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 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
New SARE Resource Examines Economics of Cover Crops in Row Crops July 16, 2019
A new publication from USDA Sustainable Agriculture and Research Education (SARE), Cover Crop Economics: Opportunities to Improve Your Bottom Line in Row Crops, looks at the economics of cover crops in corn and soybean rotations to help farmers answer that big question: When do cover crops pay?
Farmers Find Solutions Through Nebraska Soil Health Initiative July 11, 2019
How can we manage cropland to improve soil health? To test and encourage adoption of soil health practices, the Soil Health Demonstration Initiative was launched as a collaborative effort of growers, UNL and NRCS. Now a network of farm research sites is providing valuable information from in-field studies.
Cover Crop Use and Implications for Cropland Lease Arrangements in 2019 July 8, 2019
Cover crops were planted on almost 750,000 acres in Nebraska in 2017, the last year of the USDA Ag Census. A recent Cornhusker Economics reports cover crop acreage by county as well as how to consider their short-term costs and potential long-term benefits when negotiating crop land leases.
NRCS Recommendations for Growing Corn as a Cover Crop June 28, 2019
Corn is considered a cover crop species in Nebraska and can be planted into prevented planting acres and can be grazed or harvested for forage. See these NRCS recommendations for meeting guidelines when using corn as a cover crop.
Check Herbicide Restrictions before Planting and Using Cover Crops June 28, 2019
Cover crops offer many benefits for prevented planting fields; however, including them in a rotation adds another layer of complexity, particularly when it comes to plant-back restrictions for previously applied herbicides. Here's what to check before selecting a cover crop species.