricultural fields. Cover crops protect the soil surface from the negative effects of rainfall and erosion during storm events.

Cover crops also improve soil health by reducing soil erosion, increasing soil porosity (and subsequently water infiltration and field drainage) and increasing nutrient supply. The improvement of soil health can also enhance climate resiliency by providing protection to agricultural fields due to the ever-increasing number of extreme weather events.

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