Cover crops are normally planted without the intention of a direct harvest. Rather, they are planted for the multiple benefits they provide to the farmer and the environment. These include:
- Soil quality improvements by protecting soil from erosion
- Protecting against nutrient runoff and leaching
- Increasing soil water-holding capacity Increasing soil microbial activity; and
- Cycling nutrients and adding soil organic matter.
Keeping year-round cover, capturing more sunlight to grow plants that build soil and capturing any excess nitrogen are features of cover crops – and are proven methods to stop soil and nutrient loss.