Practical Farmers of Iowa Announces Spring Cover Crop Field Day
News Release
For Immediate Release
April 8, 2008
Contact: Sarah Carlson, Practical Farmers of Iowa, (515) 232-5661, sarah@practicalfarmers.org
Practical Farmers of Iowa Announces Spring Cover Crop Field Day
AMES— What’s the Cover Crop Craze? Join Practical Farmers of Iowa, the National Soil Tilth Lab and Iowa State University researchers on May 6 from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm to view and learn more about the benefits of cover crops in corn and soybean systems. Find out how to take advantage of NRCS EQIP payments for cover crop usage. Hear about new software being developed to help with cover crop decision making. Registration begins at 8:30 am with coffee and rolls at the Iowa State University Agronomy Farm west of Ames. A tour of Iowa State University research farms will commence at 9:00 am. Lunch will be served at 1:00 pm. Tour topics include:
- Manure and cover crops
- Self-seeding cover crops
- Living mulches in a corn-soybean-forage rotation
- Corn silage and cover crops
- Variety trial of various cover crop species
- Winter triticale forage test
- Living mulches in corn for biofuel production
- Winter and spring canola variety trials
- Nitrate leaching work in relation to tile drainage and cover crop systems
Directions to the Iowa State University Agronomy Farm: From Ames, take Highway 30 west. The ISU Agronomy Research Farm is at the intersection of Highway 30 and U Avenue.
RSVP by May 1st to Sarah Carlson, (515)232-5661, sarah@practicalfarmers.org. Practical Farmers of Iowa’s work on cover crops is supported by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Green Lands Blue Waters, and effort to keep our valuable soil covered.
PFI is a non-profit sustainable agriculture group dedicated to farming that is profitable, environmentally sound, and healthy for consumers and communities. Founded in 1985, PFI has over 700 farmer and non-farmer members throughout Iowa. For more information, call 515-232-5661 or visit www.practicalfarmers.org.
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