Cover Crops in Organic Production Systems - Danielle Treadwell

Weed control in organic soybeans is notoriously difficult. Clean tilled soybeans work in dry years and are a disaster in wet years. Cover crop mulches provide an alternative that is cheaper and provides greater management flexibility. Unfortunately, these successes do not hold for corn and cotton. Come and learn what works with cover crop mulches and the many ways in which you can fail. Additional highlights include: (1) Nitrogen rotation through legume cover crops as a key aspect of organic cash grain production; (2) Innovative strategies such as interseeding and organic no-till as options to expand cover crop opportunities and niches; (3) Ideas as to how to fit cover crops, particularly legumes, into the farm systems.

Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) provides grants and outreach to advance innovations that improve profitability, stewardship and quality of life. SARE is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA.