NCR-SARE is pleased to announce a new collaboration with the Conservation Technology Information Center to distribute a survey to farmers who have been growing cover crops. 

"Momentum is building on cover crops, and I believe this survey information will be helpful not only for our SARE grant planning but also for other organizations," said Dr. Rob Myers, NCR-SARE’s PDP Coordinator and Regional Director for Extension Programs. "One of the goals of the survey is to determine the impact of cover crops on cash crop yields under the drought conditions...

SARE is at the forefront of supporting the innovative producers, educators and researchers who are making cover crops one of the most indispensable cost-saving tools in the soil-health toolbox. This story from Corn & Soybean Digest features several SARE projects, including Jim Hoorman's Graduate Student Grant project in Ohio.

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Source: Corn & Soybean Digest

Many farmers want to improve soil quality, but because they operate in a competitive, rotation-intensive environment, any soil-building practice they are likely to adopt needs to be backed by solid data.That...

As part of the MO SARE State Program,  Debi Kelly will be hosting a webinar on cover crops on October 24, 9am-noon. Presenters will include Charles Ellis, a Natural Resource Engineer with the Lincoln County University of Missouri Extension Center, and Rich Hoormann, an Agronomy Specialist with Montgomery County University of Missouri Extension Center. 

Rich Hoorman will cover:

• Laddonia Plots: Corn plant growth & development response to cover crops with yield information
• Results of 2012 spring root dig with backhoe by species
• Results of soil penetrometer readings...

Rural Advantage, in partnership with Practical Farmers of Iowa, is seeking agricultural producers interested in utilizing cover crops. Cost-share dollars are available.  
 
As part of an NCR-SARE Research and Education grant project, Rural Advantage is seeking farmers willing to establish cover crops. Funding is available for up to $20 per acre for up to 20 acres [$400 maximum per farm].  Participating farmers may plant the cover crop(s) of their desire. A demonstration aspect and simple reporting will be required.  Funding for the project runs from Fall 2009 to Fall 2012....

The story below features the Minnesota Cover Crops Decision Tool by the Midwest Cover Crop Council (MCCC), a group which consists of eight Midwestern states and one Canadian province. The project to develop the Minnesota Cover Crops Decision Tool was funded through a Minnesota NCR-SARE mini-grant in Fall 2011.

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Source: AgWeek

Cover crops are any green crops grown between cash crops. They come in many different varieties, but until recently little information was available to help growers decide which varieties to select and exactly when to plant them.

Common...

Green Cover Seed is working with 21st Century Bean Processing of Sharon Springs, KS to sponsor two roundtable discussions related to Whole Yellow Pea production.  There will be 2 meetings:  Colby, KS on Dec. 21st and Burlington, CO on Dec. 22nd.  The Colby meeting will be at the 4-H building located West of the National Guard Armory at the Thomas Co. Fairgrounds on the 21st at 10am central time.  The Burlington meeting will be the following day Dec. 22nd at the Community Center on south Main at 10am mountain time.  Both meetings will conclude with a light lunch.

• On hand...

The news story below features a related NCR-SARE grant LNC09-313, Farmer Field School Approach to Increasing Cover Crop Adoption in Iowa and Minnesota.

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Source: AgriNews

MAYER, Minn.— The Schuettes' neighbors probably weren't sure what has been growing for the last few months on a field near Mayer.

Dean Schuette is taking part in a cover crop demonstration project that is trying out tillage radishes. A 17-acre area was planted to spring wheat and harvested this year. On Aug. 10, seven of those acres were planted to tillage radish, seven acres went to a mix of tillage radish,...

The story below features the Minnesota Cover Crops Decision Tool by the Midwest Cover Crop Council (MCCC) which consists of eight Midwestern states and one Canadian province.

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Source: Echo Press

Interest in cover crops has been increasing in the Midwest in the last few years. Field days, workshops, and multi-day conferences on the topic are being held around the region. Educational events, research, on-farm demonstrations, and utilization can be found right here in Minnesota. Cover cropping is still somewhat of an enigma, however, and many agronomic questions exist....

A webinar, "Adapting Cover Crop Management for Nebraska" will be presented on Friday, August 5th from 10-11am, CDT. 

This is a continuation ofthe Nebraska SARE Webinar Series which began last year. Sam Wortman, UNL PhD candidate in Agronomy, will present information on:

I. General benefits of cover crops
II. Cover crop selection and management
III. Cover crop research in Nebraska (since1980)
IV. Reduced- and no-till organic systemswith cover crops
V. Cover crop mixtures
VI. Results of my cover crop research project

You can connect to this webinar at 10:00 a.m. on August 5th at:...