Cover Cropping

TO IMPROVE CLIMATE RESILIENCE

Managing a continuous cover of plants to 

help improve soil health and prevent erosion. 

Heavy rains are becoming more frequent across the 

Northeastern United States and increasing soil erosion 

and nutrient runoff problems. Wetter weather in the 

spring and fall is reducing the number of days that fields 

can be worked. Consider planting cover crops to help 

adapt to these climate trends. 

Compared to leaving soil bare between cash cropping 

periods, continuously growing plants in a field provides 

many benefits. These benefits can bring greater crop production stability and profitability to a farm. Cover crops 

increase soil organic matter, and improve soil fertility by 

capturing excess nutrients after a crop is harvested. They 

also raise soil moisture holding capacity, help prevent soil 

erosion, limit nutrient runoff, reduce soil compaction, and 

can even help suppress some pests. 

Is your field covered from impacts?

A field of peas and oats. Image by Steve Pytlik, NRCS

Uncover the Benefits

Decomposing cover crops help feed soil life and 

contribute to stable soil organic matter, which 

improves nutrient cycling and soil structure. 

Cover crop organic matter can help join soil particles into stable aggregates. These aggregates 

and cover crop root channels help soils better 

absorb intense rain, resist erosion, and improve 

water holding capacity in drier conditions.

Plant cover helps intercept and lessen the force of 

raindrops. This reduces soil erosion, compaction, 

and nutrient runoff from intense rainstorms.

Cover crops reduce water pollution risks and 

remove CO2 from the atmosphere. They help the 

environment and reduce a farm’s carbon footprint. 

Cover crops provide economic benefits. They 

can increase crop yields, reduce machinery costs, 

out-compete weeds, break disease and insect cycles, host beneficial organisms, attract pollinators, 

scavenge nutrients, and supply forage. 

Cover crops take up excess water, which can help 

dry out wet fields before planting. 

Careful Considerations

Rolled winter cereal cover crops provide 

weed suppression for organic no-till production systems. Image by Jeff Liebert, 

used with permission.

Seed, fuel, and planting costs may not offset the 

economic benefits of cover crops in the shortterm, but greater benefits are often experienced 

in the long term. 

Cover crops may immobilize nitrogen or deplete 

soil moisture, causing yield loss in the subsequent 

crop.

Climate, management, and genetics affect the 

degree and duration of benefits from cover crops. 

Some cover crops may be difficult to terminate, 

go to seed, and become a weed if not properly 

managed. 

by Northeast cover crop experts: Thomas Bjorkman, Deptartment of Horticulture, 

Cornell University; Michel Cavigelli, Research Soil Scientist, USDA-ARS Sustainable 

Agricultural Systems Laboratory; Dan Dostie, State Resource Conservationist for 

Pennsylvania, USDA-NRCS; Joshua Faulkner, Farming and Climate Change Program 

Coordinator, Center for Sustainable Agriculture, University of Vermont; Lynn G. 

Knight, Agricultural Economist, USDA-NRCS; Steven Mirsky, Research Ecologist, 

USDA-ARS Sustainable Agricultural Systems Laboratory, and Brandon Smith, 

Northeast Region Team Leader, USDA-NRCS Soil Health Division.

February 2018
Application Methods and Tips

No-till planting soybean in rolled winter cereal cover crops. 

Image by Jeff Liebert, used with permission.

The first step is to decide what you want to address with 

cover crops, then select covers that meet those needs. 

For example, a grass or brassica cover crop may provide 

excellent nutrient scavenging, while legumes provide new 

nitrogen. Yet both can help protect soil against erosion. 

If you are just starting out with this practice, the best 

approach is to start small. Plant some test strips, or use 

small fields, and see how it works out. From there, you 

can adjust the timing, species, and planting method until 

you find a combination that works on your soils with your 

management style and rotation selections. The timing of 

establishment can greatly influence a cover crop’s tolerance to the cold, wet conditions in the fall. Consider 

establishing them earlier to help covers overwinter better. 

Information is available from University Extension, USDA 

Service Centers, Conservation Districts, and crop 

consultants. Or schedule a time to host a knowledgeable 

advisor to visit your farm. They will be able to help you 

refine your current and future plans to develop climate 

adaptive cropping systems. It can be useful to attend regionally specific workshops and meetings to network with 

farmers and agricultural professionals to learn about the 

latest cover crop research. You may also want to speak 

with your Conservation District or Extension personnel to 

see if there are options for borrowing planting equipment 

to prevent large up-front investments. 

Additional Resources

Triticale, winter pea, and winter rapeseed 

interseeded into corn silage. Image by 

Kirsten Workman, used with permission.

USDA NRCS Cover Crop Economic 

Tools and Guides

» https://go.usa.gov/xnMK8

» https://go.usa.gov/xnMK9

» https://go.usa.gov/xnMKX

USDA ARS Cover Crop Chart

» https://go.usa.gov/xnMKA

Sustainable Agriculture Research and 

Education (SARE)

» https://goo.gl/KbM8HP

Cornell University, College of Agriculture 

and Life Sciences 

» covercrops.cals.cornell.edu

eXtension

» https://goo.gl/5AKvHw

» https://goo.gl/4nwJ7f

Oregon Tilth: Cover Crop (340) 

in Organic Systems

» https://goo.gl/668pbp

Pennsylvania State University Extension

» https://goo.gl/TEu5dx

» https://goo.gl/VYN3KY

» https://goo.gl/bzYa8w 

» https://goo.gl/D3bpDx

University of Vermont Extension

» https://goo.gl/1TFyxX

nehub@fs.fed.us

www.climatehubs.oce.usda.gov/northeast

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