The Illinois Department of Agriculture announced on April 20 the relaunch of the Infield Conservation for Operationalizing Vital Ecosystem Resilience (I-COVER) program, which provides financial incentives to farmers who adopt new or earlier cover crop techniques from 2026 through 2028.
The I-COVER initiative is funded by a $7 million grant from the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service and aims to encourage the use of cover crops and improve soil health. The department said applications opened on April 15 and will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis within each county. Priority will be given to the first qualifying application per county, pending verification.
State Senator Jil Tracy said, “Illinois farmers are at the forefront of innovation, and the I-COVER program helps ensure they have the tools and resources needed to implement practices that benefit both their operations and the environment.”
Pre-enrollment and applications are available online through the Illinois Department of Agriculture website. Interested participants can also contact IDOA by email at agr.icover@Illinois.gov or by phone at (217) 782-6297.
Tracy was elected as a Republican to represent Illinois’s 50th Senate District in 2023, succeeding Steve McClure according to official records.
The relaunch of I-COVER reflects ongoing efforts in Illinois to promote sustainable agriculture practices among local farmers.
