Soil Health

Don't Start Planting Cover Crops Until…

kdowning@lessitermedia.com — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

“The rejuvenation of your soil does not start with the implementation of principles but rather with the commitment to understanding the ecological functions,” Adam Daugherty says. Daugherty, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) District Conservationist for Coffee County, Tenn., says the common denominator of no-till and cover crop success stories goes deeper than just the practices farmers implement.

Growing On and Off the Farm

kdowning@lessitermedia.com — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 09:45:55 -0400

Hi! My name is Kendra Downing and I am working as the editorial intern for the Lessiter Media grower division this summer! I’m excited to work with the Lessiter team, provide quality information to farmers and grow as a writer!

Cover Crops Bring Soil Back to Life in Dry Country

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — Sat, 30 May 2026 01:00:00 -0400

“For the first shovel out of the ground to find an earthworm, that’s just unheard of in Arizona,” Robert Boyle says. Editor Noah Newman shares more observations from his visit with the Strip-Till Innovator in Coolidge, Ariz.

More Livestock Farmers Grazed Cover Crops, Saw Lower Value

lbarrera@lesspub.com — Fri, 29 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Farmers raising livestock & cover crops remained largely consistent in their practices, though there were slight shifts with the species grazed & timing.

Using Imagery to Measure Non-Fertilizer Nitrogen

kdowning@lessitermedia.com — Thu, 28 May 2026 14:45:33 -0400

Managing nitrogen remains a top priority for farmers as fertilizer prices have surged. Jackson Stansell, founder and CEO of Sentinel Ag in Ithaca, Neb., shares how new technology equips farmers with more precise nitrogen management tools.

Cover Cropping Costs Climb

lbarrera@lesspub.com — Thu, 28 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Farmers spent more on seed & saw fewer pesticide savings, but thanks to incentive payments, most are not bearing the full brunt of expenses.

2025 Cover Crop Benchmark Study Reveals Latest Trends, Changes & Challenges

lbarrera@lesspub.com — Thu, 28 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Data from the annual survey found that average planting green acres grew to a new record, costs rose & more livestock owners turned to cover crop grazing.

Cover Crop Grazing Provides Economic & Soil Health Wins

Thu, 28 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Iowa no-tiller’s complex cover crop ‘salad mix’ continues to reveal new benefits to his operation each year.

Single Cover Crop Species Outshines Diverse Mix with 70+ Bushel Boost to Corn Yields

mpaukner@lessitermedia.com — Thu, 28 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Research trial compares cover crops’ impact on corn yield, nitrogen uptake in 3-year cropping rotation that includes small grain .

Ditching Common Sense Causes Local ‘Dust Bowl’

jdobberstein@lesspub.com — Thu, 28 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

So here’s a thought — why not invest in a no-till system and cover crops that are appropriate for the climate and KEEP SOIL IN PLACE? And improve nutrient cycling and water infiltration while you’re at it?

NRCS Announces $65 Million for Conservation Innovation Grants

Wed, 27 May 2026 13:08:22 -0400

USDA today announced the availability of $65 million this year for new tools, approaches, practices and technologies to further natural resource conservation on private lands through the Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) program.

NRCS Chief Talks Goals for Agency as Ag Tech Evolves

jdobberstein@lesspub.com — Wed, 27 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Buckley told No-Till Farmer Tuesday he will continue pushing to modernize the tools farmers have available through the NRCS and ensure the agency “gets back to basics” helping them succeed with their conservation goals.

Working-Farm Evidence Brings Commercial Cover Crops into Spotlight

Tue, 26 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The “how-to” guidance on cover crops is mostly built on agricultural station experiments. That work is valuable, but not always a good mirror of what happens on a busy working farm in-season.

Choose This Perennial Cover Crop Species to Mitigate Nitrate Leaching

mpaukner@lessitermedia.com — Sat, 23 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

New research assesses impact of cover crops on nitrate leaching in a 3-year cropping rotation with a small grain.

CTIC seeking participants for new mentoring program

Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Through Success from the Ground Up, Cargill provides financial support to soil health organizations focused on providing access to training and technical information that can help remove barriers for row crop farmers who want to rebuild the health of their soils, plant cover crops, and make better use of their water. 

Young Farmer Saves Soil, Crushes Weeds with Strip-Till & Rye

Mon, 18 May 2026 01:00:00 -0400

In Mt. Sterling, Illinois, young farmer Wade Yingling and his dad, Bruce, are capturing success with strip-till and cover crops, with a little vertical tillage mixed in as well.

How Do Full-Season Cover Crops Affect Insect Populations?

Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

A 2025 study in eastern Nebraska found higher insect abundance and diversity in cover crop areas compared to adjacent seed corn, including both beneficial species and potential pests.

Deadline Approaching to Sign Up for Conservation in Action Tour

Thu, 07 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Regular registration for the Conservation in Action Tour expires Friday. Learn more about America’s premier on-farm experience before rates go up.

U.S. House Passes Farm Bill 2.0, Pesticide 'Liability Shield' Removed

jdobberstein@lesspub.com — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The version approved Thursday removed controversial language that would have prohibited states and courts from, “penalizing or holding liable entities for failing to comply with requirements that would require labeling or packaging that is in addition to or different from the labeling or packaging approved by the EPA administrator.”

Leading With Experience: Nitrate Reduction Strategies

Sat, 25 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

For me, adoption of some conservation practices took a little nudge from nature.

Researchers Breeding Covers for Targeted Benefits, Specific Environments

lbarrera@lesspub.com — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

From cereal rye with higher levels of weed-controlling allelochemicals to hairy vetch that germinates in the first year, scientists are working to breed better cover crops

No-Till, Strip-Till and Cover Crops Research Journal - April 2026

lessitef@lesspub.com — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 12:00:00 -0400

In this edition:

Conservation Agriculture: Helping to Return to Within Planetary Boundaries
Soil Structure Changes Under Reduced Tillage and Cover Cropping Enhance Carbon Mineralization in Mediterranean Croplands
Cover Cropping Increases the Abundance of Mycorrhizal and Endophytic Fungi Structures Associated with Ecosystem Functioning
Conservation Agriculture: A Review of Plant Residue use with Zero Tillage and Crop Rotation
Unlocking Climate Resilience by Exploring the Mitigation Potential of Improved Rotation with Cover Cropping

UK Study Finds Cover Crops Show the Clearest Gains in Long-Term Trials

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Twenty-one sites across the United States with samples up to 50 years old showed cover crops displayed the best results with soybeans.

Low-Cost Sensor System Could Warn Farmers of Salt Stress in Plants

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Soil salinity is a critical concern in agriculture when excessive soluble salts restrict a plant’s water uptake, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, hindering crop growth and reducing yields on roughly 30% of U.S. irrigated land.

Cover Crop Impact: Forty Years of Less Tillage, More Plants

Sat, 28 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Tiling and cover crops help remediate unproductive saline seeps.

Growing the Game — Helping Landowners Understand Benefits of Cover Crops, No-Till

mvogel@lessitermedia.com — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Driving back from Indianapolis to Milwaukee after attending a very unique event at a no-tiller's home, I couldn't stop thinking about one sentence that I heard.

'Most Innovative Folks You’ll Find' … What to Expect at 2026 National Strip-Tillage Conference

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Managing editor Noah Newman checks in from Strip-Till Farmer headquarters with a big announcement about the 2026 National Strip-Tillage Conference program.

Want to Reduce Your Land Rental Expenses?

mlessiter@lessitermedia.com — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Award-winning no-tiller Mike Starkey educates his tenants on how he’s caring for their land – and was ‘perfect from the line’ in getting rent reductions in this tough economy.

Reflecting On 8th Annual National Cover Crop Summit

mvogel@lessitermedia.com — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Here's hoping that the 9th annual National Cover Crop Summit is even bigger and better than this year's event. And thanks as always for watching, listening and reading.

The Power of Covers

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

"We’re using cover crops to do the cultivation for us now. This year, we’ve got a mix of black oats, radish, vetch and a bit of ryegrass in our overwinter cover. We’ve upped the seed rate and the mix to get a good, thick cover, and it’s doing a fantastic job," says Phil Rowbottom.