The Midwest Cover Crop Council’s cover crop decision tool was recently updated for Iowa.
This winter a group of Iowan researchers, agency staff, seed dealers, and farmers came together to provide input to Midwest Cover Crop Council to update Iowa’s data in the cover crop selector tool.
The update reflects research and experience gained since the last update to Iowa’s data in 2019. Some of the changes you will see in the tool include:
- Recommended seeding dates have been adjusted to reflect the most recent 30-year climate normal from NOAA.
- Seeding dates for each cover crop species are specific to each county based on climate data.
- Ratings for each cover crop species have been reviewed.
- Several species recommended seeding dates have been changed to reflect new research and experiences.
- 13 new species have been added:
- Forage cabbage
- Sugarbeet
- Phacelia
- Lentil
- Chickling vetch
- Balansa clover
- Sweetclover
- Faba bean
- Proso millet
- Foxtail millet
- Japanese millet
- Pearl millet
- Spring triticale
To see the new species and explore the changes visit https://covercroptool.midwestcovercrops.org/
Ethan Thies is the statewide conservation field specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach. He helps promote conservation practices throughout the state and assists the Midwest Cover Crop Council in facilitating cover crop adoption in the Midwest.
