Cereal Rye

Not Too Late to Plant Cereal Rye

"Cereal rye is a really hardy cover crop in the fact that it can still germinate at 32 degrees, so even getting it seeded late in the fall, you might get a little bit of growth in the fall but you’ll see some early spring growth that can be really good, as well. Those green roots, those living roots in the soil that really help hold that in place and keep everything there,” said Megan Dwyer, Illinois Corn Growers Association nutrient loss reduction manager.

  • Iowa Farmers Need to "Urgently" Adopt Cover Crops

    Al Schafbuch said Iowa farmers are moving too slowly in adopting conservation practices that would help improve the quality of the state's rivers, streams and lakes. With only about 7% of Iowa farmland planted in cover crops, "it will take 100 years to get this done," Schafbuch said. "We can't wait 100 years."

  • Shifting Ideas on Cover Crops in Western Canada

    When Yvonne Lawley wrote her research proposal for a study of cover crops, she was specific about the wording of the title: Testing the cover crop hypothesis across Prairie Canada. It’s the word “hypothesis” that grabs you. What could be theoretical about cover crops? Some farmers have been using them for decades to help build soil, reduce erosion, graze animals and more. The practice is common in Ontario and Quebec, as well as in the Northern Great Plains region of the U.S. What’s not to know?

  • USDA, North Carolina State Launching Nationwide Cover Crop Research

    Increasing adoption of cover crops and improving agricultural sustainability are goals of a nationwide research project. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently awarded a five-year $10 million grant to North Carolina State University and the USDA Agricultural Research Service to lead the effort.
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Seeding Practices

  • USDA, North Carolina State Launching Nationwide Cover Crop Research

    Increasing adoption of cover crops and improving agricultural sustainability are goals of a nationwide research project. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently awarded a five-year $10 million grant to North Carolina State University and the USDA Agricultural Research Service to lead the effort.

  • Scramble to Meet Cover Crop Seed Demand

    When 4 million acres of the South Dakota’s crops couldn’t be planted in 2019, there was a powerful need for cover crop seeds. Millborn Seeds Inc. of Brookings was one of the players in the region’s seed business that scrambled to cover prevented-planting acres for their customers.
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Grazing

  • Cover Crops Extending the Cattle Grazing Season

    Several farmers in Marion County, Kan. are turning to cover crops to extend the grazing season for their cattle, including cereal rye, annual ryegrass, oilseed radishes, forage turnips, oats, and triticale, reports the Hillsboro (Kan.) Star-Journal.

  • Iowa Operation Enhances Soil Health with Cover Crops

    A long-time no-tiller, Bo Fox, Monona County, Iowa, has expanded his crop management from no-tilling corn and soybeans to including crop rotations with small grains, cover crops, and livestock grazing of cover crops. While Bo has experimented with cover crops in the past, he recently worked with USDA’s NRCS to obtain planning and financial assistance to grow a diverse cover crop mix suitable for spring livestock grazing.

  • Fall Cover Grazing Opportunities Limited

    A wet summer and late start to silage harvest likely cut into cover crop production this year. Patrick Wall, Iowa State University Extension beef specialist based in Knoxville, Iowa, says grazing availability will likely depend on planting dates. Read more in this article from KMA Radio.
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Featured Video

KUHN Introduces the New 9400NT No-Till Drill

Peter Goodge, product manager for KUHN , introduces the new 9400NT no-till drill at the 2019 Farm Progress Show. The drill featuring Helica meter design, smooth drop tubes and heavy-duty PRO openers for more precise seed flow, consistent seed depth and more even seed spacing.
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Soil Health

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McElroy Cover

Planting into cover crops in southern Illinois near Farina, Randy McElroy conducts research on crop production for three tillage types, no-till, minimal tillage and conventional tillage. Six-year averages place no-till in the lead from an overall yield perspective. 

  • Iowa Farmers Need to "Urgently" Adopt Cover Crops

    Al Schafbuch said Iowa farmers are moving too slowly in adopting conservation practices that would help improve the quality of the state's rivers, streams and lakes. With only about 7% of Iowa farmland planted in cover crops, "it will take 100 years to get this done," Schafbuch said. "We can't wait 100 years."

  • [Video] Cover Crops After Corn Silage

    In this video, find out what to look for when conducting evaluations in the field to compare soil that has a cover crop to soil without covers, including soil architecture and earthworm populations. Also, learn how to conduct a simple soil "pop" test.

  • Soil: Our Most Precious Resource

    Healthy crops begin with healthy soil, and researchers with the Clemson University’s Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program are teaching farmers how they can benefit from keeping their soils fit. The researchers teamed up with other agricultural professionals and farmers who have implemented soil-health principles by using cover crops, no-till and livestock integration to hold a conference to teach about soil health and tools to use to promote healthy soil.

  • Maximizing the Utility of Cover Crops

    In Idaho, growers have sought assistance from University of Idaho Extension on rotating cover crops in as an annual crop and interseeding approaches that allow the cover crops to grow along with the cash crop, reports the Tri-State Livestock News.

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