Ph.D. Level Student
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
ssellar2@illinois.edu
Advised by Dr. Gary Schnitkey

Cover Crops on Soybean Fields in Illinois: Data from Precision Conservation Management (PCM)

Cover crop use is increasing on U.S. farms, but remains low. The main reason for low adoption is the financial and management challenges of cover crops. Using field-level data from Precision Conservation Management (PCM), we explore the average operator and land return, costs, and yield on soybean fields with cover crops. We find that financial assistance is necessary for cover crop fields to be as profitable as non-cover crop fields, at least in the short run. We also explore the different cover crop types and practices being implemented on Illinois farms.