The Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program released results of a study April 3 that showed that cover crops continue to increase the yields of corn and soybeans.
The study was done by the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) and was completed by nearly 2,000 farmers during the winter of 2013-14. For the second consecutive year, the study demonstrated the benefits cover crops have for corn and soybean growers. The study also gave insights into the challenges of cover crops, the costs of seed and establishment and information about how farmers learn to manage cover crops.
Fields that had been planted with cover crops yielded an average of five more bushels of corn per acre, 3.1 percent more than fields that didn’t use cover crops. Soybean farmers who used cover crops saw their yields jump two bushels per acre, 4.3 percent higher than noncover crop farmers.
These increases were lower than those recorded in last year’s survey by SARE and CTIC, which saw improvements of 11.1 bushels (9 percent) in corn following cover crops and 4.9 bushels (10 percent) of soybeans after cover crops.
SARE North Central Regional Director and University of Missouri Agronomist Rob Myers said that much of the difference in yield impact may be due to the drought in 2012, which highlights the moisture-management benefits of cover crops.
More Stories
- CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD & AGRICULTURE: CDFA Announces one Vacancy on the Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Committee
- AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FEDERATION: Support Ag Literacy Through the AFB Foundation for Agriculture’s Online Silent Auction
- AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FEDERATION: Farm Bureau: Members Accept Leadership Roles on National Committees
- CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD & AGRICULTURE: CDFA Office of the Farm to Fork Invites Application for 2021 Farm to School Grants
- CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD & AGRICULTURE: CDFA Awards Funding to Support Agricultural Education and Leadership Opportunities as part of the Calag Plate Program
- AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FEDERATION: AFBF Welcomes Nomination of Katherine Tai for U.S. Trade Representative
- CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD & AGRICULTURE: CDFA Announces Vacancies on Feed Inspection Advisory Board Technical Advisory Subcomittee
- AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FEDERATION: AFBF Stands-Up for Farmers in Predatory Shakedown
- CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD & AGRICULTURE: CFDA Issues Stop Use Notice and Statewide Quarantine on Organic Fertilizer AGRO Gold WS
- AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FEDERATION: Registration Open for American Farm Bureau Virtual Convention, Featuring Mike Rowe, Rorke Denver and Beth Ford