Cover Crops

Cover Crops Bring Soil Back to Life in Dry Country

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

“For the first shovel out of the ground to find an earthworm, that’s just unheard of in Arizona,” Robert Boyle says. Editor Noah Newman shares more observations from his visit with the Strip-Till Innovator in Coolidge, Ariz.

Cover Crops, Strip-Till Spark Desert Soil Revival

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — Fri, 29 May 2026 08:00:00 -0400

On this episode of Conservation Ag Update, brought to you by Titan International, we pay a visit to Strip-Till Innovator Robert Boyle’s farm in Coolidge, Ariz., for an up-close look at how he’s transforming his soils with cover crops and diverse rotations.

No-Tiller Builds Planting Tool to Serve ‘Regenerative’ Goals

Thu, 28 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Interseeding cover crop mixes between corn rows at early vegetative stages helps Ryan Ribbs create extra forage, eliminate a herbicide pass & improve soil health for row crops

No-Till, Regenerative Practices Fit the ‘Retirement’ Bill

Thu, 28 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Cutting tillage & focusing on regenerative practices helped Greg Woll reduce expenses, boost crop yields & protect the soil.

Cover Crops Managed Properly Can Bring Immediate Benefits

Thu, 28 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

An on-farm study utilizing cereal rye ahead of corn and soybeans in Wisconsin found improved yields when the cover was managed properly, says independent research agronomist Jim Stute

Young Farmer Saves Soil, Crushes Weeds with Strip-Till & Rye

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — Sun, 17 May 2026 01:00:00 -0400

Meanwhile, over in Mt. Sterling, Illinois, young farmer Wade Yingling and his dad, Bruce, are capturing success with strip-till and cover crops, with a little vertical tillage mixed in as well.

Farmers Slash Inputs by $170 Per Acre with No-Till & ‘Neighborly Grazing’

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — Fri, 15 May 2026 08:00:00 -0400

On this episode of Conservation Ag Update, brought to you by Titan International, we share some #Plant26 highlights from across the U.S., including a young strip-tiller in Nebraska, a cutting-edge no-till drill in Pennsylvania and an innovative intercropping system in Indiana.

How Do Full-Season Cover Crops Affect Insect Populations?

Tue, 12 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

A 2025 study in eastern Nebraska found higher insect abundance and diversity in cover crop areas compared to adjacent seed corn, including both beneficial species and potential pests.

Forage Matters: Cover Crops, Grazing & Nitrogen Fixation

Mon, 04 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Legumes do have the ability, when conditions are right, to fix large amounts of nitrogen, no doubt about that. To capture the most of that fixed nitrogen, the legume should be cycled back into the soil through plant decay or by grazing and cycling through the animal and back to the soil.

Farmers Share Key Takeaways from Feed in Focus Sustainability Program

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 14:09:00 -0400

The program has engaged 43 farmers in Idaho, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin, covering 50,000 acres and 43,000 cows so far.

Virtual Fencing Helps No-Tiller Cut Costs, Boosts Grazing Operations

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

A long-term investment in labor-saving grazing technology joins Greg Thoren’s efforts to cut farm input costs & build soil health

‘Most Innovative Folks You’ll Find’ Gathering at 2026 Strip-Till Conference

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

“The networking is one of the things I love most about the Strip-Till Conference,” says Zack Smith, who strip-tills in Lake Mills, Iowa. “The farmers attending this conference are some of the most innovative folks you’re going to find."

Oats, No-Till & Covers Deliver Benefits Above & Below

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Groundwater is close at hand in Karst geography creating more urgency for intentionally careful farming practices

No-Tiller Intercropping to Fight Issues with Iron Deficiency Chlorosis

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Research studies have shown certain cover crops can adjust soil properties & help soybeans mitigate IDC issues & protect plant health

Researchers Breeding Covers for Targeted Benefits, Specific Environments

lbarrera@lesspub.com — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

From cereal rye with higher levels of weed-controlling allelochemicals to hairy vetch that germinates in the first year, scientists are working to breed better cover crops

Relay Cropping, New No-Till Drill Among Early #Plant26 Highlights

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 08:00:00 -0400

No-Till, Strip-Till and Cover Crops Research Journal - April 2026

lessitef@lesspub.com — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 12:00:00 -0400

In this edition:

Conservation Agriculture: Helping to Return to Within Planetary Boundaries
Soil Structure Changes Under Reduced Tillage and Cover Cropping Enhance Carbon Mineralization in Mediterranean Croplands
Cover Cropping Increases the Abundance of Mycorrhizal and Endophytic Fungi Structures Associated with Ecosystem Functioning
Conservation Agriculture: A Review of Plant Residue use with Zero Tillage and Crop Rotation
Unlocking Climate Resilience by Exploring the Mitigation Potential of Improved Rotation with Cover Cropping

Steve Groff Announced as 2027 No-Till Conference Speaker

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The No-Till Living Legend from Lancaster County, Pa., is internationally known for his groundbreaking work in cover crops and no-till.

Educating Landowners About Benefits of Cover Crops, No-Till

mvogel@lessitermedia.com — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 01:00:00 -0400

For the second straight year, Starkey was hosting an event where he invited landowners from all over the state to come and learn about no-till and cover crops and why it is in their best interest to encourage the farmers they rent land to, to switch to no-till and adopt cover crops and other conservation practices.

No-Till Highlights: March 26, 2026

mvogel@lessitermedia.com — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

This Week's Lineup:

No-Till Farming is Better
No-Till History from 90+ Years Ago…
Reduced Field Passes Help Farmers Save Fuel and Cut Expenses
Constructing Water and Sediment Basins to Control Erosion
Webinar Covers Soil Organic Matter & Cover Crops

Video of the Week: Strip-Till Innovator Experiments with Cover Crops

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 01:00:00 -0400

Time now for our Video of the Week. This one comes to us from our good friend Chris Perkins in Otwell, Ind. When I visited the Strip-Till Innovator a couple years ago, he wasn’t using cover crops. But Chris is an innovator because he’s always willing to try new things. Fast forward to 2026, he’s giving cover crops a try.

Want to Reduce Your Land Rental Expenses?

mlessiter@lessitermedia.com — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Award-winning no-tiller Mike Starkey educates his tenants on how he’s caring for their land – and was ‘perfect from the line’ in getting rent reductions in this tough economy.

Innovators in Action: Udermann Family Blazes Path to Regenerative Dairy Operations

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Sartell, Minn. grower & dairyman Alex Udermann says the diverse mix of conservation strategies has given his family financial & natural ‘freedom’ to farm

Bringing Some Context to the ‘Regenerative Farming’ Debate

jdobberstein@lesspub.com — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 12:07:01 -0400

What does what “regenerative agriculture” really mean? Everyone has an opinion. Googling it provides endless nuances. It’s another example, in my humble opinion, of how buzzwords sometimes stifle progress rather than promote it.

Forty Years of Less Tillage, More Plants

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Soil health & soil carbon building goals drive commitment to developing cover crop, intercrop & bio-till strategies

No-Tilling it Forward: Farmer-Led Learning Fuels Dairy Farmer

mvogel@lessitermedia.com — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Wisconsin no-tiller, Tony Peirick’s passion for farmer-mentorship and continued learning shines through on his own farm operation. The 2026 Conservation Ag Fellowship is supported by Dairy Management Inc.

No-Till Takeaways: April 2026

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 01:00:00 -0400

Below are key no-till takeaways from several of the features found in the April 2026 issue of No-Till Farmer.

Syngenta Pulling the Plug on Paraquat Production

jdobberstein@lesspub.com — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 10:34:07 -0400

Production will be phased out at Syngenta’s Huddersfield, U.K., site, the company’s only manufacturing facility for the active ingredient globally. A small scale, multi-product production unit at the site will also close.

No-Till, Strip-Till and Cover Crops Research Journal - March 2026

lessitef@lesspub.com — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 01:00:00 -0400

In this edition:

Sixty years of crop diversification with perennials improves yields more than no-tillage in Ohio grain cropping systems
Conservation Tillage Practices on GHG Emissions, Soil Health and Overall Agricultural Sustainability
Long-term continuous no-till corn-soybean systems: Examining soil carbon sequestration and nitrogen accumulation across various pools
Assessing the agricultural, environmental, and economic effects of crop diversity management: A comprehensive review on crop rotation and cover crop practices
Cover Crops Optimize Soil Fertility and Soybean Productivity in the Cerrado of MATOPIBA, Brazil
Short-term no-tillage improves soil water retention and maintains soil aeration at high moisture conditions despite reduced macroporosity
Tillage Radish as Cover Crop Improves Soil Health Indicators Depending on Pedoclimatic Conditions.

Practical Insights from the Cover Crop Variety Improvement & Seed Production Program

mvogel@lessitermedia.com — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 01:00:00 -0400

In this video, Etienne Sutton, agroecologist for University of Missouri's Center for Regenerative Agriculture shares a preview of what she will talk about during her upcoming presentation at the 2026 National Cover Crop Summit.