A trend with beef cattle producers in northwestern Alberta is growing annual cocktail blends for forage production, with those blends including cereals, grasses, legumes and brassicas. ‘There’s a lot of interest in the Peace Country about cocktails, and there are a lot of questions,’ explains Buthaina Al-Maqtari, research technician with Peace Country Beef and Forage Association (PCBFA). Read more in this article from The Stettler Independent (Stettler, Alberta).

For use as cover crops, sunflowers have a robust root system allowing them to scavenge nutrients and they are also good for mycorrhizal fungi growth in the soil. The loftiest blooms around attract numerous beneficial insects and can lead to excellent honey production in nearby beehives as well. Read more in this article from Ohio's Country Journal.

For vegetable growers, weeds can mean lost income from reduced yield and foreign plant matter contaminating the harvest. But for many crops, particularly vegetable legumes, weed management options are very limited. Read more in this press release from the University of Illinois.

Pennycress is being handled similarly to how canola was developed into an oilseed crop. Iowa State University Professor of Genetics John Sedbrook explains how pennycress can be used for jet fuel and biodiesel.

Newly planted winter camelina seedlings sprout in little green rows at the University of Minnesota field plots on the St. Paul campus. The winter annual plant is one of 15 breeds University researchers are cultivating to help farmers keep nutrients in their soil, reduce erosion and create a commercially viable product for farmers to sell. Read more in this article from The Minnesota Daily.

There’s no one-size-fits-all cover crop mix. So, selecting the right cover crop mix may seem a bit overwhelming. Read more in this article from DRG News.

Crop scientists at three federal labs have released results of a two-year evaluation of 56 commercially-available cover crop varieties to help farmers pick the best ones for their business. K-State Research and Extension soil management specialist Deann Presley calls the publication – Evaluation of Cool Season Crops in the North Central Region – an “excellent piece of research” conducted by scientists employed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Read more in this article from KRVN Radio.

Harpers Ferry, Iowa, farmer Jon Kruse is utilizing a unique method of planting cover crops this fall - a drone. September 16, Kruse hired Devin Brincks, a Rantizo contractor, to fly his drone over standing soybeans to seed red clover as a cover crop. Read more in this story from the Waukon Standard (Waukon, Iowa).

This year’s harvest looks a little different than last year’s. Dry soil conditions will allow farmers to complete various tasks, such as seeding cover crops. Read more in this article from KIWA Radio.

Farmers around the world are keen to protect their most important asset: their soil. The soil supports and enriches their crops. But the relatively thin layer of topsoil can readily wash away into streams, carrying unwanted nutrients with it. Read more in this article from the American Society of Agronomy.