Cover crops - Articles

Cash Crops and Cover Crops: Making It Work

March 6, 2020 | Posted in Seeding Practices, Soil Health

Pennsylvania cover crop expert Steve Groff explains why growing two different species of crops—one cash crop and one cover crop--can be beneficial to your bottom line. Often, planting multiple crop species together can cause both species to grow better, especially if the cover crop is a legume. Find out more about this uncommon practice in this week’s podcast.

States Should Incentivize Growing Cover Crops

By Sarah Hill posted on March 4, 2020

As we head into the 2020 growing season, many growers have probably put some thought to whether or not they will grow cover crops, and the reasons as to why or why not they will do so. Additional cost is one of the reasons why some growers have yet to fully embrace cover crops.

Feed the Microbes to Restore Soil

March 4, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health

Source: Greeneville Sun

Our soils are in trouble. Over the past century, we’ve abused them with plowing, tilling and too much fertilizer. Read more in this article from the Greeneville Sun (Greeneville, TN).

[Video] Putting Data to Work to Improve Cover Cropping

March 3, 2020 | Posted in Seeding Practices

Rick Clark, grower from Williamsport, Indiana, shares a few of the highlights he discussed with attendees of the Wisconsin Cover Crop Summit in Stevens Point, Wis.

Reducing Phosphorus Runoff with Cover Crops

March 2, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health

Source: Ohio's Country Journal

Almost everyone agrees that phosphorus (P) in surface water is a major issue. Cover crops reduce P loads in both the surface water and sediment losses. Find out more in this article from Ohio's Country Journal.

Tips for Integrating Residual Herbicides and Cover Crops

March 2, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health

Source: Iowa State University Extension

A common question when incorporating cover crops into a production system is, will the cover crop interfere with the performance of residual herbicides included with the burndown treatment? This article from Iowa State University Extension will discuss the fate of residual herbicides applied to crop residue and living cover crops, and how this may influence herbicide effectiveness.

How to Get Effective Cover Crop Termination with Roller-Crimping

Roller-crimping is a simple task, but thorough cover crop termination with this equipment requires using the right plant varieties and carrying out operations at the right time.

By Laura Barrera posted on March 2, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health, Termination

When it comes to terminating cover crops, many growers rely on herbicides to get the job done.

Research on Covers in Continuous Soybeans: More Covers, More Positive Impact

February 28, 2020 | Posted in Seeding Practices

Source: Ohio's Country Journal

Soybean growers across Ohio, and especially farmers enrolling in the new H2Ohio program, will be interested in research conducted by Keeley Overmyer, investigating possible impacts from a crop rotation with continuous soybeans and the use of cover crops. Overmyer’s research was funded by a grant from the Ohio Soybean Council and Soybean Checkoff. Read more in this article from Ohio's Country Journal.

USDA Launches Pilot Program for Prairie Pothole Producers Planting Cover Crops

February 28, 2020 | Posted in Economics

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced a new pilot program that enables farmers in the Prairie Pothole region to receive payments for planting cover crops on their land for three to five years. The new Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Soil Health and Income Protection Program (SHIPP) pilot is available to producers in Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota.

[Podcast] Cover Crops Can Work Anywhere

Pennsylvania cover crop expert Steve Groff explains how to discuss with skeptical growers on why they should use covers, how to manage a controversial discussion, how economics fit into the conversation and more. (Courtesy of Cover Crop Innovators)

February 27, 2020 | Posted in Economics

Pennsylvania cover crop expert Steve Groff explains how to discuss with skeptical growers on why they should use covers, how to manage a controversial discussion, how economics fit into the conversation and more. (Courtesy of Cover Crop Innovators)