Green Lands Blue Waters Nov. 22, 2013 Matt Ruark UW-Madison Tom Kaspar USDA-ARS Ryan Stockwell NWF Jill Sackett UMN Extension COVER CROPS: UPDATE ON THE MIDWEST COVER CROPS COUNCIL & CURRENT ISSUES
Activities of the Midwest Cover Crops Council State-level Nutrient Reduction Strategies Industry & USDA funded research National Wildlife Federation 2013 UPDATE
MWCCC WEBSITE 21,276 unique visitors 33,973 total visits 108,175 page views 123 countries All 50 states 383 users on Listserv 233 likes on Facebook
Number of hits COVER CROP SELECTOR TOOL
Field crop selector tool 3,001 visits 2,211 unique visitors 42 countries Vegetable crop selector tool 1,334 visits 1,138 unique visitors 27 countries Expansion – northeastern US, eastern Canada COVER CROP SELECTOR TOOL
26,841 copies printed $5 each COVER CROP FIELD GUIDE
Making Sen$e with Cover Crops Workshop February 28 & March 1, 2013 – London, ON MCCC MEETING
NATIONAL CONFERENCE IN OMAHA
COVER CROPS & STATE LEVEL NUTRIENT REDUCTION STRATEGIES
Corn-CAP Dairy-CAP COVER CROPS AS PART OF USDA AFRI- CAP GRANTS
Understanding cover crop use in soybean production systems PI: Dale Mutch, coPI: Dean Baas Co-investigators: Eileen Kladivko – Purdue University Shaun Casteel – Purdue University Tom Kaspar – USDA-ARS Don Wyse – Univ. Minnesota Jim Hoorman – Ohio State Univ. Richard Hoormann – Univ. Missouri David Clay - SDSU Sharon Clay - SDSU Matt Ruark – Univ. Wisconsin NORTH CENTRAL SOYBEAN RESEARCH PROGRAM
Research objectives: Conduct surveys and interviews with soybean farmers (cover crop users and non-users) about cover crop use and determine what information farmers need. Collaborate with MCCC members and other interested researchers to develop a management guide for cover crop use & soybean production. Assess and prioritize future research needs to increase cover crop use in soybean production for the North Central Soybean Research Program. NORTH CENTRAL SOYBEAN RESEARCH PROGRAM
Hiring of Sarah Carlson Washington DC Fly-In Cover crop champions Addressing cover crop and crop insurance issues NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION
2013 Prevent Plant Increase in aerial seeding Future of MCCC leadership OTHER BIG ISSUES