Cover Crops

Photo credit: Randall Reeder

Cover Crops can help farmers address a number of issues in fields including reduced soil erosion, nutrient scavenging and nitrogen fixation. Different species provide different benefits. Producers should identify what the goal is they want cover crops to acheive. This will help narrow down the species decision and allow for measurement of success in the future.

General Resources

The Midwest Cover Crop Council has extensive resources on cover crop management from deciding which covers to use to planting and termination. The selector tool assists in deciding which cover to select based on planting time and management goals. Access the tool at https://mccc.msu.edu/.

Cover Crop Fundamentals Fact Sheet

Cover Crops for Sustainable Crop Rotations SARE Publication

Cover Crop Economics SARE Publication

Managing Cover Crops Profitably SARE Publication

USDA NRCS Plant Materials Program

OSU Soil Health Website

Conservation TIllage and Tecnology Conference Presentations

2020 Cover Crops, No-till and Soil Health

2020 Spring Management

2019 Issues and Benefits

2019 Cover Crops, No-till and Soil Health

Species Decision Tools

USDA Cover Crop Chart

Midwest Cover Crop Council Selector Tool

Midwest Cover Crops Field Guide ($5)

Management Issues

Controlling Vole Damage in No-Till Corn and Soybeans

Farmer interview podcasts on using and managing cover crops:

Linda Vernon and Tim Lyden join us to share why they are so passionate about cover crops. Tim discusses his history in using cover, the challenges he’s faced as well has the benefits seen on his farm.

Listen on: iTunes Stitcher

Jack Sommers and Tim McDaniel, farmers in Champaign County, talk about how they got started using cover crops and what it means for their operation today. We talk about equipment, species used and benefits, including the economics of it.

Listen on: iTunes Stitcher

Planting Green at Farm Science Review