In 2014, Feikema Farms endured what they hoped was a once-in-a-generation weather calamity when their southern Minnesota farming operation was deluged with nearly a foot of rain. The 2014 event catalyzed the Feikemas – whose third-generation farm has been in use since 1950 – to rethink their entire operation by adopting no-till practices and planting cover crops to prevent further soil erosion.   

“That was really the deciding factor when we decided we needed to do something different, and we were able to see almost immediate effect with the reduction in erosion,” said Becky Feikema, who raises soybeans, corn and small grains with her family on a third-generation operation.     

Over time, Feikema Farms saw improved soil structure and less compaction.    

“The soil handled our equipment better – it didn’t sink in,” she said. “All those factors were reasons to keep moving forward with it.”    

Nearly 10 years to the day, history repeated itself in June 2024 when more than a foot of rain drenched their farm in Luverne. Surveying the damage, the Feikemas worst fears never came to pass. Thanks to their forward-thinking conservation practices that led to enrollment in the Farmers for Soil Health (FSH) program, Feikema Farms withstood Mother Nature’s wrath.   

“We were pleasantly impressed and surprised that everything that we’ve been doing was working,” Feikema said. “We did not see the washing or the erosion that we had seen a decade ago, so that was pretty rewarding that we could see the progress that we made.”  

Revenue-generator  

FSH is a collaboration led by the soy checkoff, National Corn Growers Association and the pork checkoff, along with USDA, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and other key partners. The Minnesota Soybean Growers Association also supports CTIC’s efforts by publishing advertorials promoting cover crops in Soybean Business magazine. 

Farmer-led and farmer-driven, the program incentives the use of sustainable soil health practices like cover crops to improve farmer profitability and promote climate-smart practices.    

“It’s another revenue source for us,” Feikema said. “Just being able to maximize the revenue generated on each acre is definitely a benefit.”  

Since becoming a FSH technical advisor in 2023, the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) has promoted cover crops through exhibiting at farm shows across the Midwest and virtual webinars. In January 2024, Becky Feikema participated in a CTIC webinar and contacted Soil Health Specialist Dan Coffman to learn more about the enrollment process. Feikema said Coffman was responsive and helped simplify the enrollment steps.      

“With this being a new program Dan really helped us go through any changes and helped us get everything submitted,” Feikema said. “He’s great to work with.”   

CTIC is reminding farmers that they can also apply for FSH benefits retroactively. Cover crop enrollment for 2024 remains open into March 2025, and enrollment for 2025 is also expected to open in March 2025.    

“If you didn’t sign up, you haven’t lost out,” Coffman said. “You still have time to earn those incentives.”   

In addition to limiting soil erosion, cover crops are also improving weed suppression, preventing nutrient runoff, sequestering carbon and providing forage for livestock.    

“It’s a continual learning process, and we’re kind of excited by that,” Becky said. “We’re always looking to see what else can we do? What can we try?” 

Since FSH’s launch in 2023, Minnesota farmers currently have the fourth-highest number of enrolled acres among the 20 states participating in FSH, which aims to expand cover crops across the U.S. to 30 million by 2030. With support from General Mills, CTIC has added three cover crop coaches in Minnesota, farmers with years of cover crop experience who provide mentoring to farmers and technical assistance to soil health specialists.    

Cover crops – most often winter cereal rye – in Minnesota have increased by 30% since 2017, totaling more than 760,000 acres across the state, according to the USDA. Feikema farms have done their part over nearly a decade by planting cover crops on about 90% of their 7,000 acres and started a multispecies mix into their rotation about four years ago.   

“We try to work cover crops into everything,” Feikema said. “We are always looking to try new things and to see what works.”   

In a weather reversal from June, the growing season in southwest Minnesota was capped by the driest stretch of fall weather in over a century. Still, Feikema Farms were pleased with their 2024 harvest.    

“We saw that even though it dried out, we feel like we had some good water holding capacity there,” Becky said. “We’re seeing some resilience to those (weather) extremes.”