Department of Conservation and Recreation
Conserve. Protect. Enjoy.
Department of Conservation and Recreation
By Matt SabasPosted August 27, 2025
The Virginia Tech Eastern Shore Agricultural Research and Extension Center (AREC) is committed to supporting commercial vegetable and agronomic crop production by conducting state-of-the art research into cover crops, fertilizers, soil tillage and soil management.
“The primary focus of our research here at the Eastern Shore Agriculture Research and Extension Center is to focus on what's important for growers across the commonwealth regarding soils and nutrient management,” said Mark Reiter, the director of Eastern Shore AREC. “We take a look at cover crops, fertilizers, soil tillage, soil management, and pretty much anything that can impact overall agricultural production.”
“While we're focused on cover crops and soil management strategies, which are often promoted by the Soil and Water Conservation Districts, the overall idea is to ensure that farmers are optimizing their yields for crop productivity,” said Dr. Reiter.
Virginia’s 47 Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) administer the Virginia Agricultural Best Management Practices Cost-Share (VACS) program, which provides reimbursement for over 60 best management practices (BMPs), including nutrient management planning, no till and cover crops.
One area the VT Eastern Shore AREC focuses on, and qualifies for reimbursement from the VACS program, is cover crops. Cover crops improve soil health by reducing erosion, increasing organic matter in soil while enhancing water retention, which helps to protect nearby waterways by preventing nitrogen from leaching into the water table. They can lower long-term input costs by improving soil fertility, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers and supporting resilient crop yields.
“The economics of cover crops, looking at their ability to reduce our nitrogen input, especially when using legume cover crops such as hairy vetch or crimson clover, you’re able to really see some reductions in our demands of nitrogen fertilizer,” said Joseph Haymaker, postdoctoral associate, Virginia Tech Eastern Shore AREC. “Cover crops improve the long-term sustainability and economic viability of agriculture production while reducing our environmental impacts.”
Different cover crop mixtures can produce varying results.
“We're really now promoting grasses commingled with legumes, brassicas, and forbs to have a more holistic system that provides different benefits to the soil and also, to the farmer's bottom line, when you look at nutrients,” said Dr. Reiter. “What we have found is that our nutrients can escape the typical crop root zone, but these cover crops can scavenge nutrients like potassium from down deep, bring them back up to the surface and recycle them, which can help increase yields, but also keep these nutrients on our land where we need them instead of running off through groundwater or overland flow to the Chesapeake Bay.”
For State Program Year 2026, the VACS reimbursement rate is $40/acre for small grain cover crop planted for nutrient and residue management. Participating farmers can qualify for an additional:
For guidance on which cover crops and conservation practices best fit your farm’s needs, and to identify other programs for which you might be eligible, contact your local Soil and Water Conservation District https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/soil-and-water/swcds.
Learn more about the Virginia Tech Eastern Shore Agricultural Research and Extension Center's research by visiting their website: https://www.arec.vaes.vt.edu/arec/eastern-shore.html.
Categories
Soil and Water Conservation
