The growth in cover cropping may soon hit a ceiling: planting millions of acres of cover crops will require huge extensions of land to produce cover crop seed. Between 3 and 6% of the 92 million acres of cropping land currently used for corn in the U.S. may be required to produce cover crop seed for that land area. Read more in this article from Seed World.
Proponents say that rotating cash crops such as soybeans, wheat and corn with cover crops such as legumes, grasses and forbs has many benefits. It replenishes the soil, reduces erosion, cuts down on runoff pollution and helps to control pests. Read more in this article from University of Missouri.
Cover crops have to produce a certain amount of growth, or biomass, in order to effectively reduce erosion and soil nutrient loss, suppress weeds, and supply forage. Several studies have indicated a threshold or minimum biomass (dry matter) of 1,000 lb/ac, which is similar to 6 to 8 inches of above-ground growth, although more biomass will likely lead to better outcomes. Read more in this article from University of Nebraska Extension.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s planted acreage report indicated nationwide 15.3 million intended corn acres and 33 million intended soybean acres remained unplanted through the first two weeks of June, according to this article from AgriNews.
As a challenging row crop planting season finally wraps up for 2019 in South Dakota, many producers are looking to plant cover crops on unplanted acres to provide forage, control weeds, reduce erosion and improve soil health, according to a press release from South Dakota State University Extension.
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.