b'COVER CROP DEMAND SOARSWhile many look to put 2019 behind them due to an overly wet planting season, followed by dry conditions and the arrival of an early frost or snow, thats not the case for those who sell cover crops. Julie Deering jdeering@issuesink.comTHE SAYING GOESone mans loss isBasically, the entire state of South Dakota another mans gain. started calling all at once, says Keith Berns, an U.S. farmers filed a record of nearly 20 millionowner of the Nebraska-based business. There prevent plant acres with the U.S. Department ofdefinitely are seed shortages. We have seed and Agricultures (USDA) Farm Service Agency. Basedwere trying to figure out how to allocate it out.off the August report, the highest prevent plantScott Wohltman, an agronomist and cover acres were in South Dakota with 3.9 million acres,crop lead for La Crosse Seeds Eastern U.S. ter-Ohio with 1.6 million acres and Illinois with 1.5 mil- ritory, explains that many companies predicted lion acres. an increased need in cover crop seed because Due to historic flooding across large swaths ofof short forage supplies in 2018 and the winter of the Midwest, many farmers could not plant an insur- 2019some estimates showed a loss as high as 4 able crop. As a result, USDAs Risk Managementmillion acres of alfalfa to winterkill, not to mention Agency provided farmers the opportunity to plantother perennial grasses.a cover crop on these acres and not lose insuranceWhat we didnt expect was the spring flooding, benefits, while still being able to qualify for tradehe says, adding this presented some real chal-assistance payments of $15 per acre. lenges for the seed industry.According to USDA, of the 20 million preventDan Foor, La Crosse Seeds CEO, says he plant acres, more than 4 million were planted to ascoured the industry for any piles of cover crop cover crop. and forage seeds he could find.By putting the cover crop in and letting itIf this year doesnt force seed suppliers, retail-assimilate nutrients, whether they harvested it orers and growers to plan, plan, plan as best they sold it for forage or allowed it to terminate and letcan, then Im not sure theyll ever be convinced the residue go back, they tied those nutrients uptoo, Wohltman says, acknowledging this year is an so they didnt just leak into the soil profile with theoutlier. Its important to realize that weather events sediment, explains Kevin Norton, USDA Naturaland seasonal challenges that may take place in Resources Conservation Service associate chief. other parts of the country do indeed impact what Even without the detrimental weather, farm- the forage and cover crop industry can accomplish ers are increasing the number of acres plantedin a relatively short amount of time.to cover crops. National cover crop acreage hasDespite the events of 2019, Wohltman expects increased by 50% from 2012 to 2017, according todemand for forage and cover crop seed to be quite the latest Census of Agriculture. strong in the year ahead and encourages others to With the encouragement of USDA, demand forplan accordingly.cover crop seed skyrocketed. Its the trend, and it goes hand-in-hand with soil After USDA announced it would allow thehealth.haying and grazing on prevented planting coverWhen youve got cover on the ground, youre crops as early as Sept. 1 this year rather than thecontinuing the microbial activity of the soil and all traditional Nov. 1, Green Cover Seeds phone linethe things that are good for soil health, Norton was tied up. says. Its just a part of healthy system.SW16/ SEEDWORLD.COMDECEMBER 2019'