Winter grazing is a useful option for farmers who also raise livestock. They can feed them using cover crops they were going to plant anyway, a cost-efficient and sustainable practice. But how does winter grazing impact the soil underneath? Hayley Crowell, researcher at Auburn University, and her team worked to find out.

When a cover crop is planted, it allows living roots in the soil throughout the growing season, improving microbial activity. A global research analysis by the University of Illinois shows that cover cropping can boost soil microbial abundance by 27%.

Soil health specialist James Hoorman shares his top 10 tips for soil health and keys to success when using cover crops.

Although about 20% of Illinois cropping systems are planted to continuous corn, it’s nearly impossible to find fields planted this way for decades at a time. Yet long-term experiments like one at the University of Illinois, including over 40 years of continuous corn under different nitrogen fertilizer rates, provide incredible learning opportunities and soil management lessons.

Matt Grosshans turned to the Upper Big Blue Natural Resources District (NRD) and the NRCS for help with funding and planting cover crops. He planted 350 acres of rye after corn and soybeans in fall 2021.