Farms.com Home   Ag Industry News

Farmers encouraged to take cover crop survey

Even growers without cover crops are asked to participate

By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com

American farmers are being encouraged to take a survey on cover crops –whether they grow them or not.

The anonymous survey asks questions like how many years of experience a farmer has with cover crops, what kind of tillage is performed on the farm and the number of cover crop acres a grower plans to plant.

The survey is conducted by the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC), the United States Department of Agriculture’s Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program, and the American Seed Trade Association.

The collected information is then used in a variety of ways.

“Results from the survey help guide policy, research and education on cover crops …,” Chad Watts, project director at CTICsaid in a release.

“This survey provides us with a great perspective on why farmers do or do not plant cover crops, what they expect to gain from the practice, and what their concerns are.”

And cover crops appear to be paying dividends for farmers, according to survey data from 2016.

“Farmers reported modest yield gains in both corn (3.4 bushels per acre) and soybeans (1.5 bushels per acre) following the use of cover crops. (They) indicated that the popular practice of planting a cereal rye cover crop before soybeans had a positive effect on both yield and broadleaf weed control for a majority of respondents (2,020 farmers across 48 states),” the 2016 survey summary says.

Corn yields rose an average of 3.7 bushels per acre following cover crops, and soybean yields increased 2.2 bushels per acre, according to data from the 2015 survey.

Producers have until May 31, 2017 to complete the survey. Those who do can enter a draw to win a $100 gift card.


Trending Video

Funds Ditch Ag Commodities, Chase Stocks Amid an End to Middle East War, & Trade Deal Buzz

Video: Funds Ditch Ag Commodities, Chase Stocks Amid an End to Middle East War, & Trade Deal Buzz


The 12-day war between Iran-Israel came to an end sending crude oil futures plunging as the big fund speculators removed the war risk premium.

The weather risk premium in the Ag complex is sending corn, wheat and soybean futures lower on month-end selling ahead of the market moving USDA quarterly grain stocks and acreage reports on June 30th.

Instead, funds were chasing and sending tech stocks higher with the S&P 500/NASDAQ indexes setting new all-time record highs!

June 1 USDA Hogs and pigs report was slightly bearish while the U.S. $ Index traded to new contract lows as the de-dollarization that began in 2014 continues.

Feed in the form of soybean meal futures for livestock producers got cheaper, trading to new contract lows.

The Stats Canada seeded acreage update was bullish canola and wheat.