Cover crops

Farmers weighing conservation practices face measurable tradeoffs between soil health, greenhouse gas emissions and per‑acre net returns. Decision tools that score soil health and carbon intensity can quantify changes from adjustments in tillage, rotations and cover crop use, but those environmen...

When Jay Whalen started testing seed and cover-crop products on his own acres, the trials changed how the family farms in Livingston and La Salle counties. Today the Whalens run a 50/50 corn-soybean rotation with cover crops across their operation, and Jay says the practice has transformed field ...

In the hills near St. Louis, Big River Grain and Cattle has shifted practices to protect soil and stabilize production after both heavy rains and dry spells challenged the operation. Owner Daniel Bonacker uses no-till and cereal rye cover crops to hold soil, suppress weeds and maintain moisture b...

Heavy spring rains in Southwest Michigan are underscoring the role of conservation practices in handling wetter planting seasons, Michigan State University researchers say. Phil Robertson, director of MSU’s Long-Term Agroecosystem Project, told Brownfield that the region is not seeing less precip...

Cover crops nearly fell off Laurie and Jim Isley’s checklist a few years back when added costs pushed their budget to the limit on their Michigan farm. Cost-share help from the Farmers for Soil Health initiative has changed that calculation, offering technical assistance and up to $35 per...

When people think of Convoy of Hope they often recall disaster response, but the nonprofit also operates an agriculture hub near Springfield, Missouri that supports field work worldwide. The Center for Agriculture & Food Security runs an 80-acre farm to research regenerative prac...