Webinar covers incorporating cover crops into farm leases
Iowa Learning Farms will host a webinar about how to incorporate cover crops into a farm lease arrangement on May 16 at 12 p.m.
Cover crops are an important tool to help reduce soil erosion and nutrient losses while also improving soil health. On rented land, adding a conservation practice like cover crops involves the cooperation of both the landowner and tenant. Common questions arise in this situation, including who pays for the practice, how the agreement should be documented and long-term benefits to consider.
Charles Brown, farm management specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, will discuss best practices for adding cover crops to a farm lease arrangement. Brown owns and operates a small farm in Wapello County and works with farmers in a 13 county area on many issues related to farm management, including farm leases and cover crops.
“Water quality and nutrient reduction is important to everyone,” said Brown. “Cover crops are one piece of the puzzle to improve it.” Brown is in his fifth year of using cover crops on his own farm and will discuss his experience with cover crops in addition to farm lease considerations.
The Iowa Learning Farms webinar series takes place on the third Wednesday of the month. To watch, go to https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/ilf/ shortly before 12 p.m. on May 16 and log in through the guest option. The webinar will be recorded and archived on the ILF website for watching at any time at https://www.iowalearningfarms.org/page/webinars.