The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) has announced the return of its Fall Covers for Spring Savings Program for a sixth year. The program aims to encourage farmers in Illinois to plant cover crops, which can improve soil health and support agricultural resilience.
Farmers will be able to begin entering their information during a pre-enrollment period starting at 8 a.m. CST on December 3, 2025. Full applications may be submitted once the program officially opens at 8 a.m. CST on December 15, 2025. The application process remains open until 11:59 p.m. CST on January 15, 2026.
For the upcoming cycle, the program will provide incentives for up to 190,000 acres across the state. Enrollment is managed on a first come, first served basis. Since its inception, over six years producers have enrolled more than 885,900 acres in the initiative.
“By investing in cover crops today, we’re helping farmers build healthier fields for tomorrow,” said IDOA Director Jerry Costello II. “These practices strengthen our soil, safeguard against extreme weather, and support long-term resilience across Illinois agriculture.”
The incentive provides eligible applicants with a premium discount of up to $5 per acre on crop insurance for every acre of cover crops verified through the program. Only acreage that is not already covered by other state or federal incentives qualifies for this discount. Applicants must certify their cover crops with their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office before applying and need to provide current FSA-578 documentation along with their federal crop insurance policy numbers.
The IDOA uses various tools to confirm that reported acres are planted in cover crops and only those with United States Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency (USDA-RMA) crop insurance coverage are eligible. Once confirmed, applications are sent to USDA-RMA for processing and application of premium discounts.
Pre-enrollment and applications can be accessed online via https://apps.agr.illinois.gov/BLWR_CoverCrop/ or through the IDOA website at agr.illinois.gov/. For further information or assistance, applicants can contact IDOA at (217) 782-6297.
