As record numbers of conservation-minded Iowa farmers have recently incorporated cover crops into their farms’ environmental protection plans, many farmers have questions regarding the management of the cover crops.  At 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, March 15, the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) will feature a cover crop management webinar to help farmers prepare for spring management considerations including crop termination planning and equipment adjustments. 

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) has worked with hundreds of farmers across the state in recent years to secure cost share funding to plant post-harvest cover crops.  Fall 2015 was a good season for cover crop establishment and growth, with adequate moisture and growing temperatures.  The tremendous fall growth of many cover crops proved extremely valuable, as the covers helped hold soil in place and protected waterways during heavy rain events. 

With the successful fall cover crop growth, farmers could face challenges this spring with the crop management.  The IFBF webinar will feature a variety of expert speakers including Iowa State University (ISU) Extension staff, a plant physiologist from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and an experienced cover crop farmer from Wellman, Iowa. 

The experts will cover topics such as: cover crop effects and benefits on soil health, spring termination considerations, planter settings for planting into cover crops, and burndown choices.  “As hundreds of Iowa farmers planted fall cover crops for the first time in 2015, there are many questions regarding their maintenance this spring, said Ed Kordick, IFBF commodity services manager.  “This timely webinar will provide insight into handling the common challenges farmers may face this spring when managing their cover crop.”

Farmers can access the webinar here. Pre-registration is not required for online viewing, but attendees are encouraged to test their computer’s ability to participate prior to the webinar.

For more information, contact Kordick at ekordick@ifbf.org.