Cover Crops & Soil Health: Harvesting the Potential

February 18, 2014


Soil health is a new initiative of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The National Conference on Cover Crops &amp; Soil Health in Omaha, Nebraska kicks off this major effort. The beginning of the conference will be broadcast live by webinar on Tuesday, February 18, (10:00 am â?? 11:45 am) to Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County, Auburn, NY and simultaneously to 200 other NRCS/ SWCD/Extension offices across the country. A free meeting featuring the webinar will begin at 9:00 am with registration, refreshments and introduction by the USDA-NRCS State Conservationist, Don Pettit and soil health demonstrations. At 10:00 am, Howard G. Buffett, and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack (invited), will lead the webinar by discussing: The Big Picture: Conservation, Cover Crops and Soil Health. Howard Buffett is an IL farmer, a conservationist and a philanthropist.<br><br>Four Midwest cash crop farmers, Dan DeSutter, IN, Dave Brandt, OH, Clay Mitchell, IA, and Gabe Brown, ND, noted for their focus on soil health, cover crops and conservation tillage, as well as farm profitability, will describe the benefits from their soil management. Their diverse cover crop use ranges from cereal rye and ryegrass, to crimson clover, hairy vetch, and oilseed radishes.<br><br>Following the webinar there will be discussion and feedback by farmers of the local challenges and successes in cover cropping, reduced tillage and soil health. We will discuss interest in forming a farmer soil health discussion group and to gather input for topics for a field day at the Cuddeback Farm in 2014. There will be information on assistance for growers trying new, good soil management practices and the Cornell Soil Health Test, from NRCS Conservationist Josh Hornesky, Oswego Co and Jason Cuddeback Cayuga County SWCD and Keith Severson Cayuga Co. CCE.<br><br>Directions: Search online for Cayuga Co. CCE and look in the â??about usâ?? tab for driving directions or use 248 Grant Ave. Auburn, NY 13021.<br><br>Funded by the USDA-NIFA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program and the Howard G. Buffett Foundation. Organized by USDA-NRCS staff, the Midwest Cover Crops Council, and the Soil and Water Conservation Society.<br><br>Cornell Cooperative Extension provides equal program and employment opportunities

Meeting Agenda (PDF; 535KB)