Mizzou Leads $10M National Cover Crop Seed Project

By Blake Jackson

Morning sunlight stretches across rows of young green seedlings at the University of Missouri’s Bradford Research Farm, where Mizzou researchers say these modest plants could play a major role in agriculture’s future.

Cover crops - grown to protect and enrich soil between cash crops - are gaining popularity as farmers look to build healthier, more resilient fields. Yet most cover crop seeds are currently produced in Oregon’s Willamette Valley or imported from overseas.

To strengthen domestic supply, Mizzou’s Center for Regenerative Agriculture is leading the $10 million National Cover Crop Variety Improvement and Seed Production Project. The initiative focuses on developing improved varieties while creating new market opportunities for farmers.

“The ultimate goal of this project is to empower farmers to protect and improve their soil, laying the groundwork for a more resilient food system and thriving, stable farming businesses across the country,” Robert Myers, director of Mizzou’s Center for Regenerative Agriculture, said.

Launched in 2023 with support from USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the project integrates research, field trials, training and outreach.

Nationwide, cover crop acreage rose 17% from 2017 to 2022, reaching 17.9 million acres. Meanwhile, seed imports doubled between 2019 and 2023, highlighting the need for a stronger U.S. seed pipeline.

The program brings together more than 40 partners across 16 states. At Bradford Research Farm, researchers evaluate traits such as winter hardiness, fall growth, and spring vigor. Findings are compared with trials in states including Wisconsin, Oregon and Texas.

“If we’re going to have this rapid increase in demand over the next five years, how do we make sure there are varieties appropriate for each farmer’s situation, and how do we help seed companies ensure there’s enough available to sell? That’s what’s really important about this project - we have all of these different players involved,” Mizzou program manager Etienne Sutton said.

“One of the most promising findings so far is that there is strong evidence of regional adaptation,” Sutton said.

The effort now includes on-farm testing and seed production training, opening new business opportunities. As Sutton noted, “Farmers have this opportunity to enter a part of the agricultural market that’s expanding rapidly right now.”

Photo Credit: gettyimages-mvburling