Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) officials each year report an increased adoption of conservation practices, such as cover crops. However, there is still room for growth. Today we focus on growth, which is dependent on one’s comfort level. Read more in this article from KIWA Radio (Sheldon, IA).

Last month, southeast Iowa cash and livestock producer Michael Vittetoe shared his insight into how his family farm has used cover crop trials to integrate new practices into their operation. In part two of this two-part Cover Crop Corner series, cover crop consultant David Kleinschmidt discusses key factors producers need to consider before setting up a trial, and what data to collect.

For the first time ever, the Ed and Andrew Askegaard families are using their prevented-planting insurance. “Here we are,” Ed said, “after Memorial Day, harvesting our COVID-19 corn." Read more in this article from the Capital Journal (Pierre, SD).

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.

The USDA is providing additional flexibilities for producers to file on acres with failed crops or crops that were prevented from planting because of extreme weather events. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is adding these flexibilities for Notice of Loss on both insured and uninsured crops to enable Service Centers to best assist producers.

Some of the prevented planting fields are just being looked at again as everyone gets caught up on spraying the crop fields and is now looping back to start managing their PP. In going back to those PP fields, the weeds have likely gotten big and herbicide options are getting limited. Read more in this article from AgWeek.

The record wet year in 2019 left many acres in South Dakota unsuitable for planting, but on Doug Sieck's cropland near Selby, South Dakota, he was able to plant every acre he wanted to. He attributes that to decades of no till management and the years of cover cropping that have helped build healthy soil. Read more in this article from the Aberdeen News.

At a time when farmers are urgently seeking ways to maximize profit in their corn-soybean rotations, university researchers in Illinois, Ohio, Minnesota and Wisconsin, along with a startup company in Missouri, are working to develop pennycress into a crop that could give farmers more dollars. The effort involves enhancing pennycress’ characteristics to make it a better oilseed for fuel, a more palatable feed for livestock and a viable cover crop that Midwest farmers can sandwich between corn harvest and soybean planting. Read more in this article from the Rock Island Dispatch-Argus.

While many farmers add cover crops with the goal to improve soil health, some participants in an Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) study are turning cover crops into new business opportunities. Capturing profit opportunities could result in expanded cover crop use in the state, the study showed. Read more in this article from the Iowa Soybean Association.

University researchers and the Western Cover Crops Council are conducting a survey of western farmers to improve understanding of cover crop use throughout the U.S. West. The survey results will provide valuable feedback on current use of cover crops in the west, future outreach and research needs to expand use, and inform federal cover crop incentive programs to better serve farmers.