CROP INSURANCE discount program

Signup begins Monday, December 2, 2024.

Program Overview | Program rules | Frequently Asked Questions | CONTACT

Program Rules

The program is offered for acres of cover crops installed outside of state/federal program incentives (WQI, IFIP, state cost share, EQIP, CSP, etc.).  Interested participants sign-up at www.cleanwateriowa.org/cropinsurancediscount for acres planted to cover crops in the fall of 2024 and will be planted to an insurable crop in 2025. If you need assistance in signing up for the program, please contact covercropdemo@iowaagriculture.gov or (515) 281-5851. Eligible applicants will receive up to a $5/acre insurance premium discount on the following year’s crop insurance invoice for every acre of cover crops enrolled and verified in the program.

Minimum information needed for sign-up is contained in the online application form, but includes: applicant contact information, crop insurance policy number(s), acres of cover crops seeded, farm, tract, common land unit (CLU)/Field #, and legal description of fields/acres seeded to cover crops in fall 2024. It is highly recommended to reference your current FSA-578 form for those interested in applying for this program. The premium reduction will be applied based on the acreage report you file for federal crop insurance. Ensuring the field designations match is mandatory to receiving the premium discount.

Seeding of cover crops must follow best agronomic practices in terms of seeding dates, appropriate seeding rates, seed mixes, seeding dates, and ensure objectives of the cover crop are being met. Utilize NRCS Conservation Practice Standard 340 (Cover Crops) as a guide. 

Applications received by January 2025 will be collected and assessed for eligibility of this program.  Applications must be completed in full to remain eligible.  IDALS may contact prospective applicants for additional clarifying information.  Applicants must maintain documentation cover crops have been seeded (seed bills, etc.) and utilize Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) seeding recommendations as a guide.  Iowa NRCS Conservation Practice Standard 340 (Cover Crops) is a good resource for seeding recommendations and management of cover crops.

IDALS will verify acres based on applications received and acres requested. Only acres in cover crops (absent other state/fed incentivized cover crops) will be eligible for the additional $5/acre premium reduction. Confirmed applications will be forwarded to RMA for processing incentive on crop insurance premium invoice for 2025 crop.

A cover crop is considered a non-grain harvestable, non-insurable conservation/agronomic practice seeded in the fall to protect and improve soil and water quality. To ensure practice achieves the desired results, no full width tillage/termination of the cover crop in the fall is allowed.  Management/termination must be done in the spring in accordance with the most recent version of the NRCS Cover Crop Termination Guidelines. This guidance not only informs proper management of cover crops, it also must be followed to maintain eligibility for federal crop insurance.

Applicants must certify that by signing up for this program, they give IDALS permission to share the information provided to RMA for administering the benefit to the beneficiary as documented on the field applied for. Applicants also convey permission to IDALS or IDALS representative ingress/egress to the property enrolled if necessary to verify cover crop establishment.