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What's the Difference Between Regenerative and Organic?

What's the Difference Between Regenerative and Organic?

Here's a video of me being interviewed by Regenacterre when I was speaking in Belgium the spring of 2018. What is the difference between Regenerative and Organic agriculture? Cover Crop Innovators members get pro tips and expert education every day. Join this rapidly-growing worldwide group to improve the value of your cover crops. #notill #soilhealth #covercrop

Farm Journal’s Article About Farmers Frustrated with Cover Crops - The Cover Crop Coach Response

Farm Journal’s Article About Farmers Frustrated with Cover Crops - The Cover Crop Coach Response

A recent article in the Farm Journal magazine, “Cover Crop Bandwagon Frustrates Farmers” has been met with a good dose of rebuttals- and deservedly so. Above: Interseeding cover crops into knee-high corn has been successful in northern Iowa I can appreciate those who want to make cover crops work, but that attitude is not near enough! It's true -- cover crops won't work in your standard Iowa corn/bean rotation. Making cover crops pay has more to do with rearranging the pictur

Three Key Factors Could Influence Adoption of Cover Crops in 2018

Three Key Factors Could Influence Adoption of Cover Crops in 2018

With 2017 in the rear view mirror, our attention is now focused on what 2018 will bring. I’m sure we’ve all heard various prognosticators’ expectations for the new year, but did you hear anyone predict the influences that may affect the growing cover crop movement in the year ahead? As I thought about this, I identified three key factors that will undoubtedly influence cover crops in the year ahead. Currently, the next Farm Bill is being crafted in Washington with input from

Stance on farm tiling issue in Minnesota generated strong response

Stance on farm tiling issue in Minnesota generated strong response

This is a response from Jim Boak, equipment and crop technology specialist for The Salford Group in Salford, Ontario to the intensive use of tile in Minnesota. It's one of those commentaries that is thought provoking and causes one to ask, "How will agriculture respond in light of the concerns brought up?" I would love to hear anyone's perspective of blending what we have learned from the past with where we see the future going! "Jim Boak, equipment and crop technology specia

Dwayne Beck brings back the cows

Dwayne Beck brings back the cows

I've been to Dakota Lakes Research Farm a couple of times and have been significantly enlightened by Dwayne Beck's keen insight and cutting edge cropping ideas over the years. He visited my farm a decade ago. It's good to see him making good on his desire to bring cattle back onto the land. “All the people here used to have livestock,” Beck said on a recent day at the Pierre farm. “They did in the Corn Belt, too. They were your crop insurance. Now we’ve created a farm bill sy

Boost Diversity in Your No-Till Rotation with Companion Cropping, Interseeding

Boost Diversity in Your No-Till Rotation with Companion Cropping, Interseeding

This article highlights our Cover Crop Innovator member Loran Steinlage speaking about what he's learned from interseeding cover crops into corn and soybeans on his Iowa farm at the 2018 National No Till Conference- January 9-12, Louisville, KY. Loran has been doing some innovative cover crop and soil health practices over the past 10 years and others are taking notice of his forward thinking and "not afraid to try it" attitude! Get the inside tips and education cover cropper

Cover crops please even Chesapeake Bay crabs

Cover crops please even Chesapeake Bay crabs

I wrote this article for the American Agriculturalist after I visited Tangier Island in the middle of the lower half of the Chesapeake Bay. It seems as though the past 2 decades of cover crop education may be having a positive effect! Get the inside tips and education cover croppers worldwide are discovering and learning everyday with their Cover Crop Innovator membership. Click here for a personal invitation from your Cover Crop Coach, Steve Groff. #covercrop #soilhealth #no

Cover crop project will lead to cleaner water

Cover crop project will lead to cleaner water

I've been to Washington D.C. twice with the Cover Crop Working Group meeting with several folks within the USDA about tying in reduced crop insurance rate for farmers who use cover crops. "Iowa is launching a first-in-the-country “good farmer discount” for cover crops through crop insurance premiums, which could become a model for the nation. It will provide a small, $5 per-acre incentive for cover crops planted on “new" cover crop acres, which are not already receiving cost

Winners of Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers for 2017 celebrated

Winners of Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers for 2017 celebrated

Cover Crop Innovator members Derek and Tannis Axten of Axten Farms in Minton, Sask. were recently named one of the National winners for Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmer for 2017 awarded on Dec. 1. What's so special about this is they represent a new breed of farmers that don't fit in either a conventional or an organic way of farming. The keystone of their success is reducing inputs by fostering the natural biological process of the soil – letting nature do the work! Congrat

Where Corn Is King, the Stirrings of a Renaissance in Small Grains

Where Corn Is King, the Stirrings of a Renaissance in Small Grains

We are finally seeing a crack in the dominate dual cropping system of corn and beans in Iowa. Enter, small grains! Hard to believe but the benefits of adding another crop, that is out of seasonal sequence of the standbys, is gathering attention as a game changer throughout the landscape. Winter small grains keep the soil covered over winter and open up an ideal opportunity to plant a vast array of cover crop species after their harvest during the summer months. Click here to

KLGR Radio - Beef News & Notes – Cody Nelson, Prairie Creek Seeds

KLGR Radio - Beef News & Notes – Cody Nelson, Prairie Creek Seeds

Our very own Cover Crop Innovator member Cody Nelson being interviewed on the radio yesterday. "On today’s show, Mark visits with Cody Nelson of Prairie Creek Seeds. They discuss how cover crops help with the growing of cash crops and also provide extra grazing forage, for your cattle, in the late fall and early winter." Good job Cody! This link takes you to the audio of the show. Always great to hear cover crops being the topic of interest on the Radio! Get the inside tips a

Corn Herbicides and Rotation to Cover Crops

Corn Herbicides and Rotation to Cover Crops

The question of how herbicides may affect cover crops comes up often. Dr. Bill Curran, Professor of Weed Science, Penn State University, has been on top of this issue for the past number of years. He's a rare weed scientist who strongly supports cover crops! I've seen his comprehensive cover crop/herbicide test plots and straightforward talks on how to manage this aspect of cover cropping. This article includes many of the popular herbicides and cover crops; what to avoid and

2017 Cover Crop Survey Analysis

2017 Cover Crop Survey Analysis

I've found this survey to be very insightful into the latest cover crop trends. It's encouraging to see forward movement and interesting to also see some shifts in how cover crops are used. For all the details, download the 46 page file that is linked from this press release. Get the inside tips and education cover croppers worldwide are discovering and learning everyday with their Cover Crop Innovator membership. Click here for a personal invitation from your Cover Crop Coac

Whole Foods' Philly-area suppliers see opportunity in Amazon's purchase

Whole Foods' Philly-area suppliers see opportunity in Amazon's purchase

This article, which came out in August 2017, isn't directly related to cover crops. However, none of this would have been possible without the 35 years of cover cropping my fields. We've been supplying Whole Foods with pumpkins/squash and occasionally heirloom tomatoes for the past 10 years. Last year we test marketed heirloom tomatoes for Amazon.com in 2 zipcodes in New York City. Now we know why! "Meanwhile, Lancaster County farmer Steve Groff is in the thick of food-indust

CRISPR is coming to Agriculture — with big implications for food, farmers, consumers and nature

CRISPR is coming to Agriculture — with big implications for food, farmers, consumers and nature

Have you heard of CRISPR? This article from 2016 claims it's the rising star in technology associated with plant and animal breeding. It doesn't seem to have the baggage usually linked with GMO's so we might have a beneficial scientific process to develop desired aspects in the crops we grow and animals we tend. Why do I mention this on a cover crop forum? Because this may revolutionize cover cropping! We have essentially been using "off the shelf" traits in our cover crop sp

The fungus that keeps on giving

The fungus that keeps on giving

This is one of the better articles on mycorrhizal fungi and does a stellar job of explaining its function. I believe this may be the most untapped resource right under our feet! I just did a webinar on this topic not too long ago and it drew a lot of interest. You'll need to join the Cover Crop Innovators group to listen to it. If you are at the point of taking your farm to a new level of management, this is a good place to start! Get the inside tips and education cover cropp

Today’s Technology Grows a Better Future for Farm Families

Today’s Technology Grows a Better Future for Farm Families

It's a milestone in my book that the National Geographic does an article that highlights the use of interseeding cover crops. I think it goes to show the appeal of the cover crop "story" that resonates with the general public. Also, another cover crop success story from northern regions where the growing season is short and all but eliminates planting a cover crop after harvest. And that's where interseeding really shines! Get the inside tips and education cover croppers worl

2017 National Conference on Cover Crops

2017 National Conference on Cover Crops

Here's a cover crop conference you won't want to miss! Please join us December 7-8, 2017, for the second National Conference on Cover Crops and Soil Health in Indianapolis. Some of the best cover crop speakers will be sharing their latest knowledge and insights. The Keynote is David Montgomery, whose fantastic book I recently finished: Growing a Revolution - Bringing Our Soil Back to Life. I was a part of the super successful first National Cover Crop Conference held a few ye

Don't miss the Mid-Atlantic Soil Health Conference

Don't miss the Mid-Atlantic Soil Health Conference

Local speaking engagement to hear from your Cover Crop Coach, Steve Groff. MANHEIM, Pa. — The two-day Mid-Atlantic Soil Health Conference is an excellent opportunity for farmers and agency staff to interact and network regarding the challenges and opportunities they face in terms of soil health on crop and pasture fields in the Mid-Atlantic region. Through guest speakers and field visits, participants will learn about major soil health principles such as evaluating soil prope

Farmers find healthy soils yield healthy profits

Farmers find healthy soils yield healthy profits

I just finished reading David Montgomery's book, Growing a Revolution: Bringing Our Soil Back to Life. I highly recommend it. He profiles farmers who are 'doing' regenerative agriculture, and cover crops are a common denominator! This article is building off the premises discussed in Montgomery's book by showcasing Trey Hill, whose farm I've consulted for with the Howard Buffett Foundation and Farm Journal's High Yield Conservation Agriculture Project. (Download a copy of thi

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