Cover Crop Economics

The Ontario Certified Crop Advisor Association (CCA) and Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) have partnered to deliver training and educational resources to Ontario agrologists. With a focus on cover crops, nitrogen management, and rotational grazing, these sessions will support the objectives of the On-Farm Climate Action Fund.

This webinar is an economic analysis of cover crop adoption and beneficial management practices (BMPs), drawing on research by Dr. Aaron De Laporte and data from Living Labs projects. It examines how cover cropping influences farm production costs, nutrient efficiency, and cash crop margins over short- and long-term horizons. Additionally, the presentation explores the economic viability of utilizing forages as cover crops, focusing on how grazing or harvesting can offset establishment expenses in mixed grain and livestock operations.

Dr. Aaron De Laporte is a Senior Research Associate in the Department of Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of Guelph. His work focuses on the economic and environmental dimensions of agricultural sustainability, with a particular emphasis on business risk management programs, climate adaptation strategies, and the adoption of beneficial management practices (BMPs). Aaron leads national research initiatives in collaboration with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Farmers for Climate Solutions, and other partners, producing policy-relevant insights that inform program design and delivery. His recent research has examined nitrogen management, soil health, cover cropping, rotational grazing, and genomic technologies. Aaron holds a Ph.D. in Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics from the University of Guelph.

Funding for this project has been provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the Agricultural Climate Solutions (ACS) – On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF). This event is free to attend. To register you must answer two questions for the purpose of tracking attendance and outreach.

CEUs: 1.5 Crop Management (to be approved)

Cover Crop Economics is an OSCIA-recognized Knowledge Sharing Event (KSE) for applicants with On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF) projects in the Cover Cropping category. The KSE is only available for the live webinar.