PEORIA, Ill. — A 2016 Cover Crop Survey Analysis recently released by the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program reflects growing enthusiasm for cover crops, while demonstrating a yield boost in corn and soybeans following cover for the fourth consecutive year.

 

The multiyear survey of 2,020 farmers, which was cosponsored by the Conservation Technology Information Center (CITC) in conjunction with Purdue University and the American Seed Trade Assoc., showed survey participants planted more than double the acreage of cover crops in 2016 than they did in 2011. Corn yields rose by an average 3.4 bushels per acre, or 1.9 percent, after cover crops, while soybean yield increased 1.5 bushels an acre, or 2.8 percent, according to the SARE-CITC survey. Additional analysis, however, revealed that yield increases for corn rose even higher – by an average of 8.3 percent – after cover had been used for more than four years in a field.

 

Soybean yield increased by 2.4 bushels an acre, from by 0.1 bushel, over the same period. In addition, 33 percent of farmers surveyed said they found a profit benefit from cover.

 

“The vast majority of cover crop users report the most important benefits of cover crops to be improved overall soil health, reduced erosion and increased soil organic matter,” said Chad Watts, CTIC executive director.

 

“Though the yield benefits, profitability and resilience provided by cover crops are widely recognized by the farmers in this survey, the benefits they highlight most are long-term soil health impacts.”

 

Patrick Kirchhofer, manager of the Peoria County Farm Bureau in central Illinois, aid though cover crop adaptation presents a “learning curve” for farmers and requires more intensive land management practices, the benefits can be numerous.

 

“Landowners need to look at the longterm benefits,” he said. “One of them is the reduction of soil loss. Preservation of soil is the lifeblood of a profitable farm, and cover crops play a major role in keeping soil in place.”

 

A January-February 2017 survey of approximately 370 soybean growers, sponsored by the Illinois Soybean Assoc., asked what best management practices they had adopted under the tenets of the 2015 Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy (NLRS).

 

The survey showed as many as 36 percent had adopted cover crops as part of their land sustainability plan. The results of these various surveys supporting that farmers are adapting more conservation practices to their operations each year, including cover, come as no surprise to at least two Illinois cover crop seed dealers and farmers.

 

“Cover crop interest and sales has greatly increased over the last five years,” said Dean Oswald, a retired University of Illinois extension educator who owns a small farm near Kewanee with his wife, Joline, and is currently employed by Midwest Grass and Forage of Macomb as a forage and grazing specialist. “The early adopters were already very conservation-minded and used cover crops for soil erosion purposes. They have since seen many other benefits of cover crops.”

 

The benefits of cover are improved soil organic matter and soil health, improved air and water movement in the soil, recycling of nutrients, a reduction in soybean cyst nematodes and foliar leaf diseases, enhanced weed management and yield increases “following several years of use,” according to Oswald, who also works part-time as a cover crop specialist in northwestern Illinois with the Illinois Council on Best Management Practices and the Zea Mays Foundation.

 

“Cover crops are not just a fad anymore – they are the right thing to do,” said Brian Wieland, a regional representative for Saddle Butte Ag- Bio Till, who manages the company’s central Illinois warehouse. “If you are not using cover crops, and you care about your farm, your soil, your stewardship, your profit, your environment, your neighbor and your future, attend a meeting, educate yourself and learn from others how to correctly implement covers on your farm.”

 

Cover crop mixes containing just 2-3 species are the most popular choice of central Illinois Saddle-Butte customers, according to Wieland, whose small grain and freezer beef operation is 100 percent strip-till/no-till and 100 percent planted with cover.

 

“Cover crop mixes with the correct rates and species can be very beneficial without a lot of extra cost, and sometimes less,” he said. “Often when a single species is used – and if you are unfortunate to get caught with an issue that affects that species – you have nothing to show for your expense and efforts.” 

  

Cereal rye is “by far” the most purchased and used species by Midwest Grass and Forage customers in his region of Illinois, according to Oswald. “Cereal rye is the most forgiving and most successful cover crop year after year. This is true even if planted late in the season,” he said, adding there are cautions and benefits to cereal rye and all varieties of cover.

 

Both Illinois cover crop and forage experts agree that one of the greatest benefits from cover comes to farmers owning livestock. “I really like what I see how cattle and cover crops enhance soil health, plus reduce my hay use and manure hauling, as cows can be in field grazing crop residue and cover crops in late fall and winter, and sometimes a little in the spring, depending on conditions,” said Wieland, who farms near Brimfield in Peoria County.

 

“Livestock producers have been the first to realize profit from the use of cover crops,” agreed Oswald, who can be reached by farmers and landowners who have questions about cover-cropping at 309-333-0815.

 

To speak with Wieland, visit www.saddlebutte.com/contact