Cover Crops
Cover crops play an essential role in soil health, water quality, and long‑term farm productivity. They reduce erosion, store nutrients, improve soil structure, suppress weeds, and even serve as forage in some cases.
2026 Cover Crop Program Information
The Wayne Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) offers a Cover Crop Program that is funded through the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD). Through this program, MWCD offers reimbursement for approved fields you apply for with a cap of 175 acres per applicant across eligible counties in the jurisdictional boundary of the MWCD District.
2026 Cover Crop ApplicationNRCS Cover Crop Seeding Table Choosing the Right Cover CropAccording to Rafiq Islam (Ohio State University Extension soil scientist), cover crops can:
• Reduce soil erosion
• Reduce nutrient leaching
• Improve soil structure
• Increase water infiltration
• Reduce compaction
• Suppress weeds
• Enhance wildlife and pollinator habitat
• Fix nitrogen
• Store carbon
• Provide forage
Cover crops are one of the most effective conservation practices for protecting soil and water while supporting crop production.
Instructions:
When mailing samples to the Ohio Department of Agriculture, please do the following:
1. Fill a quart-size zip-lock or other sealable plastic bag with the seed to be tested; double bag the seed and tape the bags shut.
2. Include your name, address, telephone number, variety of the seed, and lot number of the seed in each bag of seed sent for testing.
3. Indicate what tests are to be run on the samples submitted. (Germination and Weed Seed Content)
4. Mail the samples to:
Grain, Feed, & Seed Section
Ohio Department of Agriculture
8995 East Main St, Bldg 23
Reynoldsburg, OH 43068
Ashland SWCD has an interseeder that would be available for anyone to rent for cover crops. Visit their website at https://www.ashlandswcd.com/rental to see the complete list of equipment and contracts online!
Aerial Seeding of Cover Crops
