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2021 Fall National Cover Crop Summit

Profitably Grazing Cattle on Cover Crops

A Kansas cattle rancher and a specialist from South Dakota State University share insights on how to leverage cover crops as cattle feed at the 2021 Fall National Cover Crop Summit
Transitioning from harvesting crops using a combine to only using cattle is not an easy task, says CJ Blew, a cattle rancher from Castleton, Kan. His family’s 24,000-acre cow-calf operation has improved cattle health and performance since switching 3,000 acres of irrigated dryland cropland to paddocks for grazing cover crops.
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On the Fence About Seeding Covers

Earlier this season, a lack of soil moisture across much of the state raised concerns about the potential for successful cover crop establishment this fall. Most areas still need more moisture to recharge the soil profile but recent rains have improved the moisture status overall. This has also improved the likelihood for successful establishment of a cereal rye cover crop this fall. Read more in this article from University of Minnesota Extension.
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Improving Photosynthesis

Farmers do not often think about how their management practices can influence the rate of photosynthesis. Photosynthesis has always been assumed to be constant, but it is not. Read more in this article from Ohio's Country Journal.
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Why Add Carbon to the Soil?

Carbon sequestration is coming up often in the farm press as we learn about another stream of farm income rising from our land-management practices. Why is adding carbon to the soil worth money to farmers, you might ask? Read more in this article from the Culpeper Star-Exponent (Culpeper, Virginia).
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Winter Rye Between Corn and Soybean are Good Cover Crop Strategy

With much interest in soil health and crop diversity, interest in cover crops has increased greatly in recent times. Although the 2021 growing season in South Dakota has been impacted by widespread drought and record-high temperatures, especially in June and July, the recent rain events have brought the cover crop thoughts back into producers’ minds. Read more in this article from South Dakota State University Extension.
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Control Slugs & Voles

Slugs and voles are becoming major problems on some farms. Mowing a cover crop down to 8 inches or planting species that 50% winter kill helps reduce pest populations. Read more in this article from the Crescent News.
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Pennycress Could Be a Game-Changer for Agriculture

A weed that Central Illinoisans see along roadways, at the edges of fields or at construction sites has been domesticated in Central Illinois into a crop that researchers say has the potential to help combat climate change and provide additional income to farmers. The high-protein seed oil that derives from the pennycress plant, with genetic modifications, has a plethora of environmental positives. Read more in this article from The Pantagraph (Bloomington, IL).
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Purdue Ag Economy Barometer Finds That Most Growers Still New to Using Cover Crops

Out of 400 large-acreage growers surveyed, 41% are currently seeding covers on their operations.
The practice of using cover crops still has plenty of room for growth, according to the results of the August Purdue Ag Economy Barometer. Forty-one percent of growers with production of more than $500,000 annually said they are currently using cover crops, while 65% of growers responded that they had either used cover crops in the past or were currently using covers.
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The National No-Tillage Conference returns January 12-15, 2027! Build and refine your no-till system with dozens of new ideas and connections at the 35th Annual National No-Tillage Conference in Indianapolis, Jan. 12-15, 2027. Experience an energizing 4-day agenda featuring inspiring general session speakers, expert-led No-Till Classrooms and collaborative No-Till Roundtables. Plus, Certified Crop Adviser credits will be offered.

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