Cover crops grown over the winter on agricultural fields are just the right thing to do, according to some local producers who participated in a Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) program and received an incentive payment last year.
Applications for the cover crop program can be submitted now for payment in spring 2019. The per-acre incentive is offered to applicants in Wellington, Brant, Haldimand and Dufferin counties, as well as Waterloo Region, through the GRCA’s Rural Water Quality Program (RWQP).
The benefits of cover crops are numerous — they can reduce erosion, build better soil structure and improve soil health. Cover crops also help reduce runoff into local waterways, ultimately improving overall watershed health.
“Cover crops are a simple and cost-effective way of feeding the soil and minimizing erosion,” said Steve Lake of Elora. “With cover crops and no-till practices, we are protecting local water quality and building a more resilient soil for the future.”
Other producers agree. Over the last five years, more than 235 producers in Brant, Waterloo, Wellington, Dufferin and Haldimand counties received the cover crop incentive payment. Priority is given to erosion-prone fields next to watercourses or wetlands and areas that are susceptible to wind erosion. Fields that are tile drained or in wellhead protection areas are also considered. Cover crops that are used solely for cover – not harvested or grazed – are eligible under the program.
The incentive rate varies by county and is between $20 and $100 per acre. Municipalities fund the program and the GRCA administers it on their behalf.
More information is available about the cover crop program by contacting the GRCA at ruralwater@grandriver.ca or calling 519-621-2761 and asking to speak to a conservation specialist.
