There were over 300 participants including beginning farmers and producers experienced with soil health practices. The conference hosted speakers from around Wisconsin and the Midwest to learn about subjects related to maintaining and improving soil health with cover crops.

Plant Growth Regulators, sometimes simply called PGRs, are human-applied chemicals that manipulate the hormone functions in plants. Since oats are more prone to lodging compared to other small grains, PGR application can help prevent yield loss by reducing plant height and improving plant standability and harvestability.

Dr. Bill Robertson, extension cotton specialist for Arkansas, offers 7 points of advice for growers to consider when planning cover crop strategies for the fall.

Looking for a new cover crop to seed this summer? Penn State Extension experts offers several options including sudangrass, pearl millet, sun hemp, buckwheat and more.

Small grains like barley or oats are often the first choice for establishing a cover crop on PP acres. The seed supplies of barley and oats are likely to be very tight and you may be looking far and wide to find some.

Researchers at Western Illinois University, Illinois State University, and several other institutions are in the midst of studying the viability of pennycress as a cash cover crop for farmers. Win Phippen, Director of the Alternative Crops Research program at Western, is excited about the progress they’re making.

The most common double crop options are soybean, sorghum, and sunflower. Other possibilities include summer annual forages and specialized crops such as proso millet or other short-season summer crops – even corn. Cover crops are also an option for planting after wheat.