Using Remote Sensing to Measure the Impact of Farm Bill Conservation Programs on Overwintering Cover Crop Presence at Landscape Scales

Abstract

Modern industrial agriculture is a leading cause of environmental degradation globally. In response, agroecology is gaining ground among researchers and farmers alike as a promising direction for food systems transformation. Through the intentional management of crop functional diversity, agroecological practices can reduce or eliminate dependence on external inputs and associated environmental degradation. For instance, cover crops have received significant research attention because they have traits that contribute multiple agroecological functions. Despite evidence for their ecological and agronomic benefits, cover crops are rare in Midwestern agricultural landscapes. Federal conservation programs provide incentives for conservation practices such as cover cropping, and cover crop funding and awareness is increasing in Michigan. However, the actual extent of overwintering cover crops on the ground is not well quantified. This research used remote sensing to examine the relationship between government conservation programs and the presence of overwintering cover crops at landscape scales from 2008-2019 in Michigan. We found that participation in Farm Bill conservation programs like EQIP can increase the presence of overwintering cover crops on the ground. Panel fixed effects model results demonstrated that a one-hectare (ha) increase in EQIP cover crop area was associated with a 0.51 ha increase in winter cover. This research presents a novel remote sensing approach for estimating cover crop prevalence at landscape scales and offers meaningful insight intohow policy can support farmers’ transitions toward agroecological management.