June 24, 2026
Are Cover Crops Worth It? The Tradeoff Between Soil Health and Farm Profitability
Look at the tradeoffs when considering cover crops — balancing potential soil health improvements with the impact on farm profitability.
Every operation has different goals, whether that’s improving long-term productivity, managing risk, or maximizing returns. Understanding those tradeoffs is key to making the right decision for your farm.
Find the associated article on cover crop net returns and soil health improvements: https://ag.purdue.edu/commercialag/home/resource/2026/06/cover-crop-net-returns-and-soil-health-improvements/
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RELATED RESOURCES
Conservation practices can improve soil health, reduce erosion, and lower greenhouse gas emissions—but they also create important profitability tradeoffs for commercial farms. This article explores how farms can evaluate competing goals such as conservation, profitability, and risk management using scenario analysis and long-run planning tools. Comparing practices like no-till, cover crops, and adding winter wheat to rotations, the analysis highlights why some conservation practices gain wider adoption than others and why long-term benefits often matter more than short-term economics.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Join educators from across the Midwest to build skills for communicating soil health concepts on Nov. 4-5, 2026. In the field, we’ll evaluate the relationship between soil health and water management focusing on irrigation and edge of field practices. The in-service will have both classroom and on farm demonstrations.
The Land of Opportunity: A Conference for Farmland Owners will be held at two locations on October 5 and October 6, providing farmland owners with valuable information and resources to help them make informed decisions about their land. The conference will feature keynote presentations, educational breakout sessions, and networking opportunities designed specifically for those who own, manage, or have an interest in farmland.