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Cover Crops

Cover crops are grasses, legumes, or other forbs planted to provide a variety of benefits such as: prevention of soil erosion, providing nutrients, suppressing weeds, and improving soil health.

Some common cover crop species used by themselves or in mixes are cereal rye, radish, kale, oats, triticale, annual ryegrass, and turnips. Cover crop mixes depend on what goals are intended, different species offer different benefits.

purple top turnip
cover crop between corn rows
cover crop close up

Cost Share

The Freeborn SWCD has several funding options for cost share available. Cost share rates depend on several factors. Contact the SWCD for more information.

The NRCS has cost share available for cover crops through the EQIP program.

Large turnip
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