A precise approach to selecting and planting cover crops that considers variability within a field will produce better results for farmers, according to South Dakota State University assistant professor Ali Mirzakhani Nafchi. “Currently, we plant a cover crop seed mixture at a uniform, flat rate across the field, but when we have tremendous variability within a field, this is not logical,” said Nafchi, who is also the SDSU Extension precision agriculture specialist.

South Dakota State University study recommends selecting cover crop varieties based on goals, environmental factors for better results.

In this audio interview, hear from Anthony Bly, South Dakota State University Soils Field Specialist as he discusses growing cover crops for seed, which cover crop species are best when you're growing covers for seed, and why growers should strive for net profit, not necessarily max yield.

Transitioning from harvesting crops using a combine to only using cattle is not an easy task, says CJ Blew, a cattle rancher from Castleton, Kan. His family’s 24,000-acre cow-calf operation has improved cattle health and performance since switching 3,000 acres of irrigated dryland cropland to paddocks for grazing cover crops.

Sara Bauder, Field Agronomist with South Dakota State University Extension, talks with Jack Davis, Crop Economics Specialist with SDSU and Dan Forgey, a grower from Gettysburg, SD, about the economic benefits of utilizing drought-stressed crops as forage for livestock.

Farmers who make soil health a priority are more likely to rotate three or more crops and to graze livestock on cropland, according to a survey of producers in South Dakota, North Dakota and Nebraska. The survey examined why some agricultural producers prioritize soil health and how to encourage more producers to adopt these conservation practices, according to assistant professor Tong Wang of South Dakota State University’s Ness School of Management and Economics. Read more in this article from Newswise.

More and more growers are becoming interested in cover crops and no-till and the soil health benefits they can provide. A 4-year study conducted by South Dakota State University (SDSU) and USDA-Agricultural Research Service reiterates just that fact.

In the last 100 years, many producers have become specialized and highly efficient at producing specific crops or livestock. This has helped to meet demand as the global population continues to grow. Find out how cover crops fit into a crop system with livestock.