The Water Quality Extension Associate Team hosted the Cover Crop 'Til You Drop Field Day on July 31st, 2024. Their second annual conservation-focused field day, this event brought in 100 attendees with approximately half representing agricultural professionals and the other half as farmers or landowners. The event brought in attendees from 3 different states, including 30 Ohio counties, 2 Indiana counties, and 4 Michigan counties. Of these 36 total counties, 22 lie within the Lake Erie Watershed. All attendees reported increased cover crop knowledge from the speakers who were present. 32% of attendees reported they would be implementing cover crops from the information provided, with over 63% of participants reporting that they already utilize cover crops. Michigan State University’s rainfall simulator garnered a lot of attention and showed attendees in real-time why cover crops should be implemented.
The event speakers brought attention to different aspects of cover crops, including economics, research results, and the interaction between cover crops and water quality and soil health. The event keynote speaker was Dr. Manbir Rakkar, new Extension State Specialist and Associate Professor for soil health and soil fertility. The team could not have put on this event without assistance from Cargill, The Nature Conservancy, Putnam County SWCD, Michigan State University, or Duling Family Farms.
Some of the numbers for the event are:
- 100 Total attendees- 50 agricultural professionals and 50 farmers/ landowners
- 36 Total counties and 3 states represented- 17 Ohio counties, 3 Michigan counties, and 2 Indiana counties
- 63% of participants already implement cover crops and will continue to do so
- 32% of participants will be implementing cover crops due to the information presented