Research topics to scale up cover crop use: Reflections from innovative Iowa farmers

Abstract

C over crops as a conservation practice continue to receive attention from farmers, researchers, media, and policy makers, given their ability to effectively reduce water pollution and improve soil quality. Recent estimates of cover crop use across the midwestern Corn Belt, as well as the United States, demonstrate large acreage increases over the last number of years. The annual Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education–Conservation Technology Information Center (SARE–CTIC) survey found that nationally cover crop acreage doubled from 2011 to 2016, based on farmers self-reporting cover crop planting (CTIC 2016). However, the total cover crop acreage based on 2012 Census of Agriculture data only represents 3.2% of harvested cropland nationally and just 2.3% of the total cropland in the US Corn Belt (USDA NASS 2014a, 2014b). Cover crops can be a difficult proposition for many farmers in highly productive agricultural regions where priority is given to maximizing crop production and economic returns year to year. The practice is particularly challenging in the upper mid-western portion of the Corn Belt because the climate limits the time to seed and effectively grow another crop following the fall harvests of corn ( Zea mays L.) and soybean ( Glycine max [L.] Merr.). Farmers frequently report challenges with…