AMES, Iowa — Most Iowa farmers don’t use cover crops, according to new research from Iowa State University, despite the fact that it is a proven strategy to reduce nitrate levels in waterways.
Cover crops are a farming technique where crops, such as grass, are planted after the harvest season. The study says it’s not enough to simply introduce farmers to the technique; they need support to truly reap the benefits.
The research examined the use of cover crops in 2014, 2016 and 2018. J. Arbuckle was one of the researchers who found that only around 22.9% of Iowa farmers use the technique…