Welcome

Forever Green Partnership

The Forever Green Partnership is a multi-sector partnership working to advance year-round productive living cover or "Continuous Living Cover" on farmland.

The Partnership unites members from private, public, and advocacy sectors around a common interest in increasing Continuous Living Cover in agriculture to capitalize on its many economic and environmental benefits.

We work to diversify and strengthen Midwestern agriculture by adding crops that can grow in fall and spring as well as summer and can thrive on slopes and other locations where row crops struggle.

Convened and hosted by the University of Minnesota, the Partnership seeks to be inclusive and enhance equity and diversity as it increases Continuous Living Cover.

Aerial view of farm fields thick with crops

Healthy rural economies

We want farmers to have more and better options to keep acres profitable while being good stewards. Standard conservation programs play important roles, but we envision a not-so-distant future where the crops themselves provide economic and conservation benefits.

(Read more from farmer Paul Novotny.)


Farmer with healthy crops

Healthy people

We support more inclusive agricultural policies and advocate for crops and practices that have the power to keep drinking water safe and affordable.

(Read more about the connection between drinking water and Continuous Living Cover from the Star Tribune.)

Farmer's hand pointing to healthy soil

Healthy planet

Some agricultural practices have unintended consequences for the health of our soils, lakes and rivers. The most efficient and realistic long-term solution to these problems is to increase the amount of profitable "Continuous Living Cover" acreage.

Living cover crops and practices are also more climate- and severe-weather resilient.

Photos by USDA [left] and Dodd Demas [center and right, featuring Nettle Valley Farm]

Learn more about our work to advance Continuous Living Cover

Meet Paul Novotny

We spoke with city councilor, farmer (and former trucker) Paul Novotny in Chatfield, Minnesota, about why he grows Continuous Living Cover crops.