Annual/Termination Reports:

[05/31/2011] [04/26/2012] [04/30/2013] [06/30/2014] [04/17/2015]

Report Information

Participants

Kladivko, Eileen (kladivko@purdue.edu) - Purdue University;
Kaspar, Tom (tom.kaspar@ars.usda.gov)  USDA-ARS-NLAE, Ames, IA;
Mutch, Dale (mutch@msu.edu)  Michigan State University;
Taylor, Erin (hiller12@msu.edu)  guest, Michigan State University;
Albrecht, Ken (kaalbrec@wisc.edu)  University of Wisconsin;
Gantzer, Clark (gantzerc@missouri.edu)  University of Missouri;
Sundermeier, Alan (sundermeier.5@osu.edu)  Ohio Cooperative Extension;
Many others (guests: Anne Verhallen, OMAFRA, Canada; Laura L. Van Eerd, Univ of Guelph, Canada; Odette Menard, MAPAQ, Canada; Bill Kuenstler, NRCS; Peder Gulleson, Wild Rice Soil Conservation District, North Dakota; Joe Breker, farmer, North Dakota; Trace Hanson, Wild Rice Soil Conservation District, North Dakota; Richard Warner, Green Lands Blue Waters; Miriam Gieske, Univ. Minnesota; Ryan Stockwell, National Wildlife Federation; Ron Althoff, Saddle Butte Ag., IL; Laura Gentry, Univ. Illinois; Mike Plummer, Illinois Council of Best Management Practices; Edwin Suarez, Purdue; Kaylissa Horton, Purdue; Mike Werling, Adams Co. SWCD, IN; Carrie Vollmer-Sanders, The Nature Conservancy, IN; Roger Wenning, Decatur Co. SWCD, IN; Barry Fisher, NRCS, IN; Dave Robison, Cisco Seeds, IN; Mark Perry, Cisco Seeds, IN; Angie Williams, CTIC, IN; James Scott, farmer, IN; Dean Bass, Michigan State, MI; Paul Gross, Mich. State Extension, MI; Victoria Ackroyd, Mich. State, MI; Tim Harrigan, Mich. State, MI; Jerry Grigar, NRCS, MI; John Leif and Sergio Perz, Rose Lake Plant Materials Center, MI; Mathieu Ngouajio, Mich. State, MI; Jim Hoorman, Randall Reeder, Florian Chirra, Justin Perosino, and Mike Gastier, Ohio State Extension, OH; Rafiq Islam, Ohio State Univ., OH; Bob Hendershot and Mark Scarpitti, NRCS, OH; Nick Renner, farmer, OH; Mark Fritz, Ohio Dept. of Ag., OH; Greg McGlinch, Darke Co. SWCD, OH) participated in the afternoon joint meeting with Midwest Cover Crops Council and full day of cover crop presentations as part of Conservation Tillage Conference. There was also a meeting on the morning of the business meeting for NCCC211 to discuss Cover Crop Publications and Resources.

Brief Summary of Minutes

Minutes:

Meeting began at 8:00 AM Wednesday February 23, 2011 with Ken Albrecht serving as acting chair. Ken was nominated and approved as chair for this 2011 meeting. Tom Kaspar was nominated and approved as secretary for the 2011 meeting and chair-elect for 2012. Eileen Kladivko was nominated and approved as secretary-elect for 2012. There was a discussion of the site for the next meeting and Indianapolis, IN was selected as the tentative site for 2012 meeting of NCCC211. The 2012 meeting will likely be held preceding the Midwest Cover Crops Council (MCCC) annual meeting as it was this year. Late February or March 2012 were discussed as possible meeting dates.

At 9:00 AM we heard comments via a conference call and speaker phone from NIFA representative Mary Ann Rozum concerning funding opportunities through the USDA AFRI grants program. She encouraged us to think in terms of all possible benefits of cover crops, including greenhouse gasses, wildlife, biofuels, food safety, manure, and economics. She encouraged us to include economists and sociologists in our proposals. She said everyone is gearing up for the farm bill and that green box or environmental subsidies will probably replace part of the direct payments and other subsidies in the current farm bill. She also encouraged us to consider applying for a conference grant.

Clark Gantzer led a discussion on helping to organize a national meeting on cover crops in conjunction with the Soil and Water Conservation Society and the Midwest Cover Crops Council. Gantzer, Kladivko, and Kaspar had participated in a conference call concerning this topic. Another alternative would be to have a regional meeting in conjunction with the Soil and Water Conservation Society
.

Brief state reports were given by Kladivko, Kaspar, Mutch, and Albrecht concerning their own research that was in the planning stage or just beginning. Later in the afternoon, state research reports concerning projects that were farther along and other activities (extension and on-farm demonstrations) were shared with NCCC211 members and the MCCC group. On Thursday, Feb. 24, 2011 formal presentations were made to a more general audience including farmers, extension personnel, NRCS personnel, MCCC members, and NCCC211 members.

Briefly, Kladivko reported on new work concerning seeding of cover crops in conjunction with application of manure slurry. Mutch discussed testing the growth and winter survival of two annual ryegrass cultivars interseeded into soybean in Michigan. Kaspar discussed continuing work on effect of rye and oat cover crops on nitrate leaching in tile drainage. Albrecht discussed continuing work and future plans use of kura clover as a living mulch in corn production systems.

In the afternoon session held in conjunction with members of MCCC we discussed or heard reports on:

Cover crop selector tool  now web-based and released for Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio and we are working on Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Ontario.

Cover Crop Pocket guide - in cooperation with Purdue Extension publications; in process and should be finished by the end of 2011

Midwest Cover Crop Council website update  lots of hits; adding new material all the time; added Facebook links; looking for new ideas.

GLRI project farmer cover crop survey  Angie Williams from CTIC reported on publication of survey

Joint AFRI proposal from Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio, and Minnesota was not successful. Report on reviewers comments and what we might change in the future; Other grant possibilities.

Ken Albrecht reported on the new NCCC211 regional group and the morning business meeting of that group. He encouraged participants from land grant institutions or USDA-ARS to obtain official appointment to the group.

State reports concerning research, extension, and on-farm demonstrations related to cover crops were given by Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, Ontario, Ohio, Minnesota, and Michigan.

Richard Warner from Green Lands Blue Waters discussed how MCCC and NCCC211 could interact and work together with GLBW to promote cover crops in the upper Midwest.

Eileen Kladivko discussed the Princeton meeting on cover crops sponsored by the Walton Foundation and the white papers being developed from that.

Ryan Stockwell from the National Wildlife Federation discuss ways to collaborate with NWF to educate policy makers on cover crops and aid NWF in policy development on cover crops.

Social hour and dinner.

Cover Crops Session at Conservation Tillage and Technology Conference
February 24, 2011; Jim Hoorman, Moderator

Cover Crop Benefits (CLM), Florian Chirra, OSU Extension, Williams Co.

Cover Crops as Biofumigants, Mathieu Ngouajio, Michigan State University

Reducing Winter Rye Yield Drag, Tom Kaspar, USDA-ARS, Ames, Iowa

Using Legumes and Inoculants for N Fixation, Dave Robison, CISCO

Research on Oilseed Radish Varieties, Dale Mutch, Michigan State University

Cover Crops to Improve No-till Economics, Jim Hoorman, OSU Extension, Mercer Co.

Red Clover as a Nitrogen Source, Laura Van Eerd, University of Guelph-Ridgetown, Canada

Aerial Seeding of Cover Crops, Mark Eads and Garrett Eby, AgriFlite

Earthworms Building Organic Matter and Nutrient Recycling, Odette Menard, Quebec Ministry of Ag, Canada

Barriers to Cover Crop Adoption (Survey Results), Angie Williams, CTIC, Lafayette, IN

Practical Cover Crops for Corn-Soybean Rotation, Barry Fisher, State Agronomist, USDA-NRCS, Indiana

How to incorporate cover crops into the crop rotation: Farmer Panel, Bill Richards and Howard Weller

Cover Crop Decision Tool to Improve Soil and Water, Dean Baas, Michigan State University

Great Lakes Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Cover Crop Plots, Glen Arnold, OSU Extension, Putnam Co.

No-Till Cover Crops Improve Yields and Soil Quality, Rafiq Islam, OSU South Centers, Piketon
Alan Sundermeier, OSU Extension, Wood Co.

State Reports:

State Report for Iowa on Cover Crop Research and Activities for the NCCC211 2011 meeting in Ada, OH on 2-23-2011

Matt Helmers, Dept. Ag. & Biosys. Eng., Iowa State University has studies on nitrate-nitrogen leaching benefits of winter rye cover crop within a corn -soybean rotation are being conducted at drainage water quality research sites near Gilmore City and Nashua, IA. Preliminary results indicate positive nitrate leaching benefits of the cover crops even in less than ideal spring growing conditions for the rye. Also, showed evidence that cover crops reduced volume of drainage water.

Jeremy Singer, USDA-ARS-NLAE, has had studies looking at developing self-seeding cover crop systems that minimizes competition with soybean by restricting cover crop growth to optimize cover crop seed production and dispersal. A wheat cover crop combined with mechanical seed dispersal preharvest exhibited the greatest consistency in self-seeding regardless of initial seeding rate. Wheat self-seeding systems exhibit the greatest potential for adoption, although soybean yield was lower in one of two years compared to a no cover crop control.

Tom Kaspar and several other scientists at USDA-ARS_NLAE have used a monitored tile drainage site to examine the effect of winter cover crops on nitrate losses in drainage water in a corn-soybean rotation. From 2005 to 2010, an oat cover crop was broadcast seeded at main crop maturity and a rye cover crop was established after harvest using a grain drill. The rye cover crop reduced the flow-weighted nitrate concentration of the drainage water by 48% from 2006 through 2010. The oat cover crop reduced the nitrate concentration of drainage water by 25% from 2006 through 2010 and in 2009 reduced nitrate concentration as much as the rye cover crop. The rye cover crop reduced the load of nitrate in the drainage water by 46% and the oat cover crop by 37% from 2006 through 2010.

John Sawyer, Iowa State University, conducted the first two years of a study to determine the nitrogen fertilization requirement of corn following a rye winter cover crop. Over two years and multiple locations corn following a rye cover crop had the same economically optimum N fertilizer rate as corn without a rye cover crop preceding it.

2010 South Dakota Annual Report

Producers utilized research results to incorporate cover crops into current production practices to alleviate corn stand establishment problems, improve soil carbon, and scavenge and add additional nitrogen to the system. Over the past eight years the acres under no-till management in South Dakota have increased by nearly 3 million including a significant shift to no-till in the eastern areas of South Dakota as a direct result of education and research by the team members. Research results have been transferred to NRCS Conservation Agronomist and have been incorporated in the NRCS Agronomy Technical Note No. 16. Additionally, based upon this research NRCS has provided practice payments to producers to adopt cover crops as a conservation practice, with 33,000 acres utilizing cover crop in 2009 compared to 7,000 acres in 2008.

Indiana State Report for February 23-24, 2011 Meeting in Ada, Ohio

State/Province Name: Indiana

Contact Information
Name: Eileen Kladivko
Organization: Purdue University
E-mail: kladivko@purdue.edu
Telephone: 765-494-6372

Research

Some new studies were initiated within the past year, along with continuation of some long term or ongoing studies by a number of researchers at Purdue. New studies include:

1. Slurry seeding of cover crops, as part of larger project with Tim Harrigan at Michigan State. Purdues part includes field trials with annual ryegrass and swine manure, on three farmers fields, as well as mini-plots at research farm, and growth chamber studies on seed germination with exposure to swine manure. (graduate student Edwin Suarez)

2. Sampled various cover crops for biomass and N content on several farmer fields or demonstration plots, as initial information (not replicated) around the state.

3. Greenhouse experiment growing 3 radish varieties at two plant densities and two soil bulk densities, for overall growth, tuber size, overall root growth, top growth, N content. (graduate student Mohammad Amini)

4. New project on organic agriculture, led by K. Gibson (weed scientist, Dept. of Botany and Plant Pathology) with 8 faculty across 5 departments and eventually 6-7 grad students. Cover crops are part of overall management strategy. (graduate student Jessica Garvert working on soils part in Agronomy Dept with Kladivko)

5. New long-term and short-term plots to be established starting spring 2011 (covers to be seeded in fall 2011). This will include some smaller aspects of what we all proposed for AFRI grant proposal, on rye and another cover vs no cover, but well only use different N rates (3) after 5 years of cover crop growth (ie, build the SOM first, and then test N release). Also will do N sampling in field with radishes, and will likely try small plots with other covers too (still doing final plans for 2011). (new graduate student Kaylissa Horton plus another coming in May).

One of these sites will be as part of a large AFRI-CAP (the $20million program, not the $5million program we tried for) led by Lois Wright Morton at Iowa State, on climate change and corn systems. The cover crop plots will be simply cereal rye vs no rye, on corn-soybean and soybean-corn, with 4 reps, for total of 16 plots. We should encourage some of those participants to become more directly involved with MCCC in the future, but as of now, Kladivko is the liaison.

Some long-term or always ongoing work continues:

6. Winter wheat cover crop used in tile drainage research project, where nitrate measured in tile drainflow. Long-term (25+yrs) but no simultaneous comparison without cover crop. Could make more measurements related to N cycling, if regional collaboration.

7. Biomass crops, new and old work (Miscanthus, switchgrass)

8. Ongoing work on pest suppression (disease, nematode, weeds) and in vegetable production (Dept. of Botany and Plant Pathology; Dept of Horticulture

9. Always ongoing work on forages for hay or grazing

Extension/Education

There has been a lot of activity and interest in cover crops in Indiana the past few years. Several new or greatly expanded efforts in cover crops are occurring through and with many of our partners, including NRCS, SWCD, Conservation Cropping Systems Initiative, State Dept of Agriculture, along with Purdue Extension.

1. Purdue Extension has been working with colleagues in the MCCC on two major Extension productsthe Cover Crop Selector Tool (led by Dean Baas and Michigan State and now on line!) and recently the Cover Crop Pocket Guide (led by Purdue, just starting). The Indiana team for the Selector Tool included Fisher, Towery, Johnson, Robison, Swaim, and Kladivko. The Pocket Guide includes all interested MCCC states/provinces and is scheduled to be drafted within the next month, and available by December 1, 2011.

2. Conservation Cropping Systems Initiative (CCSI)this new initiative of the Conservation Partnership puts two experienced people on the ground, for working with farmers interested in no-till, cover crops, and other conservation practices. (Hans Kok and Dan Towery). They work with SWCDs, County Extension, ISDA, NRCS and agri-businesses to provide information, education and collaboration to over 4000 producers at over 50 workshops across the state.

3. Demonstration sites on farmers fields. These are usually initiated by farmer interest but may be facilitated by NRCS, SWCD, Extension, or agronomic consultant. The CCSI will be helping initiate many more of these through a new on-farm network, assisted by CIG funding through the State Dept of Agriculture.

State Report Wisconsin

Water balance and nitrate leaching under corn in kura clover living mulch (Tyson Ochsner, Ken Albrecht, John Baker, Todd Schumacher, and Bob Berkevich)

Kura clover living mulch has potential to improve the environmental impact of corn production, especially in the context of corn silage or stover harvest. Our objective was to determine the effects of kura clover living mulch on the water balance and nitrate leaching under corn near Arlington, WI. Treatments in the 2.5-yr experiment were N-fertilized no-till corn following killed kura clover as the control and no-till corn in living mulch with fertilizer rates of 0 and 90 kg N ha-1 yr-1. Soil water storage was 37 to 50 mm lower under the living mulch in the spring, while the control experienced 29 to 36 mm greater soil water depletion in the summer. Evapotranspiration was similar across treatments, except in May when it was greater under the living mulch by 11 to 41 mm. The living mulch did not appreciably reduce drainage. Nitrate-N storage in the soil profile and nitrate-N concentrations in the soil solution at 1-m depth were reduced under both living mulch treatments relative to the control. Flow-weighted nitrate-N concentrations were 23 mg L-1 for the control, 17 mg L-1 for the living mulch with 90 kg N ha-1 yr-1, and 6 mg L-1 for the living mulch with 0 kg N ha-1 yr-1. Total nitrate-N leached was reduced 31% and 74% relative to the control under the living mulch with 90 and 0 kg N ha-1 yr-1, respectively.

Evaluating organic fertility management systems for an organic processing vegetable rotation (AJ Bussan and Nick Goeser)

Research focuses on the evaluation of several organic fertility management systems within an organic processing vegetable rotation (potatoes, sweet corn and snap beans) for cover crop residue nitrogen mineralization rates and nitrogen release timing, soil plant-available nitrogen pools, nitrogen leachate losses, in-season crop growth and development, in-season crop nitrogen uptake, crop nitrogen use efficiency, and end of season yield and quality. Fertility management systems utilize combinations of composted poultry manure, fall planted perennial cover crops for use as a green manure, and spring planted annual green manure crops. Over 3 years, results indicate an integrated composted poultry manure with annual cover crop system performs well over several measured parameters including cover crop residue nitrogen mineralization rates and nitrogen release timing, soil plant-available nitrogen quantities available to crops, in-season crop growth and development, in-season crop nitrogen uptake, and end of season yield and quality.

Soil erosion and nutrient losses from kura clover living mulch (Arthur Schwab, Bill Jokela and Ken Albrecht)

We are measuring the effect of kura clover living mulch on surface water runoff, soil erosion, and phosphorus and nitrogen losses during simulated large storm events (~3 in. hour-1) in southwest Wisconsin at a moderately sloped site (~10%). The experiment consists of four treatments: standard no-till corn silage and corn in kura clover living mulch, each with and without winter rye cover crop. The rye treatments are included in order to compare the environmental effects of kura clover living mulch to those of annual winter rye cover cropping. Simulations were performed throughout the 2010 growing season and a final set of simulations will occur in the spring of 2011. Preliminary results show a large (more than 50%) reduction in both soil erosion and phosphorus runoff between the standard no-till treatment and living mulch (p < 0.001).

Green manure crops for organic systems (Josh Posner, John Hall, Janet Hedtcke)

Green manure crops for organic grain systems (corn-soy-wheat/clover rotation) have been used on the Wisconsin Integrated Cropping Systems Trial (WICST) since 1991 at 2 sites in southern Wisconsin. Inter-seeded red clover drilled into winter wheat (in early spring) was the primary green manure crop until 2004; in 2005, we shifted to a sequential seeding of berseem clover and oats after wheat harvest. Without any summer tillage after wheat harvest, we were finding increasing foxtail and quackgrass pressure in the following corn crop. We anticipated that we would fix less N with the later seeded cover crop and have a period when the field would be open with the potential for increased erosion. However, late July is usually a hot and dry part of the season and an ideal time to break the weed growth cycleespecially to desiccate quackgrass rhizomes. The inter-seeded red clover at plowdown averaged across the 20 site-yrs was 2.4 t DM/a (1.6 t/a aboveground +0.8 t/a belowground) with 127 lbs/a N (16 of the 20 site-yrs had an N credit over 100 lbs/a). The shorter season oat/berseem cover crop (planted in mid-August) resulted in an average of 2.2 t total DM/a and about 80 lbs N/a (80% from oats, 20% from clover). However, in this shorter data set with berseem clover/oats, 2 of 6 site-yrs had biomass yields less than 1.1 t DM/a due to a dry period following planting (less than 1 of rain in the 3 weeks after planting). We did find however that ground cover was quickly re-established due to inclusion of oats in the cover crop mix. Although the comparison in this report is not from side-by-side plots, biomass yields and N levels from a sequentially seeded oat/berseem following wheat (6 site-years) yielded about 80% that of inter-seeded red clover (20 site-years). Although not solely due to reduced weed pressure, organic corn yields from 2002 to 2005 averaged 106 bu/a while from 2006 to 2009 the average was 163 bu/a. Further research on our cover crops is posted on the WICST website: http://wicst.wisc.edu/category/cover-crops-project/

Organically-managed no-tillage rye-soybean systems: Agronomic, economic, and environmental assessment (Emily Bernstein, Joshua Posner, David Stoltenberg, and Janet Hedtcke)

A major challenge that organic grain crop growers face is weed management. The use of a rye cover crop to facilitate no-tillage organic soybean production may improve weed suppression and increase profitability. We conducted research in 2008 and 2009 to determine the effect of rye management (tilling, crimping, and mowing), soybean planting date (mid-May or early June), and soybean row width (76 or 19 cm), on soybean establishment, soil moisture, weed suppression, soybean yield, and profitability. Soybean establishment did not differ between tilled and no-tillage treatments; and soil moisture measurements showed minimal risk of a drier soil profile in no-tillage rye treatments. Rye mulch treatments effectively suppressed weeds, with 75% less weed biomass than in the tilled treatment by mid-July. However, by this time, no-tillage soybean competed with rye regrowth, were deficient in Cu, and accumulated 22% as much DM and 28% as much N compared to the tilled treatment. Soybean row width and planting date within no-tillage treatments impacted soybean productivity but not profitability, with few differences between mowed and crimped rye. Soybean yield was 24% less in the no-tillage treatments than the tilled treatment, and profitability per hectare was 27% less. However, with fewer labor inputs, profitability per hour in no-tillage rye treatments was 25% greater than in tilled soybean; in addition, predicted soil erosion was nearly 90% less. Although soybean yields were less in no-tillage rye mulch systems, they represent economically viable alternatives for organic producers in the Upper Midwest.

Managing spring-seeded legume cover crops in diverse vegetable production systems (Matt Ruark, Kevin Shelley, and Jim Stute)

Utilization of spring-seeded legumes to provide nitrogen (N) to vegetables has not been fully evaluated in Wisconsin climates. Short-season vegetables (60 to 90 day growing season) are high value and if managed organically require annual applications of organic N. In 2009 and 2010, field research was conducted in Jefferson County, Wisconsin to evaluate how to best manage spring-seeded legumes to maximize agronomic benefit. The experimental design was a randomized, complete block  split plot with four replications. The main plot factor was N input and there were five main plot treatments: no N input, composted chicken manure, berseem clover, crimson clover and chickling vetch. The legume cover crops were planted in early April. The split plot factor was timing of plow-under. The legumes were plowed under 4, 6 and 8 weeks after planting and crops were planted two weeks after plow-under. The crop rotation evaluated was a buckwheat-red beet-kidney bean rotation. Preliminary results suggest that benefits of spring-seeded cover crops can be maximized after only 4 weeks of growth. Most of the above ground biomass production of the cover crops had occurred by week 4, which produced enough N to satisfy the N needs of the crops (based on the green manure credits suggested from UW-Extension guidelines). During the growing season of 2009 and 2010, soil samples (30 cm) for ammonium and nitrate and whole plant buckwheat samples were collected six to ten times during the growing season to evaluate N dynamics and synchrony between N uptake and soil N availability during the growing season. Samples are currently being processed. Results from this study provides information for fresh market vegetable growers (conventional, CSA and organic) to best manage legume cover crops on their fields.

State report Missouri:

2011 Report Clark Gantzer  University of Missouri GantzerC@missouri.edu

After the 2010 Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS) Annual Meeting in St. Louis, Clark Gantzer forwarded the idea of a SWCS sponsoring a cover crop workshop.

In August 2010, Robert E. Ball, State Resource Conservationist (Retired in December) NRCS-Missouri, received input from NRCS Area Resource Conservationists located within the four Administrative Areas of Missouri. Paul NRCS, Resource Conservationist paul.duffner@mo.usda.gov will represent NRCS in the future.

University of Missouri received a SARE Grant Extension organized by Debi Kelly (Referral Service Manager -(Missouri Alternatives Center, MU Extension) KellyD@missouri.edu and Bob Broz (Water Quality Extension Assistant Professor(Agricultural Engineering, MU Extension) BrozR@missouri.edu and held two SARE Professional Development Program (PDP) on cover crops. The first was to help familiarize extension and NRCS personnel with some of the concepts and review some of what we have going on in Missouri. This training included field trips around the University of Missouris Bradford Research Bradford Research and Extension Center, and to the USDA-ARS the Goodwater Creek Research Watershed near Centralia, Missouri, and then on to see a farmer that was assisting Rich Hoorman (Agronomy Specialist) hoormannr@missouri.edu with some demo work and then to a seed producer outside of Martinsburg, MO. Hoorman and Charlie Ellis (Natural Resource Engineer) EllisCE@missouri.edu established field plots to evaluate different crops, planting times, etc. Plots were toured during the second cover crop PDP s held in Warrenton MO. Work was done with producers and had different reasons for using cover crops. One producer wanted cover crops as a means of providing legumes for winter feed for his intensive grazing program. Ellis and Hoorman have been working with different varieties and have engineered a planter to use when putting in cover crops. Some yield data to determine cover crops benefit is being collected. The University of Missouri Extension is trying to establish a statewide team of extension personnel to help establish demonstration plots for cover crops. Tim Reinbott (Research Associate & Superintendent Bradford Research & Extension Center) ReinbottT@missouri.edu has established cover crop plots at Bradford this fall.

William Wiebold Extention Professor of Crop ScienceUniversity of Missouri WieboldW@missouri.edu has an ongoing cover crop study Use of Cover Crops to Replace Corn Biomass Removal. The overall objective of this project is to determine how changes in the standard Midwestern corn/soybean cropping system because of biomass use for ethanol affect both rotation crops. Specific objectives are: Determine the effects of corn biomass removal on corn and soybean growth, development, yield, and grain composition, and to Determine the effects of cover crops (used to replace corn biomass) on corn and soybean emergence, development, yield, and grain composition. Treatments include: Two biomass removal treatments: none removed and 75% removal; for the 75% removal treatment, corn stalks will be mowed and baled in the fall, Three cover crop treatments: None, winter rye, tillage radishes, Two grain crops grown in rotation: corn and soybean. The Experimental design is : Crops treated as separate experiments each with a split plot treatment arrangement. Biomass removal treatments are whole plots and cover crops are split plots, Plot size: 25 feet (7.6m) long and 20 feet (6m) wide. Data collected: Soil temperature: daily high, low, and average from planting to harvest, Soil moisture: measured weekly, Mineral nutrients in soil, corn biomass, and cover crops, Emergence date for individual plants; calculate variability, Stand density three weeks after emergence, Dates for critical stages of development: flowering, seed-filling, maturity, Plant height at 6 weeks after emergence, Yield Corn grain composition (extractable starch and protein), Soybean grain composition (oil and protein).

Robert J. Kremer (ARS Columbia, MO Soil Scientist), KremerR@missouri.edu has an ongoing on-farm project since 2002 assessing the perennial kura clover as a cover crop, or permanent alley crop, in pecan on the loess soils of the Missouri River uplands in Chariton County. (Kremer, Robert J. and Robert D. Kussman 2011. Soil quality in a pecankura clover alley cropping system in the Midwestern USA. Agroforest Syst DOI 10.1007/s10457-011-9370-y). Secondly, we (ARS Cropping Systems and Water Quality Research Unit, Columbia MO) will be assessing cover crops (primarily cereal rye and hairy vetch, perhaps brassicas also) in cropping systems at the Centralia plot site, that is being transitioned to biofuel cropping systems this spring. I will be leading the soil quality assessment with these crops. I have previously evaluated other cover crops (spring oats, brassicas) overseeded in soybean as winter cover or mulch (since oats will freeze out) for soil quality effects and winter annual weed control - those results are being drafted for publication later this year.

State Report Michigan:
Organic and conventional research being conducted by Michigan State University Extension (MSUE)
at the W. K. Kellogg Biological Station (KBS)
by Dale R. Mutch, Ph.D.
Senior District Extension Educator and Extension Specialist,Adjunct Professor CSS
Coordinator, KBS and Extension Land & Water Unit
NCR-SARE PDP State Sustainable Agriculture Coordinator

The MSUE Cover Crop Program at KBS began conducting organic research in 1996. In 1997 we had 12 acres certified organic through OCIA. We now have 15 acres certified organic. On these organic acres we conduct small plot research that is driven by farmer advisory groups.

In 1996 MSU had only a few researchers working with organic farmers. Over the past 15 years, that has changed tremendously. I believe MSU is one of the top Land Grant universities doing research for organic farming systems.

Some of the research projects being conducted at MSUE/KBS are:

1. Evaluation of an organic no-till system for organic corn and soybean production. A six-state (Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota and Pennsylvania) long-term no-till organic cropping system project. We are measuring crop productivity, yields, soil quality and economic performance. The crimper/roller is being evaluated as a tool to enhance organic no-till practices. The crimper/roller (C/R) crushes the cover crop leaving a mulch that shades out weeds and prevents them from germinating. Following C/R we no-till drill or plant soybeans or corn into the mulch. Hairy vetch and cereal rye are being used in this study for both corn and soybean production. The no-till treatments are being compared to more traditional conventional tilled treatments for corn and soybeans. Each state also has the same experiment being conducted on an organic farmers field. This is the third year of a four-year project.

2. Controlling weeds using flame heat for organic farmers. A study was initiated at KBS to evaluate the time of day for the best results of flame burning weeds in corn systems. A six-row flamer was used at 8 a.m., 12 noon, 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. in organic corn. The study was conducted over two years and the results will be presented by Dr. Christy Sprague at this years MOSES conference.

3. Evaluation of organic potassium sources for alfalfa. In 2009 the field had been a crop of organic no-till soybeans with rye, and had cereal rye and clover growing, making it necessary to moldboard plow. In 2010, the first year of this project was spent establishing the alfalfa. A field that had been farmed organically for the past three years was moldboard plowed on March 19. The untreated alfalfa seed was donated to the project by Cisco Seeds. The field was planted to alfalfa at 28 lbs/A with a nurse crop of oats at 1 bu/A on April 12. Timely rains and warm weather resulted in good establishment of the oats and alfalfa. The oats became competitive with the alfalfa by late May, from advisement of the forage specialist at MSU, the oats were mowed off and removed on June 11. Weeds overtook the 2-3 inch alfalfa after mowing, and were flail mowed and removed on August 6. An excellent alfalfa stand resulted from these management strategies. In 2011, sulphate of potash (SOP, Great Salt Lake Minerals Corporation) and dairy slurry as potassium sources will be compared to an untreated control for their influence on alfalfa yield and quality.

4. Evaluation of eight legume cover crops no-till drilled into wheat stubble and their influence on organic corn yield. Since nitrogen is often a limiting factor for organic corn, a study was conducted to compare several legumes no-till drilled after wheat harvest for their nitrogen contribution to corn the following season. Red clover, hairy vetch and crimson clover resulted in the highest corn yields in 2010 at 117, 105 and 103 bu/A respectively. We drilled Austrian winter pea at two rates, 60 and 90 lbs/A, where the 90 lb. rate resulted in a 5 bushel corn yield gain of 96 bu/A, as compared to 60 lbs/A rate at 91 bu/A. The sweet clover treatment resulted in a corn yield of 97 bu/A, which was comparable to the 90 lb/A Austrian winter pea treatment at 96 bu/A. Vernal alfalfa, chickling vetch and the no cover crop control had the lowest yield of 82, 85 and 84 bu/A respectively. Our results indicate that in Michigan on sandy loam soils, red clover provided the best corn yield compared to the other tested legumes.

5. Brassica mustard as a cover crop for weed control in the spring. This study involves using two varieties of mustardTilney and Ida Goldwhich were planted at four separate dates. A quadrant of no cover crop (bare ground) was left in each plot to evaluate weed pressure without cover crops. Biomass samples were taken during the spring. Cover crop biomass was compared to weed biomass. In 2010 we had an early spring and thus allowed us to plant earlier than most seasons. These data should help farmers evaluate mustards as a spring weed control tool. Three states are conducting this experimentMichigan, New York and Illinois.

6. Organic dry bean production and weed control. A dry bean variety and production trial is being initiated in 2011. We have tested 32 varieties of dry beans over the past three years on our certified organic soil. A more expansive research project at KBS and on organic farms will be evaluated over the next four years. Other research projects being conducted by the MSUE Cover Crop group at sites other than KBS are organic pumpkins, organic tomatoes, 13 oilseed radish and seven other brassicas variety trial with NRCS and University of Minnesota.

Other Cover Crop Research conducted in 2010:
" Three on farm trials were conducted utilizing the slurry seeding method. Oilseed Radish, oats + turnip and a control without covers were compared. These were field size trials and each treatment was replicated four times. The slurry seeding was compared to drilling the same cover crops and applying liquid manure was the Aerway applicator. One on farm trial; used ceareal rye only which was applied through the slurry seeder.

" An experiment evaluating three rates of nitrogen fertilizer for rye: which was crimped and rolled in the spring, was planted with drilled round-up ready soybeans. There was four replications in a RCB design.

Dr. Dean Baas Cover Crop decision Tool:

The cover crop decision tool has been completed for Michigan field crops. Four meeting with specialists and educators were conducted to fit cover crop data into the tool for Michigan.

A vegetable cover crop decision tool has been initiated. We have had one meeting to begin this process.

Accomplishments

Accomplishments from Oct. 2010 to Feb 2011.<br /> <br /> 1. Members of NCCC211 were involved with the planning and presentations for cover crop session/day at the Conservation Tillage and Technology Conference on Thursday Feb. 24, 2011 at the McIntosh Center of Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio. There were 15 presentations on cover crops and on average we had between 150  200 people in the audience, consisting of farmers, NRCS personnel, Soil and Water Conservation District commissioners, seed dealers, extension personnel, and researchers.<br /> 2. Members of NCCC211 participated in planning and developing the Midwest Cover Crop Council Cover Crop Decision Tool, which is a web-based system for assisting farmers in selecting cover crops to include in their cropping systems. The current version has completed for Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. Current plants are to expand the tool to include Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Ontario.<br /> <br /> Plans for coming year include planning for next meeting in Indianapolis, IN and possible collaboration with the Soil and Water Conservation Society for a joint meeting on cover crops. The group will also work on a pocket guide extension publication on cover crop with Purdue University extension.<br />

Publications

no publications listed yet as project is only 4 months old

Impact Statements

1. Members of NCCC211 were involved with the planning and presentations for cover crop session/day at the Conservation Tillage and Technology Conference on Thursday Feb. 24, 2011 at the McIntosh Center of Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio. There were 15 presentations on cover crops and on average we had between 150  200 people in the audience, consisting of farmers, NRCS personnel, Soil and Water Conservation District commissioners, seed dealers, extension personnel, and researchers.
2. Members of NCCC211 participated in planning and developing the Midwest Cover Crop Council Cover Crop Decision Tool, which is a web-based system for assisting farmers in selecting cover crops to include in their cropping systems. The current version has completed for Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. Current plants are to expand the tool to include Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Ontario.

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Report Information

Participants

Members: Tom Kaspar, Eileen Kladivko, Dale Mutch, Marisol Berti, Clark Gantzer, Rafiq Islam, Matt Ruark;


Guests: Dean Baas, Alan Sundermeier, Jim Hoorman, Ryan Stockwell, Anne Verhallen, Laura Van Eerd, Rich Hoormann, Richard Warner, Bill Kuenstler, Jerry Lemunyon, Barb Stewart, Erin Taylor, Tim Harrigan, Florian Chirra, Victoria Ackroyd, Charles Ellis, Elizabeth Wissel, Edwin Suarez, Dave Robison

Brief Summary of Minutes

Minutes of NCCC-211 meeting, held in conjunction with Midwest Cover Crops Council (MCCC), Feb 28, 29, March 1, 2012

The first business meeting of the NCCC-211 working group began at 8am Tuesday February 28, with Chair Tom Kaspar presiding and Secretary Eileen Kladivko taking notes. Dale Mutch was nominated and elected as secretary-elect for the group, with his duties beginning in 2013, while Eileen Kladivko will rotate into the Chair position. Kendall Lamkey (Agronomy Department Head at Iowa State University) serves as Administrative Advisor to the group. Mary Ann Rozum from NIFA (and our NIFA representative on the committee) called in at 8:15 and spoke with the group through 8:45am. She discussed federal budgets and programs that might pertain to cover crops. She also encouraged the group to submit comments to the AFRI program for suggestions for the 2013 call for proposals. The business meeting adjourned at 8:50am so that the group could go to the main general session which opened at 9am in an adjacent room.

Day 1 (Tue Feb 28) General session, 9am-12noon (notes taken by Edwin Suarez)
State of the Union (Eileen Kladivko):
" History of the MCCC:
o Success of the website and need of logo
o Advances of each year meeting
o Selector tool
o Pocket Guide Release TODAY
o Missouri included in 2012
" Celebrate Successes
o Website, list serve
o Pocket guide
o Crop insurance
o Annual meetings
o Becoming the go to place for cover crops
o Multistate extension & research
o Cover crop adoption
" Less success in funding for research (need to get money)

Open Table  suggestions and ideas (Everyone):

" Where to start with extension bulletins? Demonstration of planting methods, weather patterns & other factors affecting (would MCCC approach this??) Include videos on the website of planting methods, webinar topics.
" Cover crops & herbicides information approach (costs, interaction, carryover, unite efforts & ideas)
" Use the list serve as an ideas resource
" Click on map>state>farm (like Google maps but with the selector tool)
" Vegetable growers: do some research about cover crops before vegetables
" Pursuit of conservation grants?? Not as a group but as states.
" Nematodes should be a researchable topic (reduction of nematodes)
" Value of legumes and economical value, nitrogen capture and economical benefits.

Web Update (Erin Taylor):
" General information and contents for anyone unfamiliar
" 299 members in 2012 (31 more)
" Selector tool: demography of visitors/states, visitor number, time of the year, countries
" Flow of visitors? Is it constant or has spikes during the year?
" Characteristics of visitors and must visited links (facebook, Google and other tools interaction)
" Future organization: what is needed for the website and events announcement

Small Working Groups:

Multi State Extension Activities and Products (notes taken by Edwin Suarez)
" What do we want to achieve in extension?
" Improve networking
" include seed companies in extension efforts
" Train the trainer
" Role of extension vs. private industry > How to include private sector without losing independence and objectivity?
" Seed company perspective > also attends extension but some dont commit to extension
" What type of materials are needed? Written copies, webinars, email, phone (time as an issue)
" Publications:
o Centering the information (time) website should be that tool
o Small posters for ag retailers (Ontario) info & MCCC website
o Challenges > Funding and volunteering
o SARE funding might be an option, involving adult education
o Information out in the field (how crop advisors have been educated), training for them
o Demo plots and data
o Need of better ways to get info out and also collect data > train the trainers

" Webinars:
o Pros and Cons
o ASA could take care of the logistics for the webinar.
o Define the Audience, time, date
o How short or long?
o Define specific topics and define needs
o Topic answers, quick topic > YouTube and mini webinars to address needs.
o Two kinds of audiences, those who want to get answers and those who want to learn.
o Small videos could be used by others
o SWCDs can be the perfect platform
o For farmers, YouTube videos can be a good dialogued tool but printed material is more trustable. (youtube + paper = good option)

" Training:
o How training programs should look in the future?
o Cover crop study groups, train the conservation partnership
o How to increase the use of cover crops?
o Working in co-op on cover crop training (CCAs, retailers)
o Work with fertilizer companies and with chemical companies.
o How to market the MCCC?
o Get some funding from fertilizer committees. > Data to show the value of cc
o Sell service related to cover crops > economics on cc

Small groups report back:

Website
" More about cc less about MCCC
" Change the Homepage (include a picture)
" Grower committee to get the input for website
" Grower page
" FAQ page or Forum > Ask the expert
" Check on cc species (sheets)

Selector Tool
" Trouble with charts and browsers
" Mixes should be included
" Hardiness zone map / seeding dates review
" Incorporate manure to the tool (performs well or not with manure) application styles, types of manure, manure application date.
" Details about layout and clean up tool

REPORTS FROM PARTNERS AND ORGANIZATIONS

Ryan Stockwell NWF:
" Talked about cover crop and insurance regulations issues.
" Informed about meeting with risk management agents and the need to show data that proves that cover crops do not decrease yield.
" Cover crops are water management tools (risk reduction)
" Policy changed thanks to combined efforts
" Report NWF future friendly farmers (chapter on cover crops benefits and how it changes farming for future generations)
" New project focused on cover crop, developing a cover crop road map, get input from stakeholders from all aspects of cover crops to understand use and knowledge of cover crops
" Developing solutions for barriers to implement cover crops.

Richard Warner  Green Lands Blue Waters:
" Brief overview of Green Lands Blue Water, status, organization and current projects.
" Cover crops are one of their five strategies.
" Discussed potential for their five strategies
" Promotion of the MCCC
" Sponsor combined events on working groups
" Implementation site development

Angie Williams - CTIC:
" Great Lakes cover crop initiative GLCCI initiative explanation
" Educators working in field days and continuous education
" Workshops and trainings
" Focus is direct implementation of cover crops (get acres planted)
" Look for an extension of the CTIC

Barry Fisher  Indiana NRCS:
" Soil Health as an initiative to increase use of cover crops.
" Cover crops as an insurance (risk reduction)
" System vs no system comparison (health, N leaching, yields etc)
" Soil Health is a priority in Indiana (NRCS) in 2012
" No till + cc + nutrient management +best management + crop rotation + buffers = soil health as a reality
" Soil health specialists > teams for local training
" Soil health items > 50% of training to soil health

Kendall Lamkey  Iowa State Univ Agronomy Dept Head, and Administrative Advisor to NCCC-211:
" Regional projects, good coordination with stakeholders.
" 300 bushels corn without soil health is impossible
" 7-12 inches of water are needed to get extra 100 bushels/acre
" Also nitrogen is needed

Tuesday afternoon was devoted to individual state reports from all participating states and provinces (IN, MI, IA, ONT, OH, MN, MO, WI, ND, IL). The meeting adjourned around 5pm.

Wednesday Feb. 29 had invited speakers, farmer panels, and breakout discussion sessionssee detailed agenda at end of minutes.

Thursday morning March 1, the second business meeting of NCCC-211 and the MCCC working group was held from 8:00- 10:30am.

MCCC Planning Visioning Meeting March 1, 2012 (notes taken by Tom Kaspar)
Present: Tom Kaspar, Eileen Kladivko, Dale Mutch, Dean Baas, Alan Sundermeier, Jim Hoorman, Ryan Stockwell, Anne Verhallen, Laura Van Eerd, Rich Hoormann, Richard Warner, Bill Kuenstler, Jerry Lemunyon, Barb Stewart, Erin Taylor, Marisol Berti, Tim Harrigan, Florian Chirra, Victoria Ackroyd, Charles Ellis, Elizabeth Wissel, Edwin Suarez, Dave Robison

Comments from Partners about future collaboration with and work of MCCC:

Ryan Stockwell National Wildlife Federation
1. Continuing work with RMA in relation to cover crops and conservations
a. First step of many
b. Data came in the form of farmers that were showing good yields with cover crops
c. Other RMA regions to work on  maybe St. Paul MN, Topeka, KS, and Billings, MT regional offices, which include Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, South Dakota, and North Dakota.
2. How NWF looks at the Farm Bill in terms of cover crops
a. How cover crops relate or could be included in existing programs
b. Getting information about cover crops to the state NRCS technical committees so they are included in the list of practices for a program
c. For congressional aides prepare (1 pg  2 sides) fact sheets, which highlights how cover crops impact every farm - e.g. improve water availability
d. Invite congressional staffers to field days - state commodities groups or organic groups can help to pull in congressional staffers.
3. National Wildlife Federation also cooperates with other groups on Farm Bill Issues
a. Izaak Walton League
b. Land Stewardship Project
c. Etc
4. Stakeholder meeting in June this summer on Roadmap For Increasing Cover Crop Adoption
a. Wants participation of MCCC members
b. Want MCCC support and endorsement of meeting
c. Wants SWCS support and endorsement of the meeting
d. Discussion of what are the issues/barriers to cover crop adoption

Richard Warner  Green Lands Blue Waters
1. Keep soil covered  Perennialization of Landscape - Green Lands Blue Waters has 5 working groups to integrate these practices across landscapes
a. Cover crops  MCCC has been affiliated with GLBW since shortly after our start
b. Agroforestry
c. Biofuel
d. Livestock
e. Perennial Grains
2. Economics is an important component for all these practices
a. Costs
b. Short-term and Long-term benefits to farmers
c. Secondary economic benefits  local coops
d. Value of environmental benefits
e. An example is Matt Liebman and Craig Chases economic analysis of rotations in Iowa
3. Is planning a forum late in the year on how to deliver cover crops (not sure if just cover crops or all 5 practices) on the ground
a. Farm planning
b. How do cover crops fit in
c. Economics
d. Whole package

NRCS  Bill Kuenstler, Jerry Lemunyon, and Barb Stewart
1. Soil Health is a new initiative
a. Indiana is taking the lead in this
b. Not sure how far this is going
2. NRCS wants information on how to sell cover crops to farmers
a. What is the $ value of cover crops to farmers?
b. What is the return?
c. What is the yield benefit long-term?
d. What is the cost of erosion? What is the value of the nutrients in eroded soil?
e. How do cover crops reduce their risk?
f. How do cover crops affect yield stability?
g. How do we get cover crops to appeal to landowners  60% of farmed land is rented?
h. Farmer values for cover crops and case studies are good.\

Group we should get more involved with is National Agricultural Aviators Association
1. Do we need a certification program?
2. Dave Robison mentions that the aerial applicators generally have a fly-in day in each state.
3. Field days?
4. Dean Baas and Dave Robison were leading this discussion

MCCC Working Committees/Groups
One-pager/White paper
Tom Kaspar, Jim Hoorman, Alan Sundermeier, Ryan Stockwell, and Eileen Kladivko
Purpose: Information to give to congressional staffers/legislators/government officials. We had one in the beginning that Paul Porter in Minnesota worked on. Best way to reach 300 bu corn is to improve the soil because there is only so much water and nutrients.

MCCC Web Site Working Group
Erin Taylor, Anne Verhallen, Rich Hoorman, web person from GLBW, Tim Harrigan
Suggestions/Discussion
1. Put case studies  yield results on site - farmer derived values of cover crops
2. Keep visuals and audio separate when making videos. Keep then short 2 -3 min.
3. We need a general definition of cover crops
4. We need cover crop picture on home page  maybe rotating pictures
5. Templates for videos  standard beginning and end
6. Erin cant do editing or quality control for videos
7. Suggestions for cover crop mixture seeding rate calculators
8. Suggestions for cover crop cost and values calculators

Education/Extension Needs
Suggestions/Discussion
1. Question heard over-and-over from farmers last two days was How do I get started?
a. For the complete novice  Cover Crops For Dummies  especially for corn/soybean rotation
b. Cook book  recipe for cover crops in corn-soybean rotation
c. Cover Crops 101: maybe we need a curriculum or series of webinars
d. Maybe a series of one pagers for simple cover crops for a state and rotation
e. Maybe we need something like a Master Gardner coarse
f. We have to get into the farmers mindset
i. Incorporate cover crops into their system/machinery
ii. Tailor to their rotation
iii. Maybe train industry/coops/NRCS to provide assistance designing a system for them
iv. Start small and simple and cheap  e.g. oats in fall
2. Some discussions of cover crop posters for coops or offices
3. Short Term and Long Term Values of cover crops
a. Reasonable expectation of results  doesnt happen overnight
b. There will be problems
c. Dont oversell cover crops
d. What is the farmers tolerance for risk
e. In long-term cover crops should stabilize risk and reduce variability

Research Ideas
1. Value of Cover Crops
a. Need Ag Economists
b. Farmer derived values
c. Consider economic models
i. Whole farm cost calculators like FINPAC
ii. Environmental Services models
iii. Risk management models
d. Quantify values of erosion prevention
e. Quantify value of soil organic matter
f. Quantify value of nutrient recycling
g. Quantify value of water holding capacity and rooting depth
h. Quantify yield stability or yield in bad years
i. Quantify yield increase over long-term  soil productivity increase
j. Quantify value of cover crops to general public  water and air quality, wildlife
2. Increase in yields or stability of yields over time
a. Long-term plots
b. Rooting depth
c. Water holding capacity
d. Potential mineralization
e. Soil organic matter
3. Modeling
a. Ag Systems models  process oriented models
b. Need better cover crop growth models or components
i. Current models focused on mature plant biomass and yield and dont predict vegetative growth well
ii. Overwintering plants are difficult to model
iii. Rooting depth and N uptake
c. Models for predicting/analyzing soil health and soil processes with cover crops
4. Cover crop genetics
a. Breeding
b. Selection from existing genotypes
c. Cover crops more susceptible to contact herbicides
d. Cover crops with different maturities/development/flowering
e. Cover crops with faster fall growth
f. Cover crops with better winter hardiness
g. Fast growing cool season legumes
h. Mention of NRCS Elsberry Plant Center
i. Measuring plant characteristics like canopy cover and growth for RUSLE2
5. Phosphorus
a. Radish and phosphorus
b. Response of different species
c. How do cover crops affect runoff and infiltration
d. How do cover crops affect soluble phosphorus
e. Cover crops and manure

6. Nitrogen
a. Cover crops and N release
b. N release over multiple years
c. Potential N mineralization
d. Relationship to C storage
e. Leaching losses with cover crops
i. Timing of establishment and kill
ii. Manure
iii. Rooting depth
iv. Biomass
v. N content of biomass
7. Water Quality
a. Nitrogen
b. Phosphorus
c. Sediment
8. Soil Health/Quality/Productivity
a. Soil organic matter/C  hard to measure changes
b. Earthworms
c. Microorganisms
d. Nematodes etc
e. Potential mineralization
f. Compaction
g. Rooting depth
h. Infiltration/water holding capacity
9. How do we seed cover crops more reliably before harvest?
a. Seed treatments
b. Machinery/aerial
c. Selection of species
d. Timing  near maturity or near layby or cultivation
e. Decision aide
10. How do we get cover crops successfully incorporated into corn/soybean rotations?
a. Seeding before or after harvest
b. Machinery to overseed
c. Machinery to get it in ground before harvest
d. Herbicides before cover crops
e. Killing cover crops early with herbicides
f. Other means of killing cover crops
g. Seed treatments
h. Shade and traffic tolerant cover crops  tetraploid Italian ryegrass
i. Reduced risk to yield of corn and soybean
j. Using shorter season corn and soybean genotypes
11. IPM and Cover crops
a. Help or hurt
b. Insects/diseases/weeds/nematodes/rodents
12. Measure change in cover crop adoption
a. Question(s) in Ag Census  Ryan Stockwell says there will be one
b. Yearly cover crop data from NASS state surveys
c. Use satellite pictures/data to quantify cover crop use
d. Surveys/questionnaires



Detailed agendas for the 3 days are included here:




To NCCC-211 membersplease note that we will have our short business meeting for our regional committee, starting at 8:00am (Feb. 28) in Rm. 117. We will move to the main MCCC meeting at 8:50am in Rm 143.

Tuesday February 28- MCCC Day 1Rm. 143

8:00 - 9:00 am Registration and view posters

9:00 Welcome, and State of the Union of MCCCEileen Kladivko

9:15 Group discussion on future directions for MCCCsome input to be used for further planning meeting on Thursday morning. (Also research ideas can be added to flip charts)

9:45 Small working groups (3) to brainstorm next steps with some of our Extension/outreach activities (get coffee while in these sessions)
1) Websitereorganization, other features
2) Selector tool next steps, additional features, as we expand/improve the next version
3) Multi-state Extension activities and productswhich things do we want to do as multistate activities, and outline them, and which things are individual state/province. Specific items include: webinar series; pocket guide; trainings and other products.

10:30 Small groups report back to larger group on their ideas, and plans for how to proceed

10:45 Brief reports from partners and other organizations
Ryan Stockwell, National Wildlife Federation
Richard Warner, Green Lands Blue Waters
Angie Williams, CTIC (Conservation Technology Information Center)
Barry Fisher, Indiana NRCSnew Soil Health Initiative
Kendall Lamkey, Iowa State UniversityAdministrative Advisor to NCCC-211

12:15-1:30 Lunch and Poster Session

1:30 - 2:30 State and Province Reports/Updates (3) -- 20 min each, highlight one or two research projects so others get information on the types of research going on.

§ IN
§ MI
§ IA
2:30 - 3:00 Break and Posters
3:00 - 5:00 Continue State/Province Reports/Updates (7)
§ ONT
§ OH
§ MN
§ MO
§ WI
§ ND
§ IL

Wednesday February 29MCCC Day 2Multi-purpose Room (Rm 143)

7:30 - 8:15 am Registration, view posters

8:15 Welcome to annual meeting. General introduction to MCCC and its activities and cover crop educational tools and activitiesDr. Eileen Kladivko, Purdue

8:30 Practical ways to use cover crops as biofumigantsDr. Mathieu Ngouajio, Mich. State

9:00 Cover crops and their impacts on nematodesDr. George Bird, Michigan State

9:45 Break

10:00 Dr. Ray Weil, Univ. of MarylandForage radish cover crops to improve soil health

11:00 Farmer panelthree Indiana farmers share ideas and experiences with cover crops.
Dan DeSutter, Rodney Rulon, Cameron Mills. Moderator: Dan Towery, CCSI

12 noon Lunch, view posters

1:00 pm Hal Weiser, N. Dakota NRCS, Cover crop mixes and building soil health

2:00 - 2:30 Breakout discussions session 1choose 1 of the 5 topics offered
2:35 - 3:05 Breakout discussion session 2choose 1of the 5 topics
See separate (blue) sheet with a description of the breakout discussions and topics

3:05 Break

3:15 Soil nitrogen cycling with cover cropsWhen do we get the N back again?
Dr. Jim Camberato, Purdue Agronomy

3:45 Radishes, manure, and N cycling: Case study in Michigan--Dr. Tim Harrigan, Mich. State

4:15 Cover crop costs compared with possible additional revenue from stover removal
Dr. Wally Tyner and Ms. Michelle Pratt, Purdue Agricultural Economics

4:45 15 Tips in 30 MinutesBest ideas from a panel of farmers and advisors.
Moderator: Dr. Hans Kok, CCSI

5:15 Adjourn


Thursday March 1-- MCCC strategic planning meeting  Room 117 (concurrent w/ RC&D workshop)
8:00 am  12 noon - Follow up on Tuesdays working sessions, for Extension, research, and policy/communication plans for future.

Accomplishments

The NCCC-211 committee, along with the larger MCCC working groups, have been very active again this year. <br /> <br /> The MCCC Decision Tool went live on the website (www.mccc.msu.edu) in February 2011 with 3 states included (IN, OH, MI). In the intervening year more states have been added and the last few states from the region are currently in progress. The Decision Tool helps farmers and advisors select appropriate cover crops for their state and county and has been well received. <br /> <br /> Members of NCCC-211 plus other MCCC members worked during 2011 to create a pocket field guide on cover crops. The new guide became available on the first day of the MCCC/NCCC211 meeting on Feb 28, 2012, and is available through Purdue Extension . http://www.ag.purdue.edu/agry/dtc/Pages/CoverCropsFG.aspx<br /> <br /> Several members of NCCC211, as part of the MCCC Executive Committee, participated in discussions trying to resolve some serious issues with crop insurance related to cover corps. Partners with National Wildlife Federation, NRCS state and national leadership, and land grant universities worked with Risk Management Agency (RMA) to change their policy on cover crops, especially as it related to the very wet spring of 2011. The good news is that finally in December 2011 they changed the policy!<br /> <br /> The combined NCCC211 and MCCC annual meetings in West Lafayette, Indiana attracted over 200 attendees over the 3-day period (February 28, 29, March 1). Participants were very pleased with the presentations, discussions, networking, and learning that occurred over the conference. <br /> Detailed state/province written reports were given to all participants at the beginning of the conference. All these reports along with most of the presentations will be posted in a Proceedings of the meeting on the website (www.mccc.msu.edu) under the Meetings tab, by mid-May.<br /> <br /> Next years meeting will be hosted by Ontario on Feb 28--March 1, 2013.<br />

Publications

Refereed journal articles<br /> <br /> Kovar, J.L., T.B. Moorman, J.W. Singer, C.A. Cambardella, M.D. Tomer, and D.B. Beegle. 2011. Swine manure injection with low-disturbance applicator and cover crops reduce phosphorus losses. J. Environ. Qual. 40:329-336.<br /> <br /> Singer, J.W., K.A. Kohler, and D.W. Meek. 2011. Minimizing interspecific competition in soybean by optimizing cover crop self-seeding. Agron. J. 103:1186-1191.<br /> <br /> Singer, J.W., R.W. Malone, D.B. Jaynes, and L. Ma. 2011. Cover crop effects on nitrogen load in tile drainage from walnut creek Iowa using root zone water quality (rzwq) model. Agric. Water Manage. 98:1622-1628.<br /> <br /> Qi, Z., M.J. Helmers, R.W. Malone, and K.R. Thorp. 2011. Simulating long-term impacts of winter rye cover crop on hydrologic cycling and nitrogen dynamics for a corn-soybean crop system. Transactions of the ASABE 54:1575-1588.<br /> <br /> Qi, Z., M.J. Helmers, and A.L. Kaleita. 2011. Soil water dynamics under various agricultural land covers on a subsurface drained field in north-central Iowa, USA. Agric. Water Manage. 98:665-674.<br /> <br /> Qi, Z., M.J. Helmers, R.D. Christianson, and C.H. Pederson. 2011. Nitrate-nitrogen losses through subsurface drainage under various agricultural land covers. J. Environ. Qual. 40:1578-1585.<br /> <br /> Bernstein, E.R., J.L. Posner, D.E. Stoltenberg, and J.L. Hedtcke. 2011. Organically managed no-till rye-soybean systems: Agronomic, economic, and environmental assessment <br /> <br /> Jokela, W., J. Posner, J. Hedtcke, T. Balser, H. Read. 2011. Midwest cropping system effects on soil properties and on a soil quality index. Agron. J. 103:1553-1562.<br /> <br /> Carr, P.M., R. L. Anderson, Y. E. Lawley, Perry, R. Miller, and S.F. Zwinger. 2011. Organic zero-till in the northern US Great Plains Region: Opportunities and obstacles. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems available at doi:10.1017/s1742174217051100041X.<br /> <br /> <br /> New Extension publications<br /> <br /> Kladivko, E.J., C.K. Gerber, and 32 other contributors. 2012. Midwest Cover Crops Field Guide. Purdue Extension Publ. ID-433. http://www.ag.purdue.edu/agry/dtc/Pages/CoverCropsFG.aspx<br /> <br /> Kladivko, E.J. 2011. Cover crops for modern cropping systems. http://www.ag.purdue.edu/agry/extension/Documents/CoverCropsOverview.pdf<br /> <br /> Kladivko, E.J. 2011. Cover crops for nitrogen management. <br /> http://www.ag.purdue.edu/agry/extension/Documents/CoverCropsNitrogen.pdf<br /> <br /> Kladivko, E.J., and B. Fisher. 2011. Cover crops for prevented planting acres. <br /> http://www.ag.purdue.edu/agry/extension/Documents/PreventedPlantingCovers.pdf<br /> <br /> Ruark, M.D., K. Shelley, J. Stute. 2011. Radish as a cover crop. New Horizons of Soil Science. Issue 11-1. <br /> <br /> Anderson, C. and D. Mayerfield. 2011. Cover crops case studies: JenEhr Family Farm, Vegetables, fruit and pastured poultry. Center for Integrated Agriculture, UW-Extension. CIAS001 I-11-2011<br /> <br /> Berti, M.T., and S. Zwinger. 2011. Cool-Season Annual Forages for Hay in North Dakota. Forage Focus. May 2011. Midwest Forage Association, St. Paul, MN.<br /> <br /> Berti, M.T. and H. Kandel. 2011. Prevented planting options. Forage Clippings. 14 July 2011. Available at http://www.midwestforage.org/newsletter/110714clippings.htm Midwest Forage Association, Saint Paul MN.<br /> <br /> Berti, M.T. and H. Kandel. 2011. Prevented planting options. p. 4-6. Bull. 11. Crop & Pest Report. 14 July 2011. North Dakota State University Extension Service, Fargo, ND.<br /> <br /> <br />

Impact Statements

1. Increased knowledge about cover crops and their benefits to soil and water quality, among farmers, county Extension, field NRCS staff, county SWCD, and others
2. Increased knowledge about how to select cover crops appropriate for specific situations and how to establish and manage them as part of a cropping system
3. Increased numbers of farmers trying cover crops, as witnessed by requests for help and advice
4. Increased numbers of acres of cover crops in Midwest, especially eastern Corn Belt

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Report Information

Participants

Kladivko, Eileen J (kladivko@purdue.edu) Indiana;'Kaspar, Tom' (Tom.Kaspar@ARS.USDA.GOV)Iowa; 'Alan Sundermeier' (sundermeier.5@cfaes.osu.edu)Ohio; 'anne.verhallen@ontario.ca' (anne.verhallen@ontario.ca); Jim Hoorman (hoorman.1@cfaes.osu.edu)Ohio; hoormannr@missouri.edu Missouri; Matt Ruark (mdruark@wisc.edu)Wisconsin; Mutch, Dale(mutch@msu.edu)Michigan

Brief Summary of Minutes

On March 1, 2013 in London, Ontario the NCCC211 committee met and each state presented their cover crop activities for 2012. Dr. Kendall Lamkey Dept of Agronomy Chairperson at Iowa State univ. and our administrative advisor visited with the group about creating outcomes and outputs for reporting. He mentioned that we were doing a good job of reporting and following through with our initatives. The stae reports have been entered unto our website www.mccc.msu.edu. We also discussed the location for next years meeting that will be held in Omaha, NE in partnership with The Howard Buffet Foundation, NCRSARE and MCCC.

Accomplishments

Partnerships and Integration<br /> <br /> The MCCC is a Great Lakes regional project connecting nine states (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota and Wisconsin) and Canada (Ontario). MCCC is also recognized by Green Lands Blue Water as a subgroup which expands the network down the Mississippi River. The MCCC has partnered with Universities in the region, NRCS, OMAFRA (Ontario) and Departments of Agriculture. Other partnering organizations include the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Conservation Technology Information Center, Practical Farmers of Iowa, Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association and Green Lands Blue Waters. The collaboration between Michigan State University Extension, Purdue University, Ohio State University Extension and the Conservation Technology Information Center has successfully competed for grant funding to support MCCC goals, cover crops in the Great Lakes Region and this project. This collaboration was awarded an NRCS CIG grant in 2008 and an EPA Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant in 2010. In 2011 a successful collaboration was begun between the MCCC and the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) that continues to work on cover crop policy issues in the Farm Bill and with the USDA Risk Management Agency (Crop Insurance). In 2012, the MCCC has begun a partnership with the North Central Region (NCR) Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program to implement a cover crop survey in the region and to assist NCR SARE in the organization of a National Cover Crop meeting. <br /> <br /> Changes in Knowledge and Awareness<br /> <br /> Interest in cover crop and the number of cover crop workshops/meetings/workshops/presentations have been increasing throughout the region. Respondents to a request to the MCCC listserv on events held within the region where cover crops were a topic are summarized as follows:<br /> <br /> Total number of events reported: 162<br /> Types of events reported: 73 Meeting/Workshops/Conferences, 34 Field Days and 4 Webinars<br /> Estimated total participants reached (duplicates removed): 12,871<br /> Reported by:<br /> " Iowa: 8 meetings, 11 field days, 1273 participants<br /> " Indiana: 8 meetings, 2 field days, 1303 participants <br /> " Michigan: 7 meetings, 10 field days, 838 participants<br /> " Minnesota: 7 meetings, 4 field days, 2 webinars, 356 participants <br /> " Missouri: 4 meetings, 3 field days, 2 webinars, 600 participants <br /> " Ohio: 1 meeting, 250 participants<br /> " South Dakota: 1 meeting, 100 participants<br /> " Wisconsin: 3 events, 74 participants<br /> " Ontario: 9 meetings, 2 field days, 2154 participants <br /> " Nova Scotia: 1 meeting, 60 participants <br /> " Quebec: 1 meeting, participants not reported<br /> " Location not reported: 51 events, 4100 participants<br /> <br /> " National Meetings: 1 conference, 300 participants<br /> <br /> This is a sample of the cover crop events that were held in the region and reported by MCCC members. We believe that many more were held in the region and not reported. Even so, a reported audience of over 12,000 participants who received cover crop information through someone associated with the MCCC speaks to the reach of this network. The complete list of reported events is given in the attachments. MCCC members who presented at meetings, field days and webinars report using resources from the MCCC, including information from the website, the MCCC cover crop selector tool and the MCCC Field Guide.<br /> <br /> The MCCC website (www.mccc.msu.edu) continues to grow and includes over 40 pages of content and 330 pdf documents. Since its inception in September, 2008 through March, 2013 the website has had 69,321 unique visits and 193,274,000 page views. 149 countries have accessed the site (top 5 countries: 1- USA, 2- Canada, 3- India, 4-UK and 5- France). All 50 states have visited (top 10 states: 1-IN, 2-IL, 3-MI, 4-MN, 5-OH, 6-IA, 7-WI, 8-MO, 9-ND and 10-CA).<br /> <br /> In 2012, the MCCC website has nearly 27,000 visits and 80,000 page views. 113 countries have accessed the site (top 5 countries: 1- USA, 2- Canada, 3- India, 4-UK, 5- Ireland). There were 24,000 visits for the USA. All 50 states have visited (top 5 states: 1-IN, 2-IL, 3-MI, 4-MN and 5-OH).<br /> <br /> The field crop decision tool (February, 2011 through March, 2013), since its launch has had 7,914 unique visitors and 13,532 page views. Top countries are USA (9,853), Canada (1,329), U.K. (29) and France (18) with access from 54 countries total. The top states are Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Ohio and Minnesota with access from all 50 states. The field crop decision tool is available at http://mcccdev.anr.msu.edu/VertIndex.php. <br /> <br /> The vegetable decision tool (May, 2012, through March, 2013), since its launch has had 957 unique visitors (1,292 page views total). Mostly people are visiting from the U.S. (974) and Canada (130), although there have been visits from 26 other countries, including the Netherlands, Italy, South Africa, etc. In the U.S. the majority of views came from Michigan, followed by Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, etc. with access from 47 states all together. The field crop selector tool is available at http://mcccdev.anr.msu.edu/testVegIndex.php.<br /> <br /> Google trends shows a peak in MCCC website use near the fall of the year indicating the website is a source for cover crop information at the point in time when producers are making cover crop decisions.<br /> <br /> The MCCC listserv has increased from 297 to 344 subscribers in 2012. The listserv has provided access to and information from cover crop experts throughout the MCCC to answer questions about cover crops and their use. The MCCC has 158 likes on Facebook.<br /> <br /> The MCCC Cover Crop Field guide, released in February, 2012, is on its third 5,000 copy printing and is currently under its first revision. In 2012, over 10,000 copies were purchased for use by farmers and agricultural professionals as a resource for cover crop information in the Midwest. The Field Guide was developed exclusively using MCCC members with layout, editing and publication services provided by Purdue University Crop Diagnostic Training and Research Center. The Field Guide is available through the Purdue Extension Education Store at https://mdc.itap.purdue.edu/default.asp. The Field Guide won the Gold Award (highest level) for technical publications from the Association for Communication Excellence (ACE). ACE is an international professional organization primarily composed of agricultural communicators.<br />

Publications

The Midwest Cover Crop Field guide: sold through the Purdue education Store www.the-education-store.com has sold more than 15,000 copies and has been reprinted twice

Impact Statements

1. The MCCC was one of the recipients of the No-Till Innovator Award at a banquet held during the Annual National No-Tillage Conference in Indianapolis, Jan. 9-12, 2013. The MCCC Cover Crops Field Guide developed by the MCCC with layout, editing and publication services provided by Purdue University Crop Diagnostic Training and Research Center won the Gold Award (highest level) for technical publications from the Association for Communication Excellence (ACE). ACE is an international professional organization primarily composed of agricultural communicators. The MCCC Annual meeting, held in london, Ontario, Feburary 28-March 1, 2013 was the largest attendence to date at 300. On March 1, 2013 The researchers presentedtheir state reports and copies of these reports can be found on the MCCC website www.mccc.msu.edu.

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Report Information

Participants

Brief Summary of Minutes

See Attached Minutes File for Minutes/Report.

Accomplishments

Publications

Impact Statements

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Report Information

Participants

Matt Ruark (Univ. Wisconsin-Madison, Past Chair); Marisol Berti (North Dakota State Univ., Chair); Andy Lenssen (Iowa State Univ., Secretary); Eileen Kladikvo (Purdue Univ.); Dean Bass (Michigan State Univ.); Tom Kaspar (USDA-ARS); Scott Wells (Univ. of Minnesota);
Rachel Welch, rep. Maria Villamil (Univ. of Illinois); Rich Hoormann, Univ. of Missouri Extension (not a member); Kendall Lamkey, (Iowa State Univ., Coordinator)

Brief Summary of Minutes

The NCCC 211 Meeting was held in conjunction with the Annual Midwest Cover Crop Council Conference and the Iowa Soil and Water Conservation Service (SWCS) in Ames, IA (total attendance: 330). The following is the agenda of the MCCC meeting, which included a business meeting for the NCCC 211. State reports were presented during the conference and will be available on the MCCC website.

Agenda
Tuesday, February 17

8:00am – 9:00am NCCC 211 Regional Committee Meeting – Hancock Room (NCCC 211 Collaborators only)
9:00am – 11:00am MCCC Business Meeting – Main Conference Room (MCCC executive committee, state/province representatives, and NCCC211 collaborators)
• MCCC Update
• Leadership structure changes
• Working session (time permitting)
11:30am Joint SWCS/MCCC General Conference Registration Opens
1:00pm - 5:00pm Joint SWCS/MCCC General Conference (open to public - see conference agenda for details)
5:00pm – 7:00pm Exhibitor and Poster Reception –(open to public - see conference agenda for details)
7:00pm Dinner on your own –Wednesday, February 18

8:00am – 3:15pm Joint SWCS/MCCC General Conference (open to the public - see conference agenda for details)
3:30pm – 4:30pm MCCC Meeting Continues – Poster/discussion session – Foyer outside Main Conference Room – (open to all MCCC and NCCC211 members)
4:30pm – 5:30pm NWF report/Social networking/discussion session –-- (open to all MCCC and NCCC211 members) -
6:00pm Dinner on your own or you are encouraged to dine with other MCCC and NCCC211 members and continue the discussions –
Thursday, February 19
8:00am – 3:00pm MCCC Meeting – Lunch provided – (open to all MCCC and NCCC211 members)
8:00am – 11:30 am Oral State/Province reports for both MCCC and NCCC211 (15 min each)
11:30am – 12:30pm Lunch
12:30pm – 1:30pm Partner reports (NC-SARE, PFI, GLBW
1:30pm – 3:00pm MCCC Working Groups
• Mobile app for MCCC pocket guide
• MCCC Selector Tool
• MCCC Website

Accomplishments

Accomplishments<br /> <br /> Midwest Cover Crop Council Website<br /> • In 2014, the MCCC website received over 28,000 visits from 19,000 unique visitors. These visitors viewed approximately 86,000 pages of cover crop information from the website. <br /> • The MCCC listserv increased to 466 subscribers this past year and has 341 likes on Facebook. These subscribers regularly receive information, request advice and discuss current issues through the listserv.<br /> • In 2014, the web-based MCCC Cover Crop Decision Tool was accessed 1529 times by over 1200 users to assist them in making decisions about the implementation and selection of cover crops.<br /> • Member states updated state information on website.<br /> • Selector tool was updated.<br /> <br /> Midwest Cover Crop Field Guide 2nd Edition Released<br /> • The Midwest Cover Crop Field Guide, 2nd Edition was completed and released in September 2014. By April 2015, 18,000 of 20,000 printed were distributed.<br /> • The 2nd edition was expanded to include Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota.<br /> • Plans for an “app” version of the guide for tablets (IPad) has been started.<br /> <br /> MCCC-211 Committee member’s accomplishments<br /> In 2014, members and graduate students of this committee published 13 peer-reviewed publications, 3 proceedings publications, 36 conference or abstracts presentations, 23 extension publications, and numerous extension bulletins, blogs, factsheets, and websites. Also, members of this group applied for 20 research grants and advised 28 MS students, 11 PhD students, and 3 post-doctoral researchers<br /> <br /> Accomplishments by state<br /> Illinois<br /> At University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, three graduate students are actively involved in cover crop research Cover crop projects include “Agronomic and environmental assessment of cover crops in Illinois” which is funded by the Illinois Nutrient Research and Education Council, “Keystone cover crop species: Understanding the relative contribution of individual species to soil health” which is funded by the CERES Trust, and “Alleviating soil compaction and improving weed suppression with multifunctional cover crops in organic grain production systems” which is also funded by the CERES trust. A previous study recently finished by a master’s student that was a Hatch Funded Project is “Improving the sustainability of Midwestern production systems: Alleviating soil compaction and improving nutrient cycling with multifunctional cover crops”. Dr. Villamil collective work on cover crops led to invitations to speak at local and regional venues, and (to date) at three international venues: a special session at the XXIV Argentinian Soil Science Congress; a commissioned symposium at the XX World Congress of Soil Science Congress in South Korea; and as a keynote speaker at a recent Agroecology symposium at the University of San Luis de Potosi, Mexico. Additionally, University of Illinois Extension has hosted several cover crop field days and outreach opportunities including demonstration plots and some small scale research on late-planted cover crops and the use of cover crops in no-till vegetable production throughout the state.<br /> <br /> Indiana<br /> Tremendous growth in interest in cover crops in Indiana has continued. All of the partners in the Indiana Conservation Partnership have seen the need for increased training and services related to cover crops. The Indiana Conservation Partnership includes NRCS, Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD), Conservation Cropping Systems Initiative (CCSI), Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA), State Soil Board, and Purdue Extension. Highlights of major activities include numerous workshops and field days for farmers; “train-the-trainer” sessions on soil health, cover crops, and conservation cropping systems for conservation partnership staff; demonstration and research projects on farmer cooperator fields, also used as sites for workshops and field days; research on Purdue research farms on cover crops, soil health, and crop yields.<br /> <br /> Iowa<br /> In Iowa 58% of attendees at cover crop field days since 2009 seeded cover crops in fall 2014. Unofficial estimates are that over 400,000 acres were planted to cover crops in 2014, approximately 1.7% of the annual cropland acres in the state. This is about a 250% increase from 2013, a very positive development. In 2014, there were 54 cover research projects and demonstrations in 44 of 99 counties in Iowa. In Iowa for 2014, cover crop activities and outputs included 101 in-state field days and Extension meetings attended by 5108 individuals, seven television and radio stories were broadcast on cover crops, 22 stories were published in newspaper and trade magazines, 17 research reports were published, and 24 posted blogs. Thirteen graduate students, two postdoctoral research associates, and one research associate are conducting research on cover crops at Iowa State University.<br /> <br /> Michigan<br /> Michigan reported 437,200 acres of cover crops planted by 5,530 farm operations in the 2012 NASS Census. Michigan ranked fifth in the nation in cover crop acreage with cover crops on approximately 6.5% of Michigan cropland. A major cover crop survey was conducted by the NCR Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program and the Conservation Technology Information Center in 2014. Michigan farmers responding to the survey increased their cover crop acres from 4215 to 8254 acres between 2009 and 2014, an increase of 95.8%. For the same period in the Michigan surveys, cover crop users on average increased cover crop acres by 55.9%. The same respondents reported average increases in corn yield of 12.9 bushels per acre and soybean yield of 9.5 bushels per acre when cover crops were used. Over 50 meetings, workshops and field days were held in Michigan by Michigan State University researchers and Extension educators that included cover crops in the program. Over 1300 participants attended these events. Four graduate students and three postdoctoral research associates are conducting research on cover crops at Michigan State University.<br /> <br /> <br /> Minnesota<br /> Minnesota reported more than 400,000 acres of cropland planted to cover crops (NASS, 2012). Cover crops are frequently utilized in canning operations including sweet corn (106,858 ac) and peas (57,808 ac) and following corn silage (361,189)(NASS, 2012). The canning industry reports that half of their contracted farmers are using cover crops in their rotations (Hoffman, Del Monte, Personal communication, 2015). Albeit much lower than in canning operations, cover crops are being used in corn/soybean rotations. Exact estimates are presently unknown, however, in the 2012-2013 North Central SARE Cover Crop Survey, corn growers (N=2) reported 21 bushel reduction in corn yield with cover crops when compared to trials without cover crop. Similar trends were observed in soybeans where soybeans with cover crops yield 51.5 bu ac-1 and without cover crops 55.5 bu ac-1.<br /> Cover crop integration into Minnesota’s corn and soybean cropping systems is faced with several challenges. These challenges center on reduced growing degree-days (when compared to Iowa), poorly drained fine texture soils, and lack of late season soil moisture and precipitation to support the cover crop. Several researchers at the University of Minnesota and USDA-ARS have organized and developed a strategic plan to increase the adoption of vegetative covers in Minnesota. This includes: breeding efforts for improved and new materials (e.g. field pennycress, hairy vetch, and cereal rye), agronomic management (e.g. cover crop establishment and termination, nitrogen management of new crops, and quantification of ecological services), and enterprise development of new markets (e.g. intermediate wheatgrass for forage and bread, winter oilseeds for biofuels).<br /> <br /> Missouri<br /> Mid Missouri Soil Health & Cover Crop Seminar: The Cooper County Soil & Water Conservation District annually sponsors a seminar targeting farmers (300+ attendees) with national speakers, in conjunction with numerous business. <br /> <br /> North Dakota<br /> In North Dakota, cover crops acreage was 213,810 acres (NASS, 2012). Cover crops awareness and adoption is increasing. This has been reflected in the increasing number of field days, and workshops in cover crops in the state. We had 63 total farmers and consultants attend the café talks in four counties. We brought in 7 different specialists and we had 1 district director for Extension, 7 commodity group and 4 county agents involved in this program. We held a total of 15 meetings, reached farmers with 30 contact hours using conversation and personal connections.<br /> <br /> Wisconsin<br /> Extension Materials for Cover Crops and Emergency Forage Use was developed. Over 750 copies of all four extension publications have been distributed to farmers, crop consultants, government agency personnel, and Extension professionals in Wisconsin. The “Herbicide Rotational Restrictions in Forage and Cover Cropping Systems” has been posted on several websites. Website visits to the blog post discussing the fact sheet exceed all other pages on the wcws.cals.wisc.edu website except for the home page, 540 versus 1670 views as of January 23, 2015.<br /> <br /> <br />

Publications

See attached.

Impact Statements

1. In 2014 cover crop research, demonstrations, and publications by Iowa Cover Crops Working Group an affiliate of NCCC211 and MCCC has led to cover crop presentations at over 85 meetings, conferences, workshops, and field days in Iowa with more than 5,630 attendees. These presentations increased farmer knowledge about the benefits and management of cover crops in fall 2014 on 68,500 acres, which is nearly 1/5 of all the cover crops planted.
2. Increased adoption of cover crops in the Midwest. Cover crops acreage have increased by 30%/year through 2014. The number of cover crops users has also increased by 10% from 2013 to 2014.
3. Increased numbers of enrolled and/or graduated students from graduate programs focusing on cover crop research and management
4. Increased policy maker knowledge regarding effects of cover crop on crop yields resulting in revised crop insurance policies regarding cover crops.
5. Cover crops have been included as a nutrient loss reduction practice for both N and P in the Nutrient Reduction Strategies for Iowa, Minnesota, and Ohio, which should result in improved water quality.
6. Cover crops will impact Midwest?s economy by improving soil health, nutrient cycling, productivity of grain and energy crops, reducing expensive nitrogen inputs, and increasing supply of supplemental summer and fall forage.

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