Updated Cover Crop Tool Helps Missouri Farmers
COLUMBIA, MO.
The Midwest Cover Crops Council will unveil a new cover crop selection tool during a live one-hour webinar Sept. 23 at 11 a.m. CDT.
Cover crops improve water and soil quality, reduce erosion and capture nutrients, said Charles Ellis, a University of Missouri Extension agricultural engineering specialist. However, choosing the right cover crop can be a challenge.
The cover crop selection tool helps farmers decide on cover crops and seeding dates based on their goals and historical county weather data, Ellis said. Farmers can enter information to receive customized recommendations.
To register for the webinar or view a recording after the event, go to mccc.msu.edu/selector-tool .
The updated tool provides more accurate seeding dates based on new research and 30 years of county-level frost date data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Now mobile-friendly, it complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Representatives of 12 Midwestern states and universities, including MU, and other agricultural stakeholders make up the Midwest Cover Crops Council.
The North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program and Grain Farmers of Ontario funded the updates. ∆