Study Develops Optimal Cover Crop Adoption Thresholds

Jun 16, 2025

By Mick Kulikowski

Researchers have developed a new model that can suggest the optimal conditions for farmers to plant cover crops, or crops grown in between cash-crop seasons, to help ensure long-term cash-crop success. The findings could help improve farm budgets and serve as aids to farmers making decisions about their land.

The model, based on an examination of 35 years of available data on an experimental cotton farm in west Tennessee, accounts for local conditions – including current prices of cash crops and fertilizer as well as the health and fertility of the soil – and then suggests whether an investment in cover crops would be economically beneficial for farmers.

North Carolina State University researchers involved in the study say the model generally favors planting cover crops on fields with relatively healthy soil and on land that has not been tilled. The cost of planting and maintaining cover crops appears to reduce the need for fertilizer treatments, so high fertilizer costs would be one key factor in favor of planting cover crops, the researchers add.

Source : ncsu.edu

Video: Independent Seed, National Impact | On The Brink: Episode 9

A survey of 200 independent seed businesses reveals what Canada's seed sector actually contributes — and what it stands to lose.

On the Brink, Justin Funk, a third-generation agri-marketer, shares the findings of a national survey conducted in early 2026. The numbers reframe the conversation: independent seed companies in Canada represent upwards of $1.7 billion in dedicated seed infrastructure, approximately 3,000 full-time equivalent jobs in rural communities, and an estimated $20 million in annual community contributions. And roughly 90% of Canada's cereals, pulses, and other small pollinated crops flow through them.

The survey also asked how dependent these businesses are on public plant breeding to survive. The answer was unambiguous. For policymakers evaluating the future of publicly funded breeding programs, Funk argues the economic case for this sector and the case for public plant breeding are the same argument.

On the Brink is a cross-country video series exploring the future of plant breeding in Canada. Each episode features voices from across the industry in an open, ongoing conversation about innovation and long-term investment in Canadian agriculture.