Ashland County Farmers See Growing Benefits from Cover Crops and Cost-Share Programs

As spring planting season approaches, more farmers across Ashland County are turning to cover crops as a practical way to improve soil health, reduce erosion, and strengthen long-term farm productivity. With new and expanded cost-share opportunities available, there has never been a better time to adopt the practice.

Cover crops such as rye, clover, and radishes are planted between main cash crops to keep soil covered year round. This simple step delivers a range of benefits, including improved soil structure, increased organic matter, and better water infiltration. In a region where heavy rains can wash away valuable topsoil, keeping living roots in the ground helps fields stay resilient.

Cover crops are one of the most effective tools we have for protecting both farmland and water quality, they reduce runoff, hold nutrients in place, and ultimately help farmers get more out of their land.

Financial support is helping drive adoption. Through the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD), eligible producers can apply for a cost-share program offering $12 per acre for implementing cover crops, with a cap of 175 acres per operation.

Operations in the Pleasant Hill Lake watershed and Charles Mill Lake watershed are automatically approved for the program and are not subject to the 175-acre cap, making it easier for farmers in these areas to fully implement conservation practices. These targeted incentives recognize the importance of protecting key water resources. By prioritizing sensitive watersheds, we can make a bigger impact on water quality across the region.

Producers that are enrolled in the H2Ohio program can enroll their H2Ohio acres for cover crop incentives at a rate of $20/acre, however manure applications are not allowed on the enrolled acres from November 1 , 2026 - March 15, 2027.

In addition to financial assistance, Ashland County farmers can take advantage of an aerial cover crop seeding program offered by the Ashland Soil and Water Conservation District. This service allows producers to seed cover crops by air, often into standing crops, saving time during the busy harvest season and improving establishment rates.

For more information or to apply for cost-share funding, farmers can contact the Ashland Soil and Water Conservation District office at (419)281-7645.  For producers interested in enrolling in the H2Ohio program or adding cover crops to existing fields in the program, please contact Zoey Dudte at h2ohioashlandcounty.org.