This multiyear field study, featured in the journal Weed Science, compared 19 monoculture cover crops from four taxonomic groups (brassica, forb, grass, and legume), with 19 mixtures containing multiple plants that represented from 1 to 3 cover crop species.

By grazing cover crops, farmers are adding to the established benefit of improved soil quality and other factors, says Denise Schwab, Iowa State University Extension beef specialist based in eastern Iowa. Prior to grazing in the fall, Schwab says to use the “pluck test” to check on root vigor.

As expenses increase, and producers evaluate more-efficient management techniques to lower production costs, one alternative may be to incorporate swath, or windrow grazing.

Frost, hail and disease can cause nitrates to accumulate due to reduced leaf area, which limits the rate of photosynthesis. The risk of nitrate toxicity also increases when high levels of nitrogen fertilizer have been applied.

Winter grazing is a useful option for farmers who also raise livestock. They can feed them using cover crops they were going to plant anyway, a cost-efficient and sustainable practice. But how does winter grazing impact the soil underneath? Hayley Crowell, researcher at Auburn University, and her team worked to find out.

NRCS will target funding, increasing program flexibilities, launch a new outreach campaign to promote nutrient management’s economic benefits, in addition to expanding partnerships to develop nutrient management plans. This is part of USDA’s broader effort to address future fertilizer availability and cost challenges for U.S. producers.