While the no-till, strip-till and other conservation tillage system acreage continues to grow and boost profits, a mid-year USDA report based on a historical review of research articles and Census of Agriculture from 2012-2022 indicates on-going acceptance of cover crops isn’t fairing as well.

Even so, the cover crop acreage on all U.S. farms continues to show a small upward trend due to increased emphasis on its benefits. However, there is certainly room for improvement as less than 10% of all U.S. farmers now seed cover crops compared to 82% of no-tillers who are using the practice.

This analysis comes from USDA’s Economic Research Service on the economics of soil health and conservation practices. Besides conservation tillage practices, the report looks at the role cover crops and nutrient management play in better soil health and environmental needs. It also analyzes farmer decision-making with regard to soil health, plus offers valuable insights into the current rates of adoption and profitability of key practices.

To estimate joint adoption of cover crops and conservation tillage, the authors relied on data from the 2012, 2017 and 2022 Censuses of Agriculture and other sources. 

“Their Top 10” List

Here is the USDA economic staffers 10-year analysis of related scientific literature and other data that led to these conclusions:

1. Farmers who adopted no-till or strip-till along with cover crops were more efficient and profitable. These growers had greater success in maximizing crop production value than farmers who did not adopt both practices.

2. No-till, strip-till and other reduced tillage fields are more likely to be seeded to cover crops than conventionally-tilled acres.

Data from the 2025 No-Till Farmer Benchmark study shows 81% of survey respondents seeded cover crops in 2024, including 19% who interseeded cover crops into cash crops. No-tillers seeded cover crops on an average of 644 acres in 2024.

3. The short-term return to adopting cover crops is often negative without farmers receiving cost-sharing or other financial assistance.

4. An analysis of recent Census of Agriculture data suggests more than 50% of farmers dropped cover cropping within 5 years. Among growers seeding cover crops in 2012, only 48% still cover cropped 5 years later. Among farmers growing cover crops in 2017, only 46% were still cover cropping in 2022.

5. Farms that used no-till or strip-till with corn, soybeans or cotton had higher income, yet cover crop usage was not associated with productivity. 

USDA data from 2021 shows 36% of corn acres were no-tilled, yet only 14% of these acres had been seeded to cover crops. While a 2023 USDA study showed 45% of soybeans were no-tilled, only 17% were previously seeded to covers.

6. Profitability of a single soil health practice depends on multiple choices of other practices, such as rotations, no-till, strip-till, cover cropping and nutrient management.

7. Risk and uncertainty affect further adoption of cover cropping. Labor needs, risk preferences, local peer pressure and social norms also play a key role.

From 2012 to 2022, USDA data shows no-tilled acres increased from 35% to 38%. During these 10 years, reduced tillage usage expanded from 28% to 35%. This means conventionally-tilled acres dropped 10% during this 10-year period.

8. Adoption of no-till and strip-till along with other reduced tillage systems continues to increase. However, no-till adoption has slowed with several crops.

9. Conservation tillage was associated with higher corn yields, but this yield boost did not hold with soybeans. However, less tillage trimmed operating costs for both crops.

10. While reducing tillage intensity can trim input costs, profitability varies among growers and geographic regions.

Lessons to be Learned

Based on this data, more growers still need to be sold on the benefits of seeding crops — something most no-tillers recognized years ago.