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OCTOBER 2015 SEEDWORLD.COM 27 For a catalog call 303.431.7333 salesapplewoodseed.com applewoodseed.com Seeds of Wildflowers Garden Flowers Since 1965 Regional Special Use Custom Mixtures Hundreds of Species in Stock Myers adds that companies that help with fertilizer and other services throughout the year could do well by extending similar services into the cover crop season. Its a good fit for retailers to start providing that service Myers says. Still Challenges While growth of cover crop acreage surges users are still largely a minority. Unanswered questions remain about return on investment and how to properly manage different crops from year to year. Even guys who use cover crops successfully are still learning what they can and cant do Isermann says. Choosing your cover crop program is like choosing a spouse you have to choose one thats right for you. Steve Groff He hopes the results of a long-term research project con- ducted by the Soil Health Partnership will help to answer those questions. The organization uses dozens of demonstra- tion farms across the Midwest to show side-by-side results of crops planted with and without cover crops. The Soil Health Partnership intends to publish its findings and develop best practices. The University of Missouris Myers says more research will certainly help the cause. There is a need for more research he says adding that we know enough to make solid predictions about the benefits cover crops bring to a field. As benefits become more widely known and more widely proven its going to help us increase the adoption of cover crops. Patience is also key to cover crop success. Groff says if weather and other conditions are optimal in a growing season he might not see much benefit from his cover crops. But over the long term there is value. Groff points specifically to organic matter in his soil which was down to 2 percent 20 years ago. Today he says its above 5 percent. I cant promise you will get a yield increase every single year that you plant a cover crop Groff explains. But there are other issues that come into play. If anything can help with soil health its cover crops. Tight margins can also be an issue. If it takes several years to see a return on the investment that might be a difficult trig- ger to pull. Guys were more interested in trying this when corn was 6 per bushel Isermann adds. Still cover crops have come a long way since farmers like Groff were toying with daikon radishes in the 1990s. Species are being developed for specific regions and growers are starting to use mixes of multiple species to maximize benefits. Hall says those who still havent seen the need to incorpo- rate cover crops into their farming operation might be swayed as the technology and proof get better. Weve barely scratched the surface Hall says. SW ernstseed.com salesernstseed.com 800-873-3321 Native seeds for Pollinator Habitat Restoration Reclamation Sustainable Landscapes Conservation Biomass