Cover Crop Strategies

Cover Crop Insights

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Each week our editors will bring you data from our annual No-Till Farmer Operational Benchmark Survey. Continue reading and check back weekly for the next set of valuable data.

2026 National Cover Crop Report Show Continued Expansion of Cover Crop Use, Including Cover Crop Grazing, Use of Drones and Planting Patterns

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 16:30:00 -0400

Results of the 2026 National Cover Crop Report released Sept. 1 at the Farm Progress Show indicate strong interest in cover crops among many farmers who produce a wide range of crops and livestock.

Cover Crop Strategies' Best of the Web: September 11, 2026

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 06:00:00 -0400

This Week's Lineup:

Using Cover Crops to Reduce Inputs
Seeding Cover Crops Efficiently
How Strip Till and Cover Crops Work Together
The Cover Crop Math No One Else is Doing
Cover Crop Acres Increasing Nationwide

PFI Farmers Test Whether Cover Crops Help Them Get in the Field Sooner

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 15:15:00 -0400

In 2025, 38 farmers across Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and Wisconsin tracked whether they could work fields with a history of cover crop use each week from spring through fall. Farmers recorded whether field and weather conditions allowed them to work their fields for most of the day.

Planting Hairy Vetch

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 08:00:00 -0400

Winter King hairy vetch has a bit more wiggle room for its planting date than other covers.

Happy Labor Day from the Cover Crop Strategies Team

Mon, 07 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Thank you for you hard work and dedication every day. Farming is better because of you!

‘Bigger Than Life’: Conservation Ag Leader Ray Gaesser Passes After Farm Accident

Sun, 06 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The announcement brought shock and sadness to those in the industry who knew and worked with Gaesser, who was one of agriculture’s most respected and well-liked leaders.

New National Cover Crop Survey Highlights Benefits of Grazing with Virtual Fencing

Fri, 04 Sep 2026 07:00:00 -0400

I'm standing in the green cover cover crop plots. And while we're about to talk with Keith Burns, get a little tour of what's going on behind me, first, I want to talk with Ryan Heininger and Rob Myers about the newly released National Cover Crop Survey Report and some of the most interesting data that's come out from that so far.

Cover Crop Strategies' Best of the Web: September 4, 2026

Fri, 04 Sep 2026 06:00:00 -0400

This Week's Lineup:

Seeding Rate Decision Making for Cover Crops
The Living Soil — What 5 Soils & A Rainfall Simulator Reveal About Soil Health
Cover Crop Planting Methods for Vegetable Farmers
2026 National Cover Crop Survey — What's New with Cover Crop Data & Trends
Weed Management Tools, Timing & Other Cover Crop Tips

Husker Harvest Days Product Roundup 2026

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 16:00:00 -0400

Check out the latest offerings from these Farm Progress Show exhibitors.

Increasing Seeding Rate in Response to Eroded Knolls

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 08:00:00 -0400

A possible solution to eroded knolls could be to crank up seeding rates.

Fighting Compacted Soil with Earthworms

Tue, 01 Sep 2026 08:00:00 -0400

“If you have compacted soils, your number one friend is the earthworm."

Observations from a Field Day at Dornacker Prairie Acres

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 08:00:00 -0400

"Last week, I accompanied Strip-Till Farmer managing editor Noah Newman to a field day hosted by Cedar Creek Farmers at Dornacker Prairie Acres in West Bend, Wis, and I saw some high-tech stuff there."

Cover Crop Strategies' Best of the Web: August 28, 2026

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 08:00:00 -0400

This Week's Lineup:

The Ripple Effect of Diverse Cover Crops
Challenges of Cover Crops, No-Till & Rented Ground
3 Farmers Will Compete on Survivor Season 51
Ask Me Anything About Fall Cover Crops
Bigger Biomass, Better Soils & Stronger Returns — Mastering Cover Crops

Reaching Nitrogen Requirements for Corn

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 08:00:00 -0400

The No. 1 question Pennsylvania No-Tiller Lucas Criswell gets about planting green is how the practice affects nitrogen (N) requirements for corn.

Watching Out for Grain Silo Gas

Tue, 25 Aug 2026 08:00:00 -0400

As long as silage remains a common livestock feed, the risk of an injury or fatality from silo gases is present.

Cover Crop Planting & Termination Best Practices

Fri, 21 Aug 2026 07:00:00 -0400

We are at the Bayer Research Farm in New Berlin, Illinois in front of the long-term sustainability plots where our attendees are getting an up close look at the long-term benefits of cover crops.

Cover Crop Strategies' Best of the Web: August 21, 2026

Thu, 20 Aug 2026 14:43:31 -0400

This Week's Lineup:

How Cover Crops & No-Till Can Help Increase Farm Profitability
Cover Crops & Cattle: Frequently Asked Questions
Cover Crops After Corn Silage
Companion Planting & Cover Crops
Drone Seeding Cover Crops

Advantages of Adding Buckwheat

Thu, 20 Aug 2026 08:00:00 -0400

If we pick up a farm that's been conventionally farmed, we like to get some cover crop in there such as a buckwheat," said David Brandt.

Farm Progress Show Product Roundup 2026

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 15:00:00 -0400

Check out the latest offerings from these Farm Progress Show exhibitors.

Managing Drought

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 08:00:00 -0400

In 2022, South Dakotan Holsing Farms came off one of the worst drought years in the history of their farm.

Agricultural Knowledge Keeps Growing Alongside Your Crops

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400

When I started out as an agricultural journalist, I knew I had a lot to learn and was intimidated and nervous about the massive learning curve in front of me. But after my first two farm visits, I let out a sigh of relief.

Cover Crop Strategies' Best of the Web: August 14, 2026

Fri, 14 Aug 2026 14:24:07 -0400

This Week's Lineup:

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly in Cover Crops
Impacts of Cover Crops in the Maumee River Watershed
Building a More Resilient Farm Business with Cover Crops
Cover Crops Increase Profit in Iowa
"Wheat Pete" Talks Extreme Weather and Cover Crops

Reflections on a Week of Collaboration & Learning in Springfield, Ill.

Fri, 14 Aug 2026 08:00:00 -0400

Springfield has its share of attractions to visit, but it wasn’t tourism that attracted so many people to Springfield for the week. Rather, it was to meet with their like-minded peers who share a common goal of seeking a better way for their businesses and industry.

Utilizing the Benefits of Oats Covers

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 08:00:00 -0400

The University of Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnerships (MCAP), is addressing the role of oats and other small grains as part of its Risk to Resilience program.

Applications Open for PFI Program That Helps Cover Crops Pencil Out

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400

In 2025, more than 2,400 farmers received $10 million in PFI cost-share to plant cover crops on more than 900,000 acres.

Using a Varied Cover Mix

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 08:00:00 -0400

Northeast Iowa no-tiller Rick Matt uses a “salad” mix on his fields.

Cover Crop Benefits on Display in Bayer’s Long Term Sustainability Plots

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 07:00:00 -0400

We are at the Bayer Research Farm in New Berlin, Illinois in front of the long-term sustainability plots where our attendees are getting an up close look at the long-term benefits of cover crops.

Cover Crop Strategies' Best of the Web: August 7, 2026

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400

This Week's Lineup:

Drone Seeding Cover Crops
Cover Crop Seed Prices
Regenerative Farming's Third Iteration
Cover Crops After Wheat
Cover Cropping The Future

Cover Crop Strategies

Cover Crop Insights

2026 National Cover Crop Report Show Continued Expansion of Cover Crop Use, Including Cover Crop Grazing, Use of Drones and Planting Patterns

Cover Crop Strategies' Best of the Web: September 11, 2026

PFI Farmers Test Whether Cover Crops Help Them Get in the Field Sooner

Planting Hairy Vetch

Happy Labor Day from the Cover Crop Strategies Team

‘Bigger Than Life’: Conservation Ag Leader Ray Gaesser Passes After Farm Accident

New National Cover Crop Survey Highlights Benefits of Grazing with Virtual Fencing

Cover Crop Strategies' Best of the Web: September 4, 2026

Husker Harvest Days Product Roundup 2026

Increasing Seeding Rate in Response to Eroded Knolls

Fighting Compacted Soil with Earthworms

Top 10 Cover Crop Stories in August 2026

Observations from a Field Day at Dornacker Prairie Acres

Cover Crop Strategies' Best of the Web: August 28, 2026

Reaching Nitrogen Requirements for Corn

Watching Out for Grain Silo Gas

Cover Crop Planting & Termination Best Practices

Cover Crop Strategies' Best of the Web: August 21, 2026

Advantages of Adding Buckwheat

Farm Progress Show Product Roundup 2026

Managing Drought

Agricultural Knowledge Keeps Growing Alongside Your Crops

Cover Crop Strategies' Best of the Web: August 14, 2026

Reflections on a Week of Collaboration & Learning in Springfield, Ill.

Utilizing the Benefits of Oats Covers

Applications Open for PFI Program That Helps Cover Crops Pencil Out

Using a Varied Cover Mix

Cover Crop Benefits on Display in Bayer’s Long Term Sustainability Plots

Cover Crop Strategies' Best of the Web: August 7, 2026