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Use of Cover Crops
by Justin Petrosino, ANR Extension Educator
OSU Extension, Darke County
For my column this week I’m adapting an article written by the great
Roger Bender, AgNR of Shelby County. I was going to cover the topic but
Roger did such a great job that there is no need for me to reinvent the
wheel. I simply polished it to a high gloss for our Darke County
farmers.
In recent years, more farmers have embraced the use of cover crops for
a host of different reasons, often with a prominent focus on surface
water quality. From reducing soil erosion to retaining nutrients
applied as commercial or organic fertilizer, use of plant species to
protect our surface water, while improving the soil, has been
encouraged by a host of different local, state and federal government
entities.
Recently, the Risk Management Agency (RMA) adjusted the termination
date required for cover crops from May 15 to May 20 and as of last
Thursday June 1 for corn and June 10 for soybeans (for spring planted
crops to retain eligibility for crop insurance coverage). This action
seemingly recognized the dilemma faced by farmers who had seeded soil
protective plantings last fall. Of course most of us realize that
much more flexibility is needed to destroy these cover crops due to the
extended period of saturated soil conditions. Unfortunately, at
this writing, national level meetings between RMA officials and farmer
commodity group leaders, among others, were unable to resolve several
issues related to cover crops not yet terminated.
Additional concerns surfaced during recent crop insurance meetings
designed to update farmers on specifics related to late planting and
prevented planting options. Policy decisions made at the national level
allegedly penalize farmers whose cover crops have gone to seed and
supposedly delay planting of corn or soybeans into killed cover crops
by two weeks.
Essentially, RMA personnel cited unnamed Ohio State and Purdue
informational resources for their positions on both termination dates
and delayed planting into killed cover crop stands. Over a two
day period, Roger Bender tried to identify those informational pieces
with both OSU and Purdue agronomy specialists. Between calls and
emails, we gained additional insight on the much of the bureaucratic
snafu.
Contacts made by Mr. Bender with Ohio State University Extension
Specialists Mark Loux (Weeds), Peter Tomison (Corn), Mark Sulc
(Forages), Alan Sundermeier (Cover Crops) and Harold Watters (Ag Crops
Team Coordinator) allowed Mr. Bender to forward related information to
Rob Joslin, American Soybean Association Chairman, who was representing
farmer perspectives on a national level. Additional knowledge
contributions from Purdue Extension Specialists Bob Nielsen (Corn) and
Eileen Kladivco (Cover Crops/Water Quality) were also forwarded to
Joslin. Kladivco indicated that the Midwest Cover Crop Council
and the National Wildlife Federation added their perspectives,
encouraging the RMA to not penalize farmers who chose to grow cover
crops.
Everyone Roger visited with recognized the irony of various government
agencies encouraging the use of cover crops as a conservation practice
being contradicted by another federal bureaucracy now proposing a
penalty on farmers unable to modify their actions due to the
temperament of Mother Nature.
We also agreed that the use of cover crops as a soil and water
conservation practice is “dead in the water” if present RMA policies
are not modified.
Once again, be sure to stay in touch with your crop insurance
representative to stay in compliance with the latest guidelines.
As most are aware, June 5 is the “final plant date” for corn and June
20 is the “final plant date” for soybeans. If saturated soils
force a prevented planting decision, be sure to contact your crop
insurance agent.
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