Is the U.S. cover crop seed industry ready to support projected adoption rates? A snapshot of the industry
Authors: Wilson Kelly R. , Hendrickson Mary K. , Milhollin Ryan , Weber J. Alan , Myers Robert L. 
Published: December 2024

"In recent years, interest in adoption of cover crops on U.S. farmland has surged in the public and private sectors, as well as with farmers. Cover crops are crops planted to cover the soil and reach different climate and soil health benefits, such as reducing erosion; increasing water availability; and providing weed, pest or disease control; and to enhance biodiversity on a farm (Clark 2015). To promote use of climate-smart practices such as cover crops, the federal government launched new funding programs, including the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program, which invested $3.1 billion in projects providing financial and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers (USDA 2024). Several private companies have their own initiatives to incentivize farmers to use cover crops (Marston 2022). In their own right, farmers across the country are using cover crops at higher rates to reach specific objectives, such as building soil health and accessing these cover crop incentive payments (SARE, ASTA, and CTIC 2020). With heightened investment--and interest--in cover crop adoption, we are faced with the question of whether the seed industry is prepared to meet the demand for quality cover crop seed. Evidence suggests that farmers currently perceive lack of seed availability as a key constraint to using cover crops (CTIC and SARE 2020). Although this lack points to a potential market opportunity for seed producers and companies, this industry is unique because cover crops are typically considered a noncash crop. Cover crop seed may, therefore, not have the supportive infrastructure available to cash crops such as soybean and corn. To ensure that efforts to extend adoption of cover crops are fruitful, the cover crop seed industry needs to be bolstered and expanded. This paper examines the present state of the cover crop seed industry, drawing from U.S. Census of Agriculture data; literature reviews of academic studies, news reports and white papers; and qualitative interviews conducted with representatives involved in the cover crop seed industry. We interviewed seven individuals who lead or work for seed companies that sell cover crop seed in North America. We asked interviewees to describe how their company operates, from seed production to sales. We then asked for their perspectives on the U.S. cover crop seed industry today, the biggest opportunities and challenges facing the industry, and what policies are programs they see as beneficial or crucial to growing the cover crop seed industry. We conducted qualitative analyses of interview transcripts to draw out key themes and unique perspectives. From these interviews and the above mentioned available information, we seek to provide a baseline for where the U.S. cover crop seed industry is today, in 2024. We start by describing, first, the trajectory of cover crop adoption in the U.S., and then, current drivers. Next, we analyze U.S. agricultural census data to describe our current domestic and imported supply of cover crop seed. We then provide overviews of the cover crop seed production cycle, types of cover crop seed suppliers, and the major players in the industry today. From there, we present key challenges facing the cover crop seed industry today, describe opportunities for the industry to evolve, and discuss future considerations."--Introduction.