Brown, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Promote Soil Health, Support Ohio Farmers Using Cover Crops

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and U.S. Representatives Sean Casten (D-IL-06) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI-07), along with original co-sponsor U.S. Representative Mike Bost (R-IL-12) introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to incentivize farmers to plant cover crops in order to boost environmental conservation. The Conservation Opportunity and Voluntary Environment Resilience Program (COVER) Act would provide farmers who plant cover crops a crop insurance discount of $5/acre, lower the long-term cost of crop insurance by making the Pandemic Cover Crop Program permanent, authorize additional funding for technical assistance in accessing the Good Steward Cover Crop Program, and create a Soil Health Pilot Program.

Cover crops are critical for environmental conservation. Planting cover crops slows erosion, promotes soil health, improves water availability, suppresses weeds, attracts pollinators, helps control pests and diseases, and increases biodiversity. Cover crops have also been shown to increase crop yields and reduce crop insurance losses caused by prevented planting.

“Farmers are the original conservationists.  By utilizing cover crops, they can increase yield, decrease pesticide use, and reduce runoff into waterways – like Lake Erie and Grand Lake St. Mary. That’s good for all Ohioans,” said Brown. “The pandemic cover crop program was simple and popular among farmers, and it worked. We need to make sure this vital program is included in the next farm bill.”

Over 130 organizations and entities have endorsed the COVER Act, including the Ohio Farmers Union, Ohio Federation of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, National Farmers Union, American Seed Trade Association, Evangelical Environmental Network, Natural Resources Defense Council, American Farmland Trust, National Wildlife Federation, Izaak Walton League of America , E2, Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, World Wildlife Fund, Rural Coalition, Regenerate America / Kiss the Ground, Illinois Soybean Association, Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois Farmers Union, Iowa Farmers Union, Wisconsin Farmers Union, Indiana Farmers Union, Pennsylvania Farmers Union, Practical Farmers of Iowa, Illinois Stewardship Alliance, Danone, Unilever, Keurig Dr Pepper, and PepsiCo. A full list of all endorsements can be found here.

“Farmers are constantly searching for ways to improve productivity, and in recent years, they also look for ways to reduce nutrient runoff, improve the quality of their soils and address climate change. Cover crops are an effective tool to accomplish all three objectives, by stabilizing soils and holding more nutrients and moisture in their soils,” said Joe Logan, president of the Ohio Farmers Union. “Thanks to Senator Brown and his colleagues for their leadership in introducing the ‘Cover Act’ to promote the adoption of this effective conservation tool.”

“Farmers and ranchers are on the front line of climate change. They need targeted, voluntary incentives to make on-farm climate action accessible,” said National Farmers Union President Rob Larew. “The COVER Act would empower farmers to apply climate-smart practices that move carbon out of the atmosphere and into the soil, while building soil health for more resilient operations. We appreciate the leadership of Senator Brown and Representative Casten in introducing this bill.”

“The COVER act is a long overdue update to crop insurance that rewards farmers who practice good stewardship with a lower crop insurance bill. For a small investment in cover crops through this bill, there is a huge return to the public in improved water quality, carbon sequestration, and resilience to drought and flood,” said Lara Bryant, Deputy Director, Water & Agriculture, Natural Resources Defense Council

“Cover crops have the power to make our soil and our farms more resilient. The COVER Act rewards farmers who voluntarily plant cover crops in fields between the growing seasons with savings on their crop insurance premiums. I commend Senator Brown and Rep. Casten for introducing this important piece of legislation as we continue to work on the upcoming Farm Bill,” said Kris Reynolds, Midwest Regional Director, American Farmland Trust

Brown, the first Ohioan to serve on the Senate Agriculture Committee in more than 50 years, has long been a leader for Ohio’s rural communities and a champion of small farms and local and regional food systems. He recently introduced his bipartisan Local Farms and Food Act, which would make it easier for Ohio farmers to sell their products locally, improving and updating Farm Bill programs Brown helped pass, based on feedback from Ohio farmers. The legislation builds on Brown’s Local FARMS Act of 2017 and key provisions Brown secured in the 2018 Farm Bill -- including, most notably, the creation of the Local Agriculture Market Program.

Brown will help write the upcoming 2023 Farm Bill and has talked with farmers and other agriculture representatives at roundtables around the state over the last several months as a part of the 2023 Farm Bill planning process.

Full text of the bill can be found here.