Legumes added to pasture and winter grain systems can add nitrogen to cropping systems and enhance productivity of perennial pastures. The time to make these decisions is now.

Agricultural producers who have coverage under most crop insurance policies are eligible for a premium benefit from the USDA if they planted cover crops during the 2022 crop year. To receive the benefit from this year’s Pandemic Cover Crop Program, producers must report cover crop acreage by March 15, 2022.

Projects must focus on the on-farm, on-ranch or forest production of commodities and show reductions of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission or carbon sequestration as a benefit. The project description specifically mentions cover crops, no-till and low-till among the projects favored for selection, but indicates they won’t be enough by themselves.

After an unprecedented storm with massive flooding, Travis Forstbauer, a Chilliwack, British Columbia, farmer, was pleasantly surprised that his fertile soil stayed in place, thanks to his cover crops.