A series of long-term studies in southern Ontario are showing the value of cover crops and boosting soil organic matter. When combining data across experiments and research stations, University of Guelph soil scientist Laura Van Eerd said researchers consistently saw higher corn and soybean yields correlate to higher soil organic matter. Van Eerd spoke during […] Read more
Tag Archives cover crops
Long-term Ontario studies show value of cover crops
Boosting organic matter in soils proved to boost profit margins and reduce yield variation year to year
U.S. farm co-op CHS to pay members to enrol in Bayer carbon farming program
Reuters – Agricultural seeds and chemicals supplier Bayer AG is expanding its carbon farming program to members of U.S. farm cooperative CHS Inc, boosting incentives for members to participate in the program, the companies said on Wednesday. The agreement will make it easier for CHS’s 75,000 farmer-members to enrol in Bayer’s Carbon Program, an early […] Read more
Editorial: The fine print will win
Farmers tend to be price takers as producers of commodities, although many of them have found direct routes to consumers and that can be profitable. Farmers markets have proven helpful for many farmers who attempt to create a sideline food or produce business. That includes Oliver Papple, a young farmer who grows sweet corn and […] Read more
Advanced model and field data add up to better cover crop management
Science Notes: Termination timing can be just as important as the plant species you select
Cover crops are widely seen as one of the most promising conservation practices, improving soil health while also removing carbon from the atmosphere. But while the number of Midwestern farmers planting cover crops has increased markedly in recent years, 2017 USDA Census data show only about five per cent have adopted the conservation practice. The […] Read more
Cover crops for weed management
OMAFRA Field Crop Report for August 4
It’s the time of year when Ontario farmers are turning their attention to seeding cover crops following cereal harvest. Each grower has their own reasons for growing a cover crop – whether it’s to improve organic matter, hold onto nutrients from manure, provide a nitrogen credit or protect against erosion. In this report, we will […] Read more
Covering up weed seeds
Input savings, soil health are among the benefits of cover crops
Cover crops are not free, but they don’t have to be a cost. In fact, they can save farmers money. Researchers and farmers talked about the benefits during a recent session hosted by the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association. While there is always variability, weed suppression and population reduction are the chief – though […] Read more
Revitalizing soil with manure and cover crops after harvesting wheat
OMAFRA Field Crop Report for July 21
Wheat in a crop rotation provides many benefits, including spreading weather risks that can impact yields and balancing workload more evenly between planting and harvest season. Wheat also provides the opportunity to revitalize the soil; to disrupt pest cycles; alleviate compaction and increase subsequent corn and soybean crop yields. Best of all, wheat in rotation […] Read more
How to plant into thick cover crops
Two farmers share their strategies for planting green
Accounting for corn stalks in the spring is one thing. Planting through thick green cover crops is another. Standard planter setups don’t quite cut it in such cases. For Blake Vince and Larry Dyck, who are both cover crop enthusiasts and experimenters, on-farm equipment customization has been the solution. Why it matters: Thick green cover […] Read more
Fall and full-season cover crops show promise in potato trials
Some varieties have shown yield increases and erosion control
Cover crop trials in Prince Edward Island potato fields are yielding promising results. Over the last two years, Ryan Barrett, research and agronomy specialist, Prince Edward Island Potato Board, has run fall-seeded and full-season cover crop trials to assess if there are an overall soil and potato harvest benefit. Why it matters: An estimated 80 […] Read more
Finding the tools to build soil
Intensifying wheat production can help make the soil-building crop more profitable
Wheat and cover crops may not be the most profitable of cash cows, but the indirect benefits to grain growers’ bottom lines are significant. Keeping winter wheat in the rotation, that is, has been shown to consistently boost both corn and soybean yields in Ontario. Those numbers go even higher when red clover is also […] Read more
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