Succeeding with cover crops is webinar topic

     Iowa Learning Farms will host a webinar on Wednesday, April 8 at noon. Due to the necessary postponement of our spring field days, this webinar will provide information on how to succeed with cover crops and no-till for spring 2020.

     Liz Ripley, Conservation and Cover Crop outreach specialist; and Mark Licht, assistant professor and Extension crop systems specialist, will share results from a variety of cover crop projects. These projects include a 10-year cereal rye cover crop study, species selection information, water quality impacts, and tips for spring termination.

     Cover crops continue to grow in popularity in Iowa due to their many benefits: reduced soil erosion, weed suppression potential, reduced nitrogen and phosphorus loads entering water bodies, and increased soil organic matter.

     “Fall 2019 was another difficult harvest season with limited time to complete fall tillage. Cover crops and no-tillage work together to help increase water infiltration and reduce erosion during heavy rain events,” said Licht.

     “If you’re looking to get started with cover crops, use rye ahead of soybeans and oats ahead of corn. That combination aims to maximize the successful implementation and management of cover crops, while maintaining profitability,” responded Ripley, when asked what she hoped attendees who are considering cover crops would take away from this webinar.

     To participate in the live webinar, shortly before 12:00 pm on April 8: visit https://iastate.zoom.us/join and enter meeting ID: 364 284 172. Or, call 1-312-626-6799 and use the same meeting ID.

     The webinar will also be recorded and archived on the ILF website, so that it can be watched at any time. Archived webinars are available at https://www.iowalearningfarms.org/page/webinars.

     A Certified Crop Adviser board-approved continuing education unit (CEU) has been applied for, for those who are able to participate in the live webinar. Information about how to apply to receive the credit (if approved) will be provided at the end of the live webinar.