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New National Cover Crop Survey Highlights Benefits of Grazing with Virtual Fencing

I'm standing in the green cover cover crop plots. And while we're about to talk with Keith Burns, get a little tour of what's going on behind me, first, I want to talk with Ryan Heininger and Rob Myers about the newly released National Cover Crop Survey Report and some of the most interesting data that's come out from that so far.

Cover Crop Strategies' Best of the Web: September 18, 2026
This Week's Lineup: What Farmers Need to Change for 2027 Growing Cover Crops Differently: The Paul Davis Method Cover Crop Lessons from the Front Range Strip-Tilling Beans into Cereal Rye The Fight Against Waterhemp
Cover Crop Insights
Each week our editors will bring you data from our annual No-Till Farmer Operational Benchmark Survey. Continue reading and check back weekly for the next set of valuable data.
Cover Crop Strategies' Best of the Web: September 11, 2026
This Week's Lineup: Using Cover Crops to Reduce Inputs Seeding Cover Crops Efficiently How Strip Till and Cover Crops Work Together The Cover Crop Math No One Else is Doing Cover Crop Acres Increasing Nationwide

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Seeding Practices

Planting Hairy Vetch
Winter King hairy vetch has a bit more wiggle room for its planting date than other covers.
Increasing Seeding Rate in Response to Eroded Knolls
A possible solution to eroded knolls could be to crank up seeding rates.
Advantages of Adding Buckwheat
If we pick up a farm that's been conventionally farmed, we like to get some cover crop in there such as a buckwheat," said David Brandt.

Grazing

Watching Out for Grain Silo Gas
As long as silage remains a common livestock feed, the risk of an injury or fatality from silo gases is present.
Annual Legumes: More Than Just Free Nitrogen
Annual legumes are back on the table — and not just as a cover crop footnote.
Iowa Learning Farms Webinar: Talking About Cover Crops as Forage Feed Sources
A July 22 webinar features Iowa State University’s Shelby Gruss and Matthew Helmers in a Beyond the Basics live dialogue about extending cover crop benefits to include value from forage opportunities.

New national cover crop survey report reveals latest trends

New National Cover Crop Survey Highlights Benefits of Grazing with Virtual Fencing

Mackane Vogel dives into the 2026 National Cover Crop Report for some of the biggest cover crop trends with perspective from cover crop expert Keith Berns. Vogel also stops by the BASF plots for some no-till insights from the company’s top crop protection experts.

‘Bigger Than Life’: Conservation Ag Leader Ray Gaesser Passes After Farm Accident
The announcement brought shock and sadness to those in the industry who knew and worked with Gaesser, who was one of agriculture’s most respected and well-liked leaders.
Increasing Seeding Rate in Response to Eroded Knolls
A possible solution to eroded knolls could be to crank up seeding rates.
Fighting Compacted Soil with Earthworms
“If you have compacted soils, your number one friend is the earthworm."
Observations from a Field Day at Dornacker Prairie Acres
"Last week, I accompanied Strip-Till Farmer managing editor Noah Newman to a field day hosted by Cedar Creek Farmers at Dornacker Prairie Acres in West Bend, Wis, and I saw some high-tech stuff there."

New National Cover Crop Survey Highlights Benefits of Grazing with Virtual Fencing

Cover Crop Strategies' Best of the Web: September 18, 2026

Cover Crop Insights

Cover Crop Strategies' Best of the Web: September 11, 2026

This month's digital sponsors:

Seeding Practices

Planting Hairy Vetch

Increasing Seeding Rate in Response to Eroded Knolls

Advantages of Adding Buckwheat

Grazing

Watching Out for Grain Silo Gas

Annual Legumes: More Than Just Free Nitrogen

Iowa Learning Farms Webinar: Talking About Cover Crops as Forage Feed Sources

Featured Video

New National Cover Crop Survey Highlights Benefits of Grazing with Virtual Fencing

Soil Health

‘Bigger Than Life’: Conservation Ag Leader Ray Gaesser Passes After Farm Accident

Increasing Seeding Rate in Response to Eroded Knolls

Fighting Compacted Soil with Earthworms

Observations from a Field Day at Dornacker Prairie Acres

Podcasts

[Podcast] Clear Water Cover Crops — From Father-Son to Business Partners

[Podcast] On the Road with Cover Crops — Paul McPherson

[Podcast] On the Road with Cover Crops — Bryan Racine Part 2

Featured Products

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Cover Crop Strategies Volume 6

Cover Crop Strategies Volume 5

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