Equipping farmers to build resilient farms and communities.
Our featured farmer for this issue is Wayne Fredericks. Wayne and his wife, Ruth, farm in Mitchell County, just southwest of Osage. They raise corn and soybeans on 756 acres in a 50-50 rotation, and have been long-time users of no-till and strip-till. More recently, they have added cover crops to the operation.

Last week, Wayne held a field day discussing his cover crop playbook. He touched on termination methods specifically terminating rye before corn. Below you will find Wayne’s herbicide program and pictures from planting corn into a strip tilled rye field for a trial with Iowa Soybean Association's On-Farm Network (left) and corn emerging from the early terminated and delay terminated rye cover crop trial (right). 
Wayne’s 2019 Corn Herbicide Program: 
BURNDOWN (applied following planting) (32.09 pounds of nitrogen)
  • 8.5 gallons of 32 percent
  • 1.5 gallons of 12-0-0-26
  • 4.5 gallons of water
  • 1 quart SureStart II
  • 28 ounces of Weathermax
SCOUT
POST (Apply as needed depending on weed pressure)
  • 16 ounces of Callisto Extra
  • 22 ounces of Weathermax
  • 2 pounds of AM
PROGRAM UPDATE
If you intend to plant cover crops this fall and want to receive cover crop cost share please let us know by answering a few questions!

New to PFI's cost share programs are:

  1. Stack Funds: Private (ADM/Unilever or Cargill/PepsiCo) cost share dollars can be stacked with Public (NRCS, IDALS, Crop Insurance, etc.) funds.
  2. New to cover crops? Receive $40/A on up to 40A to give it a try. 
  3. Been using cover crops? $10/A on 160A or 10% of acres farmed, whichever is larger
  4. New to Iowa Cover Crop and their dealer network? Receive a seed and/or planting discount. (Must sign-up by July 1.)
W e're adding roller crimping to our cover crop business directory!
After talking and listening to farmers at the conference, we have noticed growing interest in roller crimpers. So if you or someone you know has a roller crimper and are willing to rent it out - please send your information to Sierra Becker by e-mailing sierra@practicalfarmers.org and we'll get you added to the 2019 version!
IN THE FIELD
In this study, farmer-cooperators created skip zones while seeding cover crops, and then planted corn into these skip zones to see if this method could be part of a proper management plan for corn following a cereal rye cover crop.

Farmer-cooperators created skip zones by using planters to seed cover crops in wide rows, or by plugging seed drill openers while seeding cover crops and ending up with cover crops in twin rows.
CSP application deadline is May 10
The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) deadline for applications is May 10. Find out more about the program here.
More resources on terminating rye ahead of corn:
COVER CROP POLL
Do you plant cover crops ahead of corn?
Yes, winter kill only
Yes, over-winter
No, only before beans
I don't currently plant cover crops
Previous poll results:
Have you seen a positive short-term return on investment from your cover crops?

  • Yes - reduced herbicide, increased yield, etc. - 71.4%
  • No - still a long-term investment - 17.9%
  • Unsure - new to cover crops - 10.7%
UPCOMING EVENTS
There are no upcoming cover crop-related events at this time.
Practical Farmers events are in blue. Non-PFI events are in red.
CONTACT OUR COVER CROPS TEAM
Alisha Bower
Strategic Initiatives Manager
(515) 232-5661
Sarah Carlson
Strategic Initiatives Director
(515) 232-5661
Shannon Kooima
Strategic Initiatives Assistant
(515) 232-5661
Sierra Becker
Sustainable Agriculture Assistant
(515) 232-5661