The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection reminds producers to apply for the cover crop rebate program.
The rebate application is online. It’s open on DATCP’s website until Jan. 31 or until program funding runs out.
Susan Mockert is the conservation grants unit supervisor at the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. She says this is just the second year of the cover crop rebate program, but she says it’s already proving to be popular:
There is $800,000, or 160,000 acres of coverage, available on a first-come, first-served basis. Eligible participants will get a $5 per acre rebate on their summer 2024 crop insurance premium for acres planted with cover crops in 2023, and then planted with an insurable crop in 2024.
Producers who received state or federal cost-sharing to plant cover crops in 2023 are not eligible for this year’s program. Applicants will need to use their FSA-578 form to complete the application, and there is no limit on acres an applicant can apply for. Applicants should keep seed receipts and planting records, as DATCP may conduct audits.
Find more information about eligibility: https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/Programs_Services/CropInsuranceRebatesforPlantingCoverCrops.aspx
