You do not need to submit separate application forms if you鈥檙e using cover crops on some fields and reduced tillage on others, simply include all fields in one submission.

Project Guidelines and Application

Residue Cover

The Residue Cover Application Form collects information on both cover crop and tillage practices for each field. This information is used to determine eligibility and assign the appropriate incentive rate.

Incentives for Cover Crops and Reduced Tillage cannot be combined on the same field, unless bonus criteria are met.

A $10/acre bonus is available when:

  • Cover crops provide 80% or greater residue cover over winter, and
  • The spring crop is planted using no-till or strip-till methods.

Cover Crop Projects

Rates

  • $30/acre – Cover Crops Left Overwinter
  • $15/acre –聽 Cover Crops that are Harvested/Grazed

Funding cannot be stacked with other funding programs

Requirements

  • Field(s) must be in the Upper Thames watershed.
  • Only cover crops that were planted in 2025 and will be left over winter are eligible.
  • Practices from past seasons or future years will not be considered.
  • All fields will be inspected by March 31, 2026 to determine if they meet the overwinter residue requirements of 60% residue. On a case-by-case basis, exceptions to the 60% requirement may be granted where cover crops are a new practice or where establishment of a late season cover crops was impacted by weather.

Eligible Practices

  • Cover crops seeded with or into a annual crop
  • Cover crops seeded following the harvest of an annual crop
  • Single or multi-species cover crops
  • Fall burndown allowed if spring residue meets criteria

Ineligible Practices

  • Crops harvested as a marketable grain crop the next year
  • Alfalfa
  • Canola
  • Triticale as a single species
  • Planting an invasive species

Audit Process

All fields will be inspected by March 31, 2026 to determine if they meet the overwinter residue requirements.

Reduced Tillage Projects

Rates

  • $30/acre – No Fall Tillage or Fall Strip Till
  • $15/acre –聽 Fall Vertical Tillage

Funding cannot be stacked with other funding programs

Requirements

  • Field(s) must be in the Upper Thames watershed
  • Only reduced tillage practices implemented during聽2025-2026 non-growing season (winter)聽are eligible. Practices from past seasons or future years will聽not聽be considered.
  • All fields will be inspected by聽March 31, 2026聽to determine if they meet overwinter residue requirements. A minimum of聽60% residue聽is required

Eligible Practices

  • No Fall Tillage 鈥郝� Crop residue left untouched overwinter (e.g. untouched corn stalks or wheat stubble)
  • Fall Strip-Till听鈥郝犅�Crop residue strip-tilled in the fall
  • Fall Vertical Till听鈥郝犅�Fall vertical till crop residue
  • No-Till or Strip-Till聽鈥郝� Planting of corn or beans into forage residue

Ineligible Practices

  • Fall use of disk rippers or chisel plows
  • Soybean/bean stubble left untouched over winter
  • any fall tillage on soybean/bean stubble
  • No-till planting of winter wheat, other cereals or forages
  • Perennial forages left overwinter

Audit Process

All fields will be inspected by March 31, 2026 to determine if they meet the overwinter residue requirements.

Contact

Chris Van Esbroeck, Agricultural Stewardship Specialist

[email protected]

519-451-2800 ext. 272