Penn State Extension shares how large precipitation events cause the most erosion and can happen anytime of year, reminding us of the importance to protect the soil as much as possible.

Crop residue, or stover, includes leaf and stalk tissues of field crops that have traditionally been returned to the soil as an important source of organic matter and plant nutrients. Since the Dust Bowl of the1930s, crop residue cover left at the soil surface by minimizing tillage has also been recognized as a key erosion control tool. Yet, current trends in field crop production systems are encouraging some producers to harvest more stover for use as bedding, forage and even bioenergy feedstock.