Illinois Farmer Slashes Costs, Heals Soil With Cover Crops

Jay Whalen turned his family farm into a thriving experiment that's now saving him thousands of dollars while making his soil healthier than ever.

The fifth-generation farmer in Livingston and La Salle counties started testing cover crops 17 years ago when he was hired as a seed specialist. What began as product testing transformed his entire approach to farming.

Today, Whalen no longer buys traditional fertilizers like diammonium phosphate, monoammonium phosphate, or potash. Instead, he uses cover crop mixes and humic acid, a natural soil conditioner that improves nutrient uptake and stimulates beneficial microbes.

The timing couldn't be better. Since early 2025, DAP prices jumped over 19%, MAP climbed nearly 17%, and potash increased 10%.

"I look at my record books and I'm like, how are these other farmers doing it?" Whalen said. "I've totally got it out of my system."

His system is simple but effective. He plants cereal rye on cornstalks in fall ahead of soybeans. On bean ground ahead of corn, he applies oats and radishes on half the acres, and annual rye and radishes on the other half.

Whalen applies 50 to 75 pounds of ag-grade humic acid per acre using a broadcast seeder. He relies on the Haney soil test, which measures organic nutrients rather than traditional inorganic markers, to guide his decisions.

The Ripple Effect

The changes go far beyond his bank account. Whalen's soil health improved tenfold since switching to cover crops nearly a decade ago.

After a recent 1-inch rainfall, neighboring fields had standing water in low spots. Whalen's fields absorbed every drop without pooling.

"It's just absolutely amazing, the tilth, the water infiltration," he said. "It's totally changed my soil structure."

His success is now helping other farmers find a path forward. By enrolling in programs like Precision Conservation Management and Illinois' I-COVER Program, Whalen receives close to $150 per acre in payments for cover crops, no-till farming, and carbon sequestration.

Those payments make the transition more affordable for farmers hesitant to change their practices. The combination of cost savings on fertilizer and program payments creates a powerful financial incentive.

Whalen farms alongside his father John and sister Melissa Whalen Smith in a 50/50 corn-soybean rotation. He's still experimenting, trying to successfully grow clovers that overwinter and adding more species to his cover crop mixes.

His advice for other farmers starts with testing on their own land. "If I'm going to sell the product, I like knowing what I'm selling and if it works," he said.

The farmer who started experimenting to sell seeds discovered something more valuable: a sustainable path that enriches soil, cuts costs, and proves farming can be both profitable and regenerative.