Farmers realize significant benefits from cover crop usage

Aug 11, 2023

While incentive payments may have helped drive cover crop adoption, a recent study finds that isn’t the only reason farmers continue to plant them. Ryan Heiniger, executive director of the Conservation Technology Information Center, says the National Cover Crop Survey reports farmers are seeing a wide range of benefits. The survey was conducted by the CTIC, Sustainable Ag Research and Education group, and the American Seed Trade Association. “Soil structure, less soil erosion, less soil compaction are among the many benefits that farmers are seeing and rating as some of the top benefits that they’ve observed in using cover crops,” he says.

He says land ownership was once considered a barrier to cover crop use, but the study tells a different story. “14.2% of cover crop users do not own any of the land that they farm, compared to only 9.6% of non-cover crop users not owning any of the land they farm,” he says.

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Video: Winter Canola Trial in Mississippi | Can It Work for Double Cropping? | Pioneer Agronomy

Can winter canola open new opportunities for growers in the Mid-South? In this agronomy update from Noxubee County, Mississippi, Pioneer agronomist Gus Eifling shares an early look at a first-year winter canola trial and what farmers are learning from the field.

Planted in late October on 30-inch rows, the crop is now entering the bloom stage and progressing quickly. In this video, we walk through current field conditions, fertility management, and how timing could make this crop a valuable option for double-cropping soybeans or cotton.

If harvest timing lines up with early May, growers may be able to transition directly into another crop during ideal planting windows. Ongoing field trials will help determine whether canola could become a viable rotational option for the region.

Watch for:

How winter canola is performing in its first season in this Mississippi field

Why growers chose 30-inch rows for this trial

What the crop looks like as it moves from bolting into bloom

Fertility strategy, including nitrogen and sulfur applications

How canola harvest timing could enable double-cropping with soybeans or cotton

Upcoming trials comparing soybeans after canola vs. traditional planting

As more growers look for ways to maximize acres and diversify rotations, experiments like this help determine what new crops might fit into existing systems.