Hoosier farmers committed to soil conservation

“Hoosier farmers are committed to preserving one of God’s most previous gifts – Earth,” Lieutenant Governor Beckwith, Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture said. “Overwintering covers are just one tool that farmers use to preserve and enhance our farmland – ensuring they can pass down their property for generations. This is no easy task, and it can be costly.  I applaud them for the extra effort.”

Overwintering living covers (i.e. – cover crops and small grains, like wheat) are known for their environmental benefits. Cover crops and small grains help increase organic matter in the soil and improve overall soil health by adding living roots to the soil more months of the year. Cover crops also improve water infiltration into the soil, while other covers, like legumes serve as natural fertilizers.

Although the conservation transect does not differentiate between cover crops and small grains, Indiana farmers typically plant fewer than 300,000 acres of small grains annually, so cover crops vastly dominate the 1.6 million estimated acres. Apart from corn and soybeans, cover crops are planted on more acres than any other commodity crop in Indiana. Cover crops are typically planted in the fall after harvest and designed to protect the soil and keep roots in the ground throughout the winter, which improves soil health and helps filter water runoff.

“As a farmer who contributes to planting a small portion of Indiana’s 1.6 million acres of cover crops and wheat, I am thankful that thousands of other farms are committed to using these tools and reducing sediment loss and nutrient runoff,” said Don Lamb, Indiana State Department of Agriculture director and Boone county farmer. “This commitment does not go unnoticed and I know its an extra investment, but I am grateful they are reaping the rewards.”

As a result of the cover crops and other overwintering covers planted last year, it is estimated that 1.8 million tons of sediment was prevented from entering Indiana’s waterways, which would fill about 18 thousand train freight cars.

The conservation survey also showed that about 70% of row crop acres were not tilled and about 18% had employed reduced tillage over winter, after the 2024 harvest. This early spring survey is not intended to quantify pre-planting tillage.

The conservation transect is a visual survey of cropland in the state. It was conducted between March and May 2025 by members of the Indiana Conservation Partnership, including the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, Indiana’s Soil and Water Conservation Districts and Purdue Extension, as well as Earth Team volunteers, to show a more complete story of the state’s conservation efforts.

To view the full report,