Project Overview
Annual Reports
Commodities
- Agronomic: annual ryegrass, barley, buckwheat, clovers, corn, peas (field, cowpeas), radish (oilseed, daikon, forage), rapeseed, rye, sorghum sudangrass, soybeans, triticale, wheat, Corn silage
- Animal Products: Dairy manure
Practices
- Animal Production: manure management
- Crop Production: cover crops, cropping systems
- Education and Training: demonstration, extension, workshop
- Production Systems: agroecosystems
- Soil Management: green manures, nutrient mineralization
Abstract:
This project will increase the knowledge and capacity of agency staff and agricultural professionals including Technical Service Providers to help them increase farmer adoption of cover crops in the various regions of Wisconsin. Cover crops need to be demonstrated at a local level to encourage adoption since successful use is highly dependent on local soils and weather. We will host a series of professional development outdoor learning events at cover crop demonstration sites around the state to teach best management practices.
Agency staff and professionals will use the information that they learn at these outdoor learning events with their farmer clientele to increase farmer’s successful use of cover crops. Our overall goal is to increase the farmer’s initial success with cover crops in hopes of long-term adoption.
Project objectives:
The goal of this project is to increase the confidence and proficiency of agency personnel in delivering research-based recommendations to their clients with an ultimate goal of increasing long-term cover crop acreage in Wisconsin.
Targets:
Conduct eight learning events across Wisconsin in 2016-17.
400 agency staff (NRCS, County Land Conservation Department, Extension, Temporary Service Providers) will attend learning events and apply gained knowledge in work with clients.
Produce and distribute educational materials including launch and maintenance of the “Cover Crops in Wisconsin” website.