Peoples Company, a full-service farmland transaction and management business licensed in 29 states, has announced an expanded cover crop partnership with Stine Seed, the largest independent corn and soybean seed company, and one of the most-recognized corn and soybean seed brands. The program, known as the Sustainability Cover Crop Initiative, offers landowners a paid-in-full, managed cover crops program, which demonstrates sustainable farming practices do not come at the expense of productivity. Peoples Company and Stine Seed are setting a goal to plant cover crops on 25,000 acres over the next two years in 16 eligible states.

“For 50 years, Peoples Company has been working alongside landowners to deploy innovative strategies to improve farming and land management outcomes. The Sustainability Cover Crop Initiative offers landowners a rare opportunity to have their land professionally managed, pay nothing for the planting of highly beneficial cover crops while achieving third-party sustainability certification, which will make their land and its yield more valuable,” said Peoples Company President Steve Bruere.

Originally launched in 2018 and available to landowners in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Missouri, the Sustainability Crop Initiative will now also be available in Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.

“Over the past four years, the Sustainability Cover Crop Initiative has been tremendously successful in increasing the usage of cover crops because landowners know it’s a win-win,” said Myron Stine, President of Stine Seed. “By strategically planting cover crops, landowners can protect natural resources like soil and water, decrease inputs needed to grow on unproductive acres, and increase the value of the farm by demonstrating higher yields. Stine Seed is eager to continue working alongside Peoples Company to expand the Sustainability Cover Crop Initiative because we know caring for the land is paramount to any farm’s success.”

The program is available for new land management accounts with Peoples Company, up to a maximum of 25,000 acres. The cost of cover crop application will be covered up to $30/acre, with a minimum of 120 acres and a maximum of 500 acres planted per client. Cover crop seed and application decisions will be made by land management professionals. To receive cover crops paid-in-full by the program, landowners must agree to have their land professionally managed by Peoples Company during a three-year term and agree to planting Stine Seed.

For more information, or to inquire about program enrollment, please visit www.CoverCropProgram.com.