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John LaRose Jr. John LaRose Jr.
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Topics: Soil Health, Precision AG , Agriculture US, Cover Crops, Crop Consultant, Agriculture Global, Water, Sustainability, Education,

South Dakota producers reap rewards of cover crops

The longer farmers use cover crops, the more likely they are to see the benefits and to use the conservation practice on a higher percentage of their farmland, according to a survey of eastern South Dakota producers. Cover crops, which are planted after harvesting the cash crop, help prevent erosion and runoff and increase soil organic matter, thereby reducing the need for fertilizer and improving water quality. In addition, cover crops can help suppress weeds, thereby reducing herbicide and pesticide usage, according to assistant professor Tong Wang of South Dakota State University’s Ness School of Management and Economics. She is part of a team of SDSU researchers who conducted the spring 2018 survey to evaluate producers’ perceptions about the benefits of conservation practices aimed at improving soil health, reducing the industry’s carbon footprint and increasing the sustainability of agriculture. Furthermore, Wang reported those who use cover crops for grazing are more likely to view them as increasing their profitability, even during the first few years. “Grazing helps offset the cost of using cover crops by reducing forage costs.” More than 70% of South Dakota producers graze their livestock on crop residue and cover crops, according to a 2016 survey in the Northern Great Plains. An article on South Dakota farmers’ perceptions about profitability and their likelihood of continuing to use cover crops was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics. The research was funded by the South Dakota Corn Utilization Council and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service. Tracking cover crop usage In the contiguous United States, the number of acres on which farmers plant cover crops increased from 218,000 in 2012 to 619,000 in 2017, according to the fifth-annual Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education–Conservation Technology Information Center cover-crop survey. Of the 708 South Dakota producers who responded to the SDSU researchers’ su...

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John LaRose Jr. John LaRose Jr.
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John LaRose Jr. John LaRose Jr.
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Matt Brechwald is the world's most prolific agricultural podcaster. Consistently podcasting since 2014 Matt has hosted well over 1,000 podcasts about agriculture and conducted hundreds of radio interviews as well. From his farm in Kuna, Idaho, Matt has developed the term "Off-Farm Income" into a multi-national brand.