The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is encouraging farmers to take advantage of a program that provides a $5 per acre reduction on crop insurance premiums for planting cover crops.

This is the second year of the program aimed at increasing acres of cover crops in the state. Last year, more than 700 farmers used cover crops on nearly 170,000 acres.

Program information and the online sign-up and application process for farmers and landowners to certify eligible land for the program can be found at https://www.cleanwateriowa.org/covercropdemo-main/ .