Agricultural producers who have coverage under most crop insurance policies are eligible for a premium benefit from USDA if they planted cover crops during this crop year.

Peter Sexton, associate professor and South Dakota State University Extension sustainable cropping systems specialist at the SDSU Southeast Research Farm, has found that planting green has water quality benefits. Read more in this article from the South Dakota Soil Health Coalition.

Agricultural carbon markets exist through privately and publicly owned companies with aim to reduce carbon emissions through trade of carbon units sequestered at the farm level. The sale of carbon credits presents an opportunity for farmers to receive financial benefits from changing to more environmentally beneficial agricultural practices, although carbon prices may not currently be high enough to cover the cost of switching practices. Read more in this article from Wisconsin State Farmer.

This is the time for finalizing your forage grazing plans. Whether growing small grains or cover crops, grazing will be maximized if livestock producers wait until the plants are 4 to 8 inches tall before starting the grazing process. Read more in this article from the North Platte Telegraph (North Platte, NE).

Weed control has focused on resistance management, with a greater reliance on residual herbicide programs, use of multiple sites of action at full rates and over lapping residual programs. As use of cover crops have increased in recent years managing weeds through a longer residual herbicide program has become more complicated. Read more in this article from South Dakota State University Extension.

With cool weather conditions potentially causing delays in cover crop termination, what options are available? Cereal rye ahead of soybean is not nearly as problematic. Read more in this article from Iowa State University Extension.

Corteva Agriscience announced it has created a carbon and ecosystems services portfolio to help farmers sell carbon credits. The introductory launch of Corteva’s Carbon Initiative will be targeted to row crop farmers in Illinois, Indiana and Iowa this year, with the intent to expand to new geographies and crops for the 2022 growing season. Read more in this article from The Fence Post.

Weed management is a year-round job, but producers take special care to make sound management decisions prior to planting, and that includes cover crop burndown. According to information from the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES), Alabama Extension Weed Scientist David Russell offers suggestions for planting into a weed-free field and maintaining a clean corn crop throughout the growing season. Read more in this article from Southeast AgNet.

Centuries of farming has taken its toll on the soil. Now, farmers are facing widespread soil degradation that can lower their crop yields and incomes. Read more in this article from Smithsonian Magazine.