EAST TROY, Wis. - Wisconsin farmers are looking ahead to the fall harvest, and those who use cover crops face a deadline to sign up for a research project to measure the effectiveness of this form of sustainable farming.

Cover crops are designed to prevent harmful runoff and improve soil health on the farm. Researchers with the University of Wisconsin and the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute want to connect with producers this fall to see what works best for them.

Dan Smith, southwest regional specialist for the Nutrient and Pest Management Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said it's great that farmers are spreading the word about the practice, but added that reliable data needs to go along with that messaging.

"Cover crops are not free to plant," he said, "so we have to have a return, and in order to have a return, we have to be producing above-ground and below-ground biomass."

The more biomass produced through cover crops means a farmer has healthier soil to work with. This is the second year these partners have gathered data from farmland. Last year's initial run saw 15 participants, and Smith said they're on pace to more than double that number in 2021. The sign-up deadline is Oct. 1.

Smith said the overall goal is to ensure farmers who want to adopt this profitable and environmentally friendly practice have the best cover-crop recommendations for Wisconsin's climate. While a lot of methods have worked, he said their initial research has shown flexibility is sometimes needed.

"If we have really wet fall conditions when we're harvesting," he said, "it's really tough to plant a cover crop. So, can we look to other tools, such as interseeding a cover crop in June?"

He said it's about developing "workable science" for which types of cover crops to use, and when it's best to apply them. The state Department of Agriculture said through its Producer-Led Program, more than 83,000 farm acres in Wisconsin had cover crops in use last year, a 19% increase from the previous year.

Just three years after the New Mexico Healthy Soil Act was approved by lawmakers, the Land of Enchantment is boasting more "soil health champions" than any other state, according to the Soil Health Champions Network.

The Act authorized the New Mexico Department of Agriculture to provide financial assistance to help residents implement conservation projects focusing on one or more of five "healthy soil" principles.

Robb Hirsch, co-founder of the Healthy Soil Working Group and education director at the Climate Change Leadership Institute, said urban and rural New Mexicans, both consumers and producers, benefit from better soil health.

"Ninety-five percent of the food we eat comes from out of state," Hirsch pointed out. "We could increase the amount of food we consume from our local ranchers and farmers, and if we do that, we can grow our economy in a very regenerative way."

Last month, New Mexico lawmakers approved $1 million in funding for the soil program.

A major healthy soil principle is keeping the ground covered, which typically means cover crops, planted to "cover" the soil rather than for harvesting. While cover crops are common in the Midwest, Hirsch noted they are also critical in arid and semiarid regions like New Mexico, because they can prevent or reduce soil erosion and enhance soil health.

"When you cover the soil and cover the ground, and you have biodiversity at work," Hirsch explained. "You have a soil that actually infiltrates and captures the little water that we do get, instead of running off with flooding."

Three years ago, the World Resources Institute ranked New Mexico first among U.S. states facing extreme water stress due to climate change. Hirsch added it is all the more reason to advocate for healthy soil.

"Soil is a most precious life force, fundamental to our well-being," Hirsch contended. "We should invest majorly in it here in the Land of Enchantment."

The New Mexico Department of Agriculture recently announced its Healthy Soil Program will accept grant applications from farmers and ranchers for funding to help them manage their working lands using these principles. Applications will be accepted from March 18-May 12.

Michigan farmers say the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) new, billion-dollar investment in projects by "climate-smart" farmers, ranchers and forest landowners will make a big difference in the fight to protect the environment.

The program, Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities, encourages producers and landowners to implement practices that either reduce greenhouse gas emissions or sequester carbon. It will also measure the impact of these practices and develop markets to promote the products.

Bob Thompson, president of the Michigan Farmers Union, said the funding will be welcome, especially for smaller operators.

"Practices where you're going to plant trees, or plant buffer strips along waterways, or create wetlands where appropriate, that all costs money," Thompson pointed out. "And when you're trying to eke out a living, something has to give."

The USDA is now accepting applications for pilot projects. Public and private entities from small businesses to tribal governments to colleges can apply.

Michigan has nearly 10 million acres of farmland, and the food and agriculture industry contributes more than $100 billion annually to the state's economy.

Thompson noted methods like using cover crops and low-till or no-till practices have been growing in popularity across the state.

"We have a number of farms that are using those principles and practices that, if it were more widespread, it would be certainly more beneficial to climate activities," Thompson emphasized.

He added climate-friendly practices do more than fight climate change. They can boost sustainability on the farm as well. Cover crops, for instance, help sequester carbon and prevent groundwater contamination, but also improve soil health and prevent erosion.

Chesapeake Bay states have until 2025 to implement practices to reduce watershed pollution, and a new report shows "climate-smart" farming can help prevent farm runoff.

In the Chesapeake Bay Clean Water Blueprint, roughly 80% of the remaining pollution reduction must come from agriculture - and Pennsylvania is farthest behind among the Bay states. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation report said implementing regenerative farming practices, from rotational grazing to planting forest buffers along streams, can reduce animal waste and soil erosion.

Bill Chain, the foundation's senior agriculture program manager, said Pennsylvania has a lot of farm conservation work to do.

"Farmers are ready to adopt conservation practices, but need funding," he said. "Both the state and federal conservation funding fall woefully short of what's necessary to make that investment with family farms in improving water quality."

He said one step the state could take is to establish an Agricultural Conservation Assistance Program, which would fund best-management practices such as planting streamside trees and cover crops.

The report included real-life examples of farms that have converted to rotational grazing, including Blue Mountain View Farm in Lebanon County. Research has shown that nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment pollution in local waterways decreased significantly after the farm made the switch.

Beth McGee, the foundation's director of science and agricultural policy, said these steps can have economic benefits for farmers, too.

"Adoption of these practices can also reduce the use of fertilizer," she said. "If we put less nitrogen on the ground, either in the form of manure or synthetic fertilizer, we will reduce the amount of nitrous oxide that is produced - and nitrous oxide is a very potent greenhouse gas."

The report said Pennsylvania needs an estimated $3 billion in agricultural funding to meet the 2025 Blueprint requirements.