Illinois farmers who plant cover crops this fall can once again receive a break on next year’s crop insurance premiums through the Illinois Department of Agriculture’s Fall Covers for Spring Savings program. The incentive offers up to a $5-per-acre discount on 2026 crop insurance premiums for verified cover crop acres seeded in fall 2025 and planted to an insurable crop in 2026. Pre-enrollment opens Wednesday at 8 a.m. at bit.ly/FallCoversApply. The official application window runs from 8 a.m. December 15th through 11:59 p.m. January 15th. Applications will be taken first-come, first-served until funding is depleted. The program is expected to support up to 190,000 acres statewide, including 40,000 acres funded by the Illinois EPA to reduce nutrient loss in the Mississippi River Basin.
Farmers must provide FSA-578 acreage reports, crop insurance policy numbers, and field identifiers when applying. Acres already receiving state or federal cost-share payments are not eligible, as the goal is to expand cover crop usage, not subsidize acres already funded elsewhere. The discount applies only to farmers insured through the USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA). Approved applications will be forwarded to RMA, and the credit will appear on 2026 crop insurance invoices.
Illinois Farm Bureau environmental policy associate director Eric Gerth praised the program, noting its continued popularity and its dual financial and conservation benefits.
Farmers needing assistance can contact their local Soil and Water Conservation District office or the IDOA Bureau of Land and Water Resources at 217-782-6297.