Increased Crop Yields, Weed Suppression Are Benefits Of Cover Crops

By: Bill Spiegel

Farmers across the nation are using more cover crops than ever before, and enjoying a number of benefits from them from improved yield to weed suppression. That’s according to the 2017 Cover Crop Survey, conducted by Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education and the Conservation Technology Information Center, the findings of which were released Sept. 15.

Based on 2,012 farmers responding to the survey, cash crop yields following cover crops increased for all crops:

• Corn, 2.3 bushels per acre;

• Soybeans, 2.1 bushels per acre; and

• Wheat, 1.9 bushels per acre.

“That’s the most eye-catching of all the information to come from our surveys so far,” said Chad Watts, executive director of the CTIC.

“We see that about 92 percent of the farmers in the survey saw improved or unchanged weed control. Many farmers are seeing a benefit to weed control using this kind of system,” Watts said. About 59 percent of the farmers responding had some kind of herbicide resistant weed problem.