One important benefit of cover crops to our production system is providing an alternative selection pressure on weed populations. Cereal rye has the best potential to suppress weeds because it accumulates more biomass than other cover crop species. Read more in this article from Iowa State University Extension.
Country Crock, an Upfield brand, and No-till on the Plains, an agriculture educational non-profit, have partnered on a three-year program to support farmers with soil health education and cost-share to plant cover crops to improve soil health on fields.
Source: North Dakota State University Extension press release
Challenging harvest conditions in the fall of 2019 in combination with excess moisture and cool temperatures this spring have inhibited spring planting, resulting in above normal acres of prevented planting. In addition, many livestock producers in the region are short on forage due to harvest challenges in 2019 and delayed pasture readiness this spring.
As he has dozens of times since stumbling into the benefits of cover cropping and no-till farming nearly 50 years ago, Pennsylvania farmer Leroy Bupp set up his props for a talk on soil health at a large Chesapeake Bay conference. There were goofy moments, like calling out volunteers from the audience to replicate how worms breed. Read more in this article from the Chesapeake Bay Journal (Seven Valleys, PA).
David Kruger and Todd Boesen don’t know each other. But these two South Dakota farmers share a desire to test out practices on their farms. Read more in this article from the Aberdeen News (Aberdeen, SD).
AGCO Corporation, a worldwide manufacturer of agricultural equipment, now offers a drop tube kit for the RoGator AirMax Precision R1/R2 application system to ensure accurate between-row application of in-season dry granular fertilizer and precise seeding of cover crops into standing row crops.
The Wisconsin Cover Crop Summit, held in Stevens Point, Wis., featured a strong lineup of growers and agriculture industry experts to discuss different aspects of growing cover crops, from regenerative agriculture to aerial seeding to using covers as forages and more. Here are 5 takeaways from that event.
The USDA is providing additional flexibilities for producers to file on acres with failed crops or crops that were prevented from planting because of extreme weather events. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is adding these flexibilities for Notice of Loss on both insured and uninsured crops to enable Service Centers to best assist producers.
Options for cover crops after a June harvest of 2019 corn with anticipated crop in 2021 being soybeans. If you have livestock, then the options are limitless and focusing on including a cool season grass (oats or barley), warm season grass (sorghum), cool season legume (peas) and cool season broadleaf (radish) could work really well. Read more in this article from AgWeek.
Some farmers are finding success using a new process designed to streamline planting and improve germination of cover crops. John Cobb, of Morganfield, Kentucky, developed the treatment a few years ago. Read more in this article from the Rock Island Dispatch Argus (Davenport, IA).
The National No-Tillage Conference returns January 7-10, 2025!Build and refine your no-till system with dozens of new ideas and connections at the 33rd Annual National No-Tillage Conference in Louisville, Ky. Jan. 7-10, 2025. Experience an energizing 4-day agenda featuring inspiring general session speakers, expert-led No-Till Classrooms and collaborative No-Till Roundtables. Plus, Certified Crop Adviser credits will be offered.
Last week we had boots on the ground at the Big Soil Health Event in Cedar Falls, Iowa where agronomist David Kleinschmidt emphasized the importance of considering Carbon to Nitrogen ratios of cover crops and residues.