Upcoming in St. Charles, Mo.
Do Cover Crops Pay?
Presentation by Lauren Cartwright, Agricultural Economist for NRCS
Agricultural Economist Lauren Cartwright will discuss some of the benefits to our rivers and soils by incorporating cover crops into agricultural systems, and discuss the economic benefits to farmers.

A Scott County farmer drills corn into a 6-way cover crop field. Cover cropping can reduce erosion and improve soil health. Photo courtesy of NRCS.
Presentation and discussion led by Lauren Cartwright, Agricultural Economist/Natural Resources Specialist – Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
Wednesday, June 8, 2016
6. p.m. Social Hour at Big A’s Restaurant
7:00 p.m. Presentation
At Big A’s Restaurant (in the back room)
308 N Main St. – St Charles, MO
(directions below)
Presentation is FREE and open to the public!

Clover, a nitrogen fixing legume, is an important part of a soil building cover crop program. Studies show long term economic benefits from incorporating cover crops into ag systems.
“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.
Directions
To Big A’s on the Riverfront, our host for the Speaker Series.
To get there from I-70
- Take I-70 to exit 229B – the 5th St. Exit
- Merge onto 5th St. headed north toward St. Charles.
- After about 1 mile, turn right on Monroe St.
- Turn left onto N. Main St.
- Big A’s will be on your right (308 N. Main St.) Additional parking is available in the rear.
- View on Google Maps.
Resources and Links
Dig deeper on this topic!
- NRCS Missouri “Soil Health” Portal, with links to info and videos on cover cropping.
- Download “Cover Crops Economics Tool” (spreadsheet)
- Midwest Cover Crop Council
- “Cover Crops for Clean Water” – free e-book by the Soil & Water Conservation Society
- Fact Sheet – “Using Cover Crops to Improve Soil and Water Quality” – by Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE)
The Big Muddy Speakers Series in St. Charles
is hosted by these wonderful partners:
All speakers are presenting for free and Big A’s is sharing the space for free! Thank you for sharing your knowledge with all of us!
The Big Muddy Speaker Series also takes place monthly in Rocheport and Kansas City.
A special thank you to Greg Poleski and Mike Garvey of Greenway Network for making this happen!