According to an annual farmer survey conducted by the Conservation Technology Information Center, cover crops improved yields and made farms more resilient to the especially wet spring weather last year.
If you walk into any gathering of farmers, you will most likely hear at least
two topics being discussed at some point: the weather and the markets. Weather
is a huge variable that farmers face each year — it affects planting in the
spring, plant growth in the summer, and harvest timing and yields in the fall.
In 2019, weather was a bigger challenge than normal; as the year started with
heavy snow cover and continued with the wettest spring on record in many areas.
Despite widespread, weather-induced delays in planting last year, some farms
recovered better than others. One survey found that average 2019 soybean yields
— measured in bushels per acre — at farms with cover crops were 5 percent higher
than yields without cover crops.
Yield improvements are just one of the potential benefits of cover crops,
according to annual national farmer surveys conducted by the non-profit
Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC).
Cover crops are grasses, legumes and other plants that are used between harvest
and planting seasons. They have attracted a lot of interest because the
agricultural industry is focused on sustainable farming practices and improving
soil
fertility.
Cover crops have shown to reduce erosion, and the loss of nitrogen and other
nutrients from the soil. They also help suppress weeds, control pests and
diseases, and even provide wildlife habitats, according to the US Department
of Agriculture.
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The conservation
practice
is growing in popularity. According to a 2017 USDA census, cover
crops in the US totaled 15.4
million acres in 2017, up 50 percent from 10.3 million acres in 2012.
In the latest CITC survey, more than 90 percent of the 1,172 respondents
reported using cover crops. Farmers in all 50 states took the survey, including
98 farmers from Illinois. About 80 percent of the respondents grow commodity
crops — such as
soybeans,
corn and wheat — and the remaining farmed horticultural or vegetable
crops.
One of the new insights from the survey is that cover crops made farmers more
resilient to the wet spring weather.
“Farmers are using cover crops for a variety of reasons and many have tried new
approaches to cover cropping,” said Mike Smith, who managed the national
survey for CITC. "This year's survey also indicated that some of the concerns
that many growers have had about the effects of cover crops on planting dates in
a wet year turned out not to be true — in fact, in many cases, cover crops
helped farmers plant earlier in the very wet spring of 2019."
Farmers also are learning about different ways to integrate cover crops into
their farming practices. Previously, many farmers waited for cover crops to
terminate, or die, in the spring before planting their main crop. Last year’s
wet spring forced farmers to look at “planting green” — which is when farmers
seed a cash crop (ex: corn, soybeans or wheat) into a still-living cover crop
and allow both to grow at the same time for a certain period. The survey
reported that about half of respondents planted green somewhere on their farm,
and more than two-thirds reported better soil moisture management.
Interestingly, more than 70 percent of the farmers who responded said that
planting green also improved weed control. Managing weeds is critical for crop
production, as weeds can steal nutrients and water from crops. Weeds reduce
yield and farmer profitability.
While cover crop seed purchases and planting do represent an extra cost for
farmers, they are seeing a return on their investment, the survey said.
The previous five national cover crop surveys have all reported yield boosts
from cover crops, most notably in the drought year of 2012 when soybean yields
were 11.6 percent improved following cover crops and corn yields were 9.6
percent better. In 2019, corn yields improved 2 percent on average and spring
wheat yields increased 2.6 percent.
Other economic benefits included:
-
Soybeans – 41 percent saved on herbicide costs and 41 percent on fertilizer
costs
-
Corn – 39 percent saved on herbicide costs and 49 percent on fertilizer
costs
-
Spring wheat – 32 percent saved on herbicide costs and 43 percent on
fertilizer costs
-
Cotton – 71 percent saved on herbicide costs and 53 percent on fertilizer
costs
“Many farmers are finding that cover crops improve the resiliency of their soil,
and the longer they use cover crops, the greater the yield increases and cost
savings that are reported by producers,” said Rob Myers, a regional director
for Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education. His organization and the
American Seed Trade Association provide financial support for the annual
surveys.
In the Midwest, the Soil Heath
Partnership promotes the adoption of
soil health practices for environmental and economic benefit. The farmer-led
organization educates growers on when to plant cover crops, what type of
varieties to plant, the impact of weather on cover crops, and best practices for
planning green.
The partnership stresses the importance of collecting in-field data and
observations to help farmers learn from each other because there’s no one-size
fits all approach to cover cropping.
Since more than half of Illinois farmland is rented, opportunities exist to help
manage farmers’ risk of planting cover crops for the first time. Illinois
farmer David Wessel
notes
that most landlords are open to learning from farmers, and farmers are also
interested in working with landowners on no-till, cover crops and other
conservation practices. When growers integrate cover crops into their farming
practices, they can reap both economic and environmental benefits.
Click here for the full survey report and many additional insights on farmer experiences
with cover crops.
Published Oct 9, 2020 6am EDT / 3am PDT / 11am BST / 12pm CEST
Amy Roady is the director of outreach for the Illinois Soybean Association. She leads outreach and sustainability efforts to educate, inform and influence producers, industry stakeholders, non-profit leaders and consumers. She also maintains strong relationships with food and ag groups. Since joining ISA in 2009, Roady has been active with Center for Food Integrity, Field to Market, and U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance.
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