Six Things to Know About the Sustainability Cover Crop Initiative

We’re excited to announce a collaboration with Peoples Company — one of the nation’s leading providers of land brokerage, management, appraisal and investment services — to offer land owners a paid-in-full cover crop program called the Sustainability Cover Crop Initiative. Through this collaboration, it’s possible to not only protect environmentally sensitive acres but also maximize yield on productive acres and improve overall return on investment through the use of cover crops. Here are six fast facts about this new initiative and how land owners can participate.

1. The Sustainability Cover Crop Initiative is available to land owners in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska and Missouri who agree to have their land managed by Peoples Company.
2. Eligible land owners will receive cover crops paid-in-full (up to $30/acre), with a minimum of 120 acres and a maximum of 500 acres planted per client.
3. The program will begin with the 2019 growing season and is available to newly established land management accounts with Peoples Company.
4. For 2019, the hope is to enroll up to 10,000 acres.
5. To participate, land owners must agree to a three-year term agreement that includes professional cover crop management by Peoples Company.  
6. Land owners must also commit to planting Stine seed for the full three-year duration of the agreement.

“At Stine, we understand that nothing is more important than caring for the land,” Myron Stine notes in the Oct. 2 announcement. “Through the years, we have implemented a number of processes on our own farm to aid in soil conservation, with high density corn being one of the most innovative. And we feel that cover crops are another component of a strong soil conservation program. That’s why we are pleased to partner with Peoples Company on this project.”

Cover crops have been widely used in crop rotation to increase and/or reestablish nitrogen and other nutrients in the soil. They also can be used to prevent soil erosion and to manage insect populations and weed control. Stine looks forward to this venture with Peoples Company and working with land owners to preserve the integrity of our soil and continue good stewardship of the environment.

To learn more about the Sustainability Cover Crop Initiative, we encourage you to contact Peoples Company or visit their website at https://peoplescompany.com/.