This has been one of those years...one that has brought a cold and wet spring which left many farmers deliberating over the decision to plant – or not to plant. Andrew Swenson, NDSU Extension farm management specialist sums up the dilemma:
“The question is whether to plant a crop late and accept the risk of lower yields and reduced crop insurance coverage or to collect a prevented-planting indemnity payment.”
The deadlines for this decision have come and gone, and if you chose prevented-planting there may be more things to consider. One is whether to plant cover crops on these acres or not. Bill Spiegel, writing for Successful Farming says there are numerous reasons for doing so, but it’s important to determine what you want to accomplish. Weed control, erosion control, moisture management, and forage use are some of the options. Here are some things to ask yourself:
- When is the earliest – and latest – you can plant a cover crop?
- What will you rotate into next year? The next cash crop may determine whether the cover crop you select winterkills or can overwinter.
- Are you planting for cover or do you want the potential of forage?
- How will you seed the cover crop you select? Will you broadcast or can you drill it?
- What herbicide or fertilizer program did you use before claiming the prevent-plant? Make sure the covers are compatible if you applied herbicide, and try to choose a cover crop that can cycle that nitrogen so it’s not lost.
- Be flexible. With the increase in demand for cover crop seed this spring, supply of popular species is limited.
Fallow Syndrome (when corn planted on cropland that has been idled for a season gets off to a slow start and shows symptoms of phosphorous deficiency) also needs to be considered. Having some sort of crop growing on the prevented-plant acres can counteract fallow syndrome, but not all cover crops can thwart it, states Greg Luce, Mizzou plant specialist. Some cover crops need to be mixed with host cover crops; typically grasses like cereal rye, wheat or oats.
Cover crops can also speed up your soil’s drying process by consuming excess moisture, and Lee Briese (Centrol, Inc of Twin Valley Agronomist) says think roots, not iron. Don’t remove water by tillage as that can create problems like compaction or creating a hardpan. Planting a blend of cover crops will prompt root growth and varying depths of canopy that will prevent those tillage issues.
One important attribute of cover crops is their ability to suppress weeds, so fit cover crops to the weeds you need to control. Your Extension agent, cover crop seed dealer, or the Midwest Cover Crop Council can help you determine which combination of cover crops, herbicides, and target weed species will work best for you.
Lastly, and this can’t be emphasized enough, TALK TO YOUR INSURANCE AGENT! First and foremost, you should be in close contact with your insurance provider to ensure you’re in compliance. Cover crops intended for forage cannot be harvested before November 1st, and once growers accept the indemnity for prevent plant, a cover crop cannot be harvested for financial gain.
A more favorable spring next year will mean you can avoid these difficult decisions, but keep this knowledge for future challenging years.
-Terry Olson, Titan Machinery
Resources:
https://www.agriculture.com/news/crops/planting-cover-crops-on-prevent-plant-acres-read-this-first
https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/farmmanagement/prevented-planting