Illinois is still two centuries away from hitting towards its goal of planting enough cover crops to make a significant dent in its nutrient pollution problem in waterways. That's according to a coalition of environmental groups responding to the state's recently-released biennial Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy report.

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.

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.

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.

In this article from Country Guide, Yvonne Lawley from the University of Manitoba discusses ongoing efforts to quantify the value of cover crops in western Canada where shorter growing seasons are a major challenge.

A multi-state experiment that recently received a major grant will examine how planting cover crops on farm fields affects plant disease, pests and weeds, says Iowa State University.

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.

In the last 100 years, many producers have become specialized and highly efficient at producing specific crops or livestock. This has helped to meet demand as the global population continues to grow. Find out how cover crops fit into a crop system with livestock.