A crops education coordinator with Practical Farmers of Iowa says producer interest in cover crops and extended rotations has never been higher.
Solveig Orngard tells Brownfield, “We have a cover crop cost share program. We’re constantly getting new people signing up for that.” She says, “We also have a small grains extended rotation cost share, and I’m absolutely seeing a lot of interest in all these different areas of regenerative agriculture.”
She says extended rotation practices allow farmers an opportunity for economic diversification, which in today’s ag economy has become even more appealing.
“Oftentimes a small grain like rye, or oats, or wheat, is used as a cover crop, but it can also be used as a grain crop that you harvest for either feed or food grade purposes,” she says.
Orngard says many long-term adopters of both practices also experience healthier, more resilient soils that bring added benefits to the operation.
“We don’t want to be losing nutrients to our waterways.” She says, “By having cover crops, having more crops in the rotation to keep the soil covered year round, it’s just a very kind of clear opportunity to make some headway in terms of promoting healthy lands and waters.”
The Practical Farmers of Iowa are hosting their 4th annual Midwest Covers and Grains Conference March 4th in Washington, Illinois.
