Annual/Termination Reports:

[05/13/2010]

Report Information

Participants

Kladivko, Eileen (kladivko@purdue.edu)-Purdue; Kaspar, Tom (Tom.Kaspar@ARS.USDA.GOV)-USDA ARS; Much, Dale (mutch@msu.edu)-Michigan State University; Berti, Marisol (marisol.berti@ndsu.edu)-North Dakota State University; al-Kaisi, Mahdi (malkaisi@iastate.edu)-Iowa State University; Sundermeier, Alan (sundermeier.5@cfaes.osu.edu)-Ohio State University; Albrecht, Ken (kaalbrec@wisc.edu)-University of Wisconsin

Other attendees:
Tim Searchinger, Princeton University; Dean Bass, Michigan State University; Anne Verhallen, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs; Laura Van Eerd, University of Guelph; Barry Fisher, NRCS, Indiana; Jeri Neal, Iowa State University; Sarah Carlson, Practical Farmers of Iowa

Brief Summary of Minutes

The Committee met in conjunction with and after the Midwest Cover Crop Council Workshop in Ames, Iowa, 2-4 March 2010. Committee members organized and participated in the Midwest Cover Crop Council Workshop, then devoted March 4 to Committee business.

The meeting, in the Iowa State University Union Drive Community Center, was called to order by Tom Kaspar at 8:00, March 4.

Discussion focused initially on interests and on-going activities with cover crops to set the stage for discussion of NIFA proposal development. Dean Bass reviewed progress on the multi-state Cover Crop Decision Tool that several of the committee members are contributing to. Discussion focused on the need for research data as a foundation for this decision making tool. Eileen Kladivko suggested the need for development of a cover crop pocket guide similar to a forage crop pocked guide that was developed by Indiana Extension.
Tom Kaspar discussed progress on the Iowa cover crop database that could serve as a model for other states in the region. It was concluded that there is merit to systematic, regional testing of performance of cover crops for particular purposes. There is need for identification or development of dependable cover crops to follow corn grain and soybean harvest in the northern states.

Tim Searchinger discussed his policy development activities, partially funded through the Walton Foundation, on mitigating hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico and has concluded that cover crops are one of the few tools to accomplish this goal. He is eager to tap into the knowledge base that our committee has and is developing regarding the roles of cover crops in agricultural systems. He is planning to organize a small conference from which white papers for policy direction will result.

Eileen Kladivko lead discussion on NIFA/AFRI proposal development. With greater variability in climate, there will be more frequent occurrences of heavy rainfall and/or extended dry periods. It was agreed that we would focus on developing a proposal on the role that cover crops can play in managing water and nitrogen, sustaining and improving soil productivity, and protecting water and soil resources.

The meeting was adjourned at 2:00.

Accomplishments

A subgroup of the NCDC215 met at the American Society of Agronomy meeting in Pittsburgh in November to discuss and refine plans for a NC_TEMP proposal.<br /> <br /> Short-term outcome: A proposal was developed as an NCERA project and submitted as NC_TEMP1185 for review by NC administrators. The final outcome of the review is not yet known. <br /> <br /> At the annual meeting, opportunities for development of a National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) proposal were discussed, interest was assessed, an outline was developed, and a letter of intent was submitted April 30.<br />

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