Any seasonal crop that is planted to protect and/or improve the soil. ‘Investing money, time, and management in a crop that grows during the period between cash crops is a bold, but often highly productive strategy for a farming system that is healthy over the long term—both economically and ecologically’ (APAARI 2012–2013 Cover Crop Survey‎).

http://localfoodsystems.org/mellinger_operations/content/cover-crop-survey-analysis APAARI website with 2012–2013 Cover Crop Survey.