Plant Cover Crops

Learning about the benefits of planting cover crops.

prevented planting acres

Prevented Planting Seeding Options

I recorded this video a few weeks ago for the seed company I work for. After receiving numerous calls and e-mails asking for help on what to plant, I decided to put this presentation together.  Many of the options I mentioned as being viable to plant in mid-June can still be planted in July.

Please check with your seed supplier for availability of the different species.  Until new crop is harvested there are several species that are in short supply.

Prevented Planting Seeding Options video.

It may take a few minutes to download the video.

 

 

Summer Annual Grasses for Cover Crops for Prevented Planting Acres

With an abundance of prevented planting acres in Wisconsin and Minnesota in 2013, there is a need for cover crops to help build soil during the soil’s “idle” time.  In this post I’ll mainly focus on summer annual grasses that work well in the Midwest.

These recommendations will focus on whether feed is needed or not.  These cannot be harvested until  November 1 if crop insurance is taken.

If producers do not take crop insurance then there are other options mentioned below that give greater forage quality and yield.  However, many of these products are in very short supply.  Please call your local seed supplier to check on availability.

Summer Annual Cover Crops Where No Feed is Needed

I would recommend a non-BMR Sorghum Sudangrass at 10-12#/acre.  These should retail at $1.10-1.15/#.  This choice is less expensive per acre than most summer annual options.  This product is in very, very short supply for 2013.

Other cover crop options include non-BMR Sudangrass, which should be planted at a minimum of 10-20#/acre and will retail for around $1.20/#. Choices here would include Piper and Monarch V, among others.  Both of these products are in very short supply for 2013.

I would also consider Hybrid Pearl Millet. Seeding rate will be 7-10#/acre.  Hybrid Pearl Millet is in exceptionally short supply for 2013.

Plant each of these options at ½ -1” deep.  Apply at least 25-30# of nitrogen per acre so there will be some plant health.  There is very low supply on all of these items.  Farmers should mow to alleviate seed production. Mow periodically and leave 6-8” tall residual so there will be continued regrowth.

Here is BMR Hybrid Sudangrass in Late July 2009 ready for 2nd cutting.  This was seeded at 37#/acre.

Summer Annual Cover Crops Where Feed is Needed

If the prevented planting acres will be used for forage production, consider the following (with crop insurance taken–harvested after Nov. 1):

Take the options above and increase the seeding rates as shown below:

  • non-BMR Sorghum-Sudangrass  –35-50#/acre
  • non-BMR Sudangrass  — 25-30#/acre
  • Hybrid Pearl Millet –12-15#/acre

 

If the prevented planting acres will be used for forage production, consider the following (no crop insurance taken – harvested throughout the summer):

Pro Max BMR Hybrid Sudangrass.
Sudangrass can get quite tall and yield well if managed properly.

Option #1 for livestock feed I’d recommend BMR Hybrid Sudangrass at 35#/acre.  BMR Sudangrass is superior to non-BMR Sudangrass for grazing, animal production, haymaking, ensiling, etc.  Plant 35-37#/acre. Retail cost is around $1.75-1.80/#.

This is truly a superior product for dairy, beef, and sheep operations.  It is grown on many dairy and beef farms across the Midwest, Upper Midwest, and Mid-Atlantic states.  These products are in exceptionally short supply in 2013.

Option #2 is BMR Sorghum X Sudangrass.  Many BMR Sorghum X Sudangrass varieties  yield well and are very high in quality.  It is much more palatable than non-BMR products.  IF it is for dairy, plant at 50#/acre. Retail cost is around $1.45-1.50/#.  Supply is exceptionally limited in 2013.

Summer Delight Teff Grass
Teff Grass can produce great summer forage.

Option #3 is Teffgrass.  Teffgrass needs to be planted into an alfalfa-like seedbed at 1/8-1/4” deep.  Seed it at 10-12#/acre. Retail cost is $3.00-$3.25/#.  Supply is fair to good.

Option # 4 is Hybrid Pearl Millet planted at a higher seeding rate.  For forage, plant at 12-15#/acre.  Hybrid Pearl Millet is in exceptionally short supply for 2013.

See some of these products in OSU trials at:

http://oardc.osu.edu/forage2008/table15.asp and http://oardc.osu.edu/forage2009/table11.asp

Profitability for BMR  Sorghum X Sudangrass and BMR Sudangrass products is generally higher than for non-BMR products.  For instance, data on BMR Sudangrass has shown a 20% increase in animal production and therefore is considerably more profitable than non-BMR Sudangrass.  In a year like this I’d guess that maximizing profit will be important!  Be sure to use 75#/N (actual) for these products at planting time. Follow with additional nitrogen after each harvest.


This photo is taken on the same day in the same test plot as the Pro-Max seen above. Pro-Max out-yielded the Nutri-Plus by 20% in this trial in Northern Indiana in 2009.

You can e-mail me at dave@plantcovercrops.com for additional recommendations, or for locations of dealers where these products are available, or for other questions.

Prevented planting and cover crops- Risk Management Agency rules

Here is a listing of links from USDA’s Risk Management Agency  that pertain to prevented planting.  I hope most of you folks never need these; but I know many of you might need them this year!  Thanks to Desiree King from RMA for passing these along (and for all of here help in this matter).

Many acres were never planted into row crops in many Eastern Corn Belt states in 2011. Planting a cover crop in these fields may prove very beneficial for the future of these farms.

Here is our Prevented Planting Fact Sheet which explains the options a producer has when they are prevented from planting (including the option to plant a cover crop): http://www.rma.usda.gov/pubs/rme/ppflood.pdf

Here are our 2011 Basic Provisions (see section 17 regarding prevented planting rules-specifically Section 17(f)(5)) which state that a cover crop may be planted on PP acreage within or prior to the late planting period, but a cover crop may not be hayed, grazed or otherwise harvested within or prior to the late planting period. http://www.rma.usda.gov/policies/2011/11-br.pdf

Finally, here is a link to our Prevented Planting Loss Adjustment Standards Handbook. Section 5 (c) has a section on cover crops and prevented planting, which explains that they may not be hayed or grazed until November 1st and may not be otherwise harvested at any time. http://www.rma.usda.gov/handbooks/25000/2011/11_25370.pdf

All of these documents are available on the RMA website (http://www.rma.usda.gov/)

Here are links that give options for what to plant for cover crops.  Summer annual grasses for cover crops for prevented planting acres and Prevented Planting Row Crop Acres – Which cover crops can help?

Update on RMA Cover Crop Decision

Hey Folks,

Here’s an  email I received yesterday from Eliav Biton, National Wildlife Federation, who has been working diligently on the topic of cover crops with the RMA. I wanted to get it out to you right away. We’re receiving many questions about cover crop options for prevented planting acres.

All,

I spoke by phone with RMA today in both Springfield and Illinois. Some highlights:

1. They chose 2 weeks on the basis of the NRCS practice standard recommendation. In some cases they saw recommendations for 3-4 weeks, so they feel they are being flexible

2. A crop planted into a still growing cover crop is ineligible for insurance, period.

3. Producers who have cover crops that have gone to head (only these producers!) MUST file a written agreement by JULY 15th, which is the final insurance date. If they do so after corn or beans have begun to grow, they may have to have a “crop inspection” from RMA.  Currently 5 written agreements have been signed, covering no more than 100 acres.

4. RMA claims to have produced materials on this topic and worked with NRCS to disseminate the above information.

5. Sen Brown of Ohio will be sending RMA a letter. I am working with them on this. Currently our “ask” is that farmers who use cover crops are simply not treated discriminated against compared to farmers who did not. I am very open to other policy level “asks.”

In response to Travis’ suggestion to add RMA to this list, I would instead propose that we maintain this list for informal discussion. I will be happy to draft a letter to RMA based on the comments expressed on the list, and share it along with or without your names attached.

Finally, Sen Brown’s office will recommend to RMA that they meet with cover crop experts to review these issues. I imagine people on this list may be interested. I am happy to coordinate such an event. Let me know about your interest in supporting such an event.

Eliav Bitan

RMA Changes Policy on Cover Crops: Short Reprieve Given

Folks,

In response to an unprecedented number of unplanted acres in the Eastern Corn Belt, the Springfield Regional RMA office has released an update to their policy requirements with regard to terminating cover crops. 

The former policy had the termination date set at May 15.  While many areas of Indiana and Ohio were hit with 1-5″ of rain on May 25 and additional rain on the 26th, this reprieve may still help producers who have living cover crops in fields intended for corn or soybeans.  As one gentlemen from Ottawa County Ohio said,  “We haven’t turned a wheel here yet, wheat topdressed 2 weeks ago, no spraying of fields done.”

Thanks to RMA for being sensitive to the producers and the weather conditions.  Thanks also to those who have worked with RMA to accomplish this reprieve.  Now let’s all pray for dry weather so the crop can be planted (or at least get the cover crops sprayed in the next 5 days) !

This field in NE Indiana has no cover crop but cannot be planted anytime soon. Is this field full of weeds at less risk to have reduced yield than one covered with crimson clover?

 

 

This Crimson Clover may have very well produced close to 150 pounds of nitrogen per acre. Yet it was not killed before May 15 and under the old policy it would not have qualified for crop insurance (as I understand the policy).

Big Radish fed by Crimson Clover

The video below shows the value of Crimson Clover in a cover crop setting.  Crimson clover has been tested and shown to produce as much as 140#/N after it has been planted after wheat.  The plots in this video were planted around July 29, 2010 by the Jasper and Newton County SWCD folks (Thanks Dan and Rose) at the Churchill Farms near Lake Village, IN.  The mix is called Crimson Cover-All sold in the N-Vest(R) line up by CISCO Seeds.  The planting rate was 21#/acre (approximately 16# Crimson Clover and 5# GroundHog Radish).  There was under 3″ of rain at this site from July 25 through Mid-October.  The soil is a sandy loam.  There was no additional fertilizer put on the plot.  The Radish in this video was weighed at Country Acres in Francesville, IN at 12# 14 oz.  It was one heavy radish…full of nutrients and water!  As that radish decomposes the water and nutrients will be released into the soil for the 2011 crop and for building organic matter.