Mizzou’s Center for Regenerative Agriculture Receives $25m USDA Grant

The University of Missouri’s Center for Regenerative Agriculture will spearhead a $25 million project to encourage more cover crop usage on Missouri farmlands.  The project, one of 70 funded by USDA’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Project grants, will provide incentives for farmers to adopt the practice and sequester more carbon in the soil.  Director Dr Rob Myers says the center will encourage two aspects of cover crop usage.

Myers says payments to farmers will also encourage them to have their livestock graze on cover crops.

Myers explains that cover crops adds more carbon to the soil, thereby increasing the amount of organic matter.

Dr Rob Myers of the Center for Regenerative Agriculture says their project aims to involve 3000 farmers and expand cover crop usage by 500,000 acres.  He estimates that Missouri farmers are already using cover crops on about a million acres.