Fall Covers for Spring Savings incentive program returns

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Illinois Department of Agriculture is launching the eighth year of its Fall Covers for Spring Savings Program.

Participants can enter and validate their information during a pre-enrollment period starting at 8 a.m. CST on Nov. 30. Applications can be submitted once the program opens at 8 a.m. on Dec. 15. Entries may be saved and edited any time before submission.

A total of 190,000 acres are available for the 2026-2027 Fall Covers for Spring Savings program. The program closes Jan. 15, but funding of eligible acreage is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Over the last seven years, the program has funded 890,000 acres of cover crops.

“The Fall Covers for Spring Savings cover crop premium discount program helps farmers lower their crop insurance costs while improving soil health, reducing erosion and enhancing long-term land productivity,” said IDOA Director Jerry Costello II.

“It’s a practical way to strengthen both environmental stewardship and farm profitability at the same time.”

The program applies to Illinois acres seeded to cover crops in the fall of 2026 and planted to an insurable crop in 2027.

Eligible applicants will receive a discount of up to $5 per acre on their 2027 crop insurance premium, depending on individual crop insurance policies, for each verified cover crop acre.

Applicants must certify their cover crops with their local Farm Service Agency office before applying and have their current FSA-578 and federal crop insurance policy numbers ready.

The program encourages cover crop acres not supported by other state or federal incentives. Review the program rules page to check eligibility.

IDOA will use a combination of tools to verify that acres applied for through this program are planted in cover crops.

The program is only applicable for those with coverage through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency crop insurance program. Approved applications will be forwarded to the RMA for processing and premium discounts on 2027 crop insurance invoices.

Pre-enrollment and applications are available at apps.agr.illinois.gov/BLWR_CoverCrop.