Different cover crop mixes can have substantially different impact(s) on soil quality and physical properties.
2016 Farmer Survey
- Nebraska Cover Crops: What, Where, and How: A brief summary of survey results
- Full Report on Survey of Cover Crop Use with Nebraska Farmers
In Crop and Forage Systems
- Cover Crop Interviews with Local Producers. Two interviews with local producers from southeast Nebraska that use cover crops and explain how they are using them and benefits they are seeing from using them.
- 2020 Southeast Nebraska Soil Health Conference Recording. The 2020 Southeast Nebraska Soil Health Conference - "Feeding Our Below and Above Ground Livestock" was held on Tuesday, March 3, 2020 in Hickman, NE.
- Cover Crops and Ecosystem Services: Insights from Studies in Temperate Soils. An Agronomy Journal review by UNL agronomists of cover crop research conducted by multiple universities, shining light on the science behind how cover crops affect the ecosystems where they are used.
- Cover Crops for Prevented Planting Acres — Benefits, suitable cover crops for eastern Nebraska, cost-benefit estimates; cover crop seed suppliers, prevented planting payments and cover crops
- Study Initiated on Cover Crops in Corn and Soybean Systems
- Corn and Soybean Herbicide Options in the Spring for Planting Cover Crops for Forage in the Fall
- Long-term UNL Study Examines Impacts of Cover Crops on Soil, Water
- Nebraska On-Farm Research: Five 2014 Studies Show Varied Results
- Research Update: Winter Cover Crop Soil Nitrate-N Conservation After Seed Corn Production
- Cover Crops for Storm-Damaged Fields
- Cover Crop Options after Corn or Soybean Harvest
- When Herbicide Labels Restrict Using Cover Crops as Forage
- Double-Cropped Cool-Season Annuals (Cover Crops) for Late Fall and Early Spring Forage, links to related UNL articles
- Dryland Cover Crops as a Grazing Option for Beef Cattle, 2014 Nebraska Beef Cattle Report
- Cover Crops Following Weather-damaged Bean and Corn Harvests
- Rental Agreements for Cover Crop Grazing
Also see UNL's Beef.unl.edu for related information.
USDA SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education) Resources
- Cover Crops Topic Room. From selection and management to economics to pest management.
- Cover Crop Innovator Series (video). Farmers describing how they integrated cover crops into cash crop operations.
- Cover Crops for Sustainable Crop Rotations
- Downloadable SARE Cover Crop Book, Managing Cover Crops Profitably, 3rd Edition.
Other States Cover Crop Resources
- Tips and Considerations For Getting Started With Cover Crops (ISU Extension)
Other Resources
- 2016 Cover Crops Crop Insurance, Cover Crops and NRCS Cover Crop Termination Guidelines
- USDA Cover Crop Chart — valuable information about different cover crop types
- The Midwest Cover Crops Council Field Guide
Related Articles
What Are the Benefits of a Cover Crop Mix Versus a Single Species Cover Crop?
July 6, 2020
The decision whether to mix species or plant a single species as a cover crop depends on your goals, time of the year, and costs.
Considerations when Planting Green
April 24, 2020
Growers that switched to planting green, say it was much easier to plant compared with planting into the decomposing-dying cover. In spite of these observations, planting green is not for everyone and one needs to assess the risk of doing so.
Streaming On-Farm Research Offers Live, Timely Results from Research Studies
April 9, 2020
New for the 2020 growing season, Nebraska Extension presents “Streaming On-Farm Research,” a series of short live webinars for farmers and ag professionals. These events will occur weekly, on Tuesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. Sessions will be 30 minutes, featuring 15 minutes of presentation, and 15 minutes of Q&A.
Farmer Input Sought for 2020 National Cover Crop Survey
April 2, 2020
These surveys have provided valuable information about the use of cover crops and their impact on crop production and soil health including information that helped frame policy with the USDA agencies NRCS and FSA.
Spring-planted Cover Crops for Weed Control in Organic Soybean
March 25, 2020
Weed control in organic soybean usually includes frequent pre-plant tillage operations but spring rains often make it difficult to get into the fields for timely tillage. As a result, weed pressure can be high. Cover crops can help suppress weeds, but after corn harvest it is often too late to establish cover crops. Spring-planting cover crops may be an alternative to fall-planting.