Big Muddy Speaker Series presents:

Under today’s cropping practices, the soils of the Missouri River watershed are often left without any protective cover during and after crop harvest.  As a result, erosion and water quality are major resource concerns.  In addition, the continued use of tillage negatively impacts the biologic and fungal health of our soils resulting in an overall reduction in soil health.

“Cover crops” have now become a primary focus of soil science and natural resources management.  Cover crops as part of a cropping system contribute to an overall improvement in soil health which increases soil water holding capacity and reduces erosion which results in improving the water quality of our watersheds. Cover crops may also reduce the use of fertilizer inputs in the long run as the organic content of the soil is restored.  In addition, increased organic matter improves percolation and water holding capacity making soils more resistant to droughts and keeps the soil in place during heavy rainfall events.

Initially, adding cover crops increases farm production costs. However, some innovative producers have found that the utilization of cover crops and the associated changes in crop rotation may actually lead to increased profitability.  Lauren Cartwright, Agricultural Economist with the NRCS, will discuss the tool she developed with a colleague to look in detail at the farm economics of some Missouri farmers who are adding cover crops to their cropping operation.  She will provide a brief history of the “Cover Crop Economics Decision Support Tool” which is used to analyze the economic costs and benefits and the case study results so far from Missouri farmers utilizing cover crops in their operation.