AI Tech Helps Farmers Track Nitrogen in Cover Crops

By Blake Jackson

Farmers in Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania will soon gain access to AI-driven insights on the nitrogen contributions of their cover crops, thanks to a collaboration led by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and funded by the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS). The program provides $16 million to support farmers directly or through agribusiness partners in adopting this technology on their farms.

Part of the USDA-NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), the initiative brings together TNC, universities, private agribusinesses, and federal and state agriculture agencies to close knowledge gaps around nitrogen management for corn grown after multi-species cover crops.

The goal is to help farmers optimize nitrogen use, maintain yields, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improve soil and water quality in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. TNC estimates the program could offset 3 million pounds of nitrogen farmers would otherwise need to purchase and apply.

Over the next four years, the project will impact up to 150,000 acres in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, including 20,000 acres in Pennsylvania. The first growing season starts this spring.

Using PlantMap3D, developed by North Carolina State University, farm equipment will be outfitted with cameras to capture detailed images of cover crops. AI software will identify species and generate maps showing nitrogen availability acre by acre, helping farmers apply nutrients only where necessary.

"Knowledge is power, and this program arms TNC and our agricultural partners with unparalleled data that will boost biodiversity, water quality and farmers’ bottom lines in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, a globally important conservation landscape," said Amy Jacobs, Chesapeake Bay director at The Nature Conservancy.

“We are thrilled to be working with partners that are leaders in their field to deploy this new technology to support farmers with solutions that are both good for the environment and their businesses."

Cover crops such as clover and rye act as nitrogen sponges, storing it in plant tissue over the offseason and releasing it back to the soil during decomposition. Pennsylvania farmers can apply to participate in the program through February 15, 2026, with eligibility details available in the PlantMap3D RCPP Fact Sheet.

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