If you have read any of Alltech’s other blog posts on mycotoxins, you know the many hazardous effects mycotoxins may have on livestock animals. In poultry production alone, mycotoxins have been linked to mouth lesions, yellow livers, gizzard erosions and poor gut integrity. Many of the world’s biggest poultry integrators pay very close attention to their grain and feed quality because of the effects these challenges may have on poultry health and on profit margins.

When it comes to organic poultry production, however, the more stringent regulations also present unique challenges.

First, there is the challenge of supply and demand. According to a survey conducted in 2014 by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, sales of U.S. organic products have increased 72 percent since 2008. Demand for organic and non-GMO broiler chickens, turkeys and eggs is also strong and is expected to double in the next decade. In response to the increase in demand, local producers have been expanding their organic and non-GMO production. A 2016 article from WattAgNet.com summarizes the rapid growth that organic poultry has had. From 2000 to 2014, organic broiler production grew by 96 percent, organic layer flocks grew by 89 percent and turkey production grew by 35 percent.

Even though the poultry industry has been very quick to respond to consumer demands, the supply of certified organic and non-GMO grains has been slower to react.

The U.S. is the largest corn producer in the world, but in 2011 it was estimated that organic corn represented only 0.26 percent of production. Today, about 4 percent of food sales are organic while only 0.5 percent of U.S. farm acreage is dedicated organic. With a limited supply, buyers are often forced to accept higher levels of broken kernels and imperfections in their grain.

The case for grain quality

Grains with broken kernels and imperfections usually contain higher levels of molds and mycotoxins. Most of the mycotoxin-producing species of molds are soil-born fungi, which can survive and remain in fields for long periods of time. With modern agricultural practices such as no-till methods, incidences of fungal contamination appear to be increasing. The presence of corn stems and infected ears remaining on the soil surface from one year to another may serve as a source of inoculums, contributing to the increased incidence of contaminated grains (Mora and Moreno, 1984).

According to Duarte et al. (2008), fungicides can reduce the incidence of Fusarium molds in corn grain, but the use of fungicides is not allowed when growing organic corn. 

Managing a hidden mycotoxin threat

To protect our food chain, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration imposes limits for mycotoxin levels in food and feed. This was highlighted in a 2016 alert by the National Grain and Feed Association to remind everyone of the acceptable levels. To meet the standards of organic production as well as these limits, organic producers are limited in terms of mycotoxin risk management and gut health prevention tools.

Management strategies and the implementation of a thorough program are necessary to prevent exposure to mycotoxins. Checking grain quality by utilizing industry-approved standards to collect samples and submitting them to a high-standard testing laboratory is a good start, followed by routine maintenance of feed mills to eliminate possible contamination in the milling process. Certified organic mycotoxin control agents in the diets should also be utilized to help prevent or offset the impacts mycotoxins can have on overall performance.

To learn more about Alltech’s program for managing mycotoxins, visit www.knowmycotoxins.com.

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Mental health plays a critical role in well-being and efficiency at work, yet it is a topic that currently has very little resonance in the farming sector. In a profession where practical solutions and “toughing it out” are seen as the principal ways to face difficulties, very few seek professional psychological support although studies have indicated farming has one of the highest suicide rates of any occupation.

The statistics are staggering. One farmer ends their life every two days in France. In India, one farmer commits suicide every 30 minutes. In 2014, Newsweek called the issue an international crisis.

When it comes to mental health in the agriculture sector, no continent is spared. Crushing debts, low yields, health issues, loneliness, environmental catastrophes, falling prices of agricultural commodities, shifting land rights, national laws, supranational policies and lack of employment benefits are among the many contributors to depression in farming. Farmers face incredible pressure in their daily tasks in addition to the long work hours they put in. It’s a 365-day job with very little rest. Additionally, a single event that can seem insignificant for the rest of the population, such as a warmer summer or a few cents increase in commodity prices, can have dramatic repercussions for farmers’ livelihoods.

Due to the nature of their occupation, farmers do not have access to the internal psychological support some companies would provide through a human resources department. They must find support elsewhere, either through their peers or by consulting a medical professional. Some studies have shown that the latter is rarely done by farmers, not only because some feel reluctant to seek outside help, but also because it remains a costly and often unavailable service due to remoteness or lack of specialists. The challenges lead some farmers to abandon their family farms and a life’s worth of hard work, while others might find a refuge in alcohol, and unfortunately, the difficulties seem so insurmountable to some that ending one’s life feels like the only option.

What can we do to reduce distress in the farming profession?

In a world where the number of farmers is decreasing while global population is soaring, let’s remember that farmers play a critical role in our very sustenance. More than ever, we need to support them in their endeavors.

Through education and awareness programs, we can encourage farmers to seek professional help in times of distress and make counseling a refuge. Specialized associations have been created to offer psychological support to farmers and help them overcome their daily difficulties, but these initiatives remain largely underdeveloped, especially in some regions of the world.

The first step, arguably, is in taking away the stigma of acknowledging the need for support for oneself, friends or family. Be aware of your own mental health, and take note of changes in family, friends, employees or neighbors. Then, reach out to a support network, many of which can offer confidential counseling services and some of which are specific to the unique needs of the agricultural community.

What can you do?

If you are suffering, please do not bear the burden in silence. Share your concerns with someone you trust or contact the resources below.

If someone you know is struggling, be there to support them and share resources like those below that can offer professional assistance.

Lastly, all of us can do a better job of supporting farmers, ranchers and producers, the very source of our sustenance. We can do this as agvocates on social media, in conversations with friends and family, and in our political systems.

A few support networks for farmers:

Farm Aid

1-800-FARM-AID (1-800-327-6243)

farmhelp@farmaid.org

farmstrong.co.nz

rural-support.org.nz

http://www.msa.fr/lfr/solidarite/prevention-suicide

http://www.ifa.ie/cross-sectors/farm-family/mental-health/    

https://icsaireland.ie/policy/mental-health/

The way producers use and purchase antibiotics has begun to change, with further regulations from the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) going into effect Jan. 1, 2017. What restrictions are being put into place? How will they affect producers? What do you need to know to be prepared? Dr. Darrell Johnson, director of regulatory services at the University of Kentucky, shared all you need to know in the webinar “What does the VFD mean for me?” Here, we look at some of the highlights.

Antibiotic usage has traditionally had four purposes: treatment, control, prevention of illness and low-level feeding to promote feed efficiency. Moving forward, feeding antibiotics for feed efficiency will be eliminated completely, and only on-label use of antibiotics will be allowed. Antibiotics for the first three reasons listed above will be allowed, but only with a veterinary feed directive if in feed or a prescription if in water. Injectables are not affected at this time.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found in a 2013 report that half of prescriptions given to humans are unnecessary. This misuse contributes to growing antimicrobial resistance as bacteria become resistant to drugs to which they are exposed. Though it is uncertain what role antibiotic use in livestock production plays in the overall problem, the FDA is already taking preventive action regarding antibiotic use in livestock, targeting drugs that are medically important to humans.

Veterinarians will begin to play an even more critical role than before in the feeding of antibiotics through feed or water, since the status of many antibiotics will be changed from over-the-counter to prescription or veterinary feed directive only. The goal is to keep veterinarians involved in decision making about the feeding of these drugs, even though a veterinarian is not required for their administration.

Antibiotics affected by the U.S. Veterinary Feed Directive 

Starting Jan. 1, 2017, the following antibiotics will require a prescription:

7 key takeaways

• As of Jan. 1, 2017, claims for production and feed efficiency on veterinary feed directive medications will be eliminated.
• Sales of these drugs will require a veterinary feed directive if going into feed and a prescription if going into water.
• Feed companies and distributors will have to register with the FDA if distributing veterinary feed directive feeds.
• Veterinarians must prescribe the veterinary feed directive and retain the original copy, and both client and distributor must maintain a copy for two years.
• Veterinarians must have a valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship to write a veterinary feed directive prescription.
• Veterinary feed directive prescriptions may be sent to distributors by veterinarians or by hard copy delivered by clients.
• Manufacturers of the drugs will assist vets and feed companies with the paperwork.

Because of these changes, it’s more important than ever to learn about options and opportunities to help maintain health and growth in livestock.  Bio-Mos® and Actigen® are unique feed supplements of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which benefits dairy cattle by fundamentally maintaining gut health and stability. To learn more about non-antibiotic options, contact your local Alltech office.

Click here to view the webinar.

For more information, visit:

University of Kentucky Division of Regulatory Services: www.rs.uky.edu

Feedstuffs: http://feedstuffs.com/vfd.aspx          

FDA Website: http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/DevelopmentApprovalProcess/ucm071807.htm   

Downloadable poster: http://www.rs.uky.edu/regulatory/feed/vfd/vfdnotice.pdf               

Combatting stressors in coffee production

In many homes throughout the world, the day starts with a cup of coffee. Very likely, that cup originated in Brazil and, particularly, in Minas Gerais.   

Minas Gerais, the fourth-largest state in Brazil and second only to São Paulo in population, offers great diversity not only in geography, but in agriculture. Varying climates, soil types and elevations make it possible for the state to produce crops ranging from bananas and corn to potatoes and sugar cane, with coffee being the state’s number one crop.  

This variability in terrain also leads to adverse conditions for the coffee plant caused by temperature, nutritional deficiencies and higher relative humidity, which affect the final formation of the coffee. Proper plant nutrition can aid the plants in combating these stressors and reaching their production potential.

Recently, Alltech Crop Science opened a new production facility in Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, which will not only increase opportunities for residents in the area, but will provide greater availability and quality of service for growers in the region.

“The city is a prime example of logistic infrastructure for Brazil, so moving to this area (the Triângulo Mineiro) will benefit many of our customers,” said Ney Ibrahim, director of Alltech Crop Science in Brazil.  

Marcelo Vieira, a producer who grows approximately 500 acres of coffee, has been using the Alltech Crop Science solutions on his operation for several years and has seen greater uniformity and improvement in plant health.

“Later, these positive aspects are reflected in the mature coffee and in the quality of the beverage and, of course, in our pockets,” affirmed Vieira.  

Vieira’s results illustrate Ibrahim’s vision for Brazil – a growing realization that better solutions and management practices lead to greater results. 
 

Have a question or comment?

An interview with Dr. Karl Dawson

The following is an edited transcript of our interview with Dr. Karl Dawson, vice president and chief scientific officer at Alltech. For Karl’s full bio, click here.

Before you joined Alltech, you were head of the University of Kentucky (UK) animal science department for 20 years, and you still serve as an adjunct professor with UK. You have a unique insight from being in the private sector business as well as academia. How do we interest the next generation in ag science?

That’s a real interesting question because there’s been a gap develop between what we call agriculture, particularly animal science, and the technologies that are being developed today. As a scientist, I think the technologies are really exciting, but sometimes it’s kind of hard to get the next generation, particularly the people from rural America and agriculture, to get excited about the same things. We have a lot of unique technologies. We talk about molecular biology and the things we can see with molecular biology; most farmers I talk to, most siblings from farmer’s kids that are coming off the farm, do not have a good understanding of what those things are, so we have this gap that we need to fill.

What we’re finding is that often times just the university education is not enough to give them confidence and the ability to lead in agriculture through using these technologies. One of the things we are doing right now is looking at a lot of outside programs that go beyond their degree and beyond academic training to see how we can interest students in doing those things. It starts at a very young level. We have programs that are set up at the elementary school. On our staff in research, we have two liaisons that do nothing but interact with college, high school and elementary students to get them interested in what we’re doing in terms of science and how that can be incorporated into farm life.

Other programs that are very interesting are those that are competitive. We have an innovation program, where we have students build projects that will become a business plan themselves, taking technology and applying it to specific problems. It’s an outside-of-the-classroom activity that gets students excited. There is nothing like seeing them light up when they win an award for a project.

We have, at a higher level up, a career program. This is built around the idea that students who come out of college need that little extra boost and piece of information. We actually take students and embed them into the business situation and, in some cases, right on the farm so they get to know the animals and what the farm business really looks like. This is before they go out and try to set up their own business or work within a commercial business.

The take-home message is that we really need to give experience, hands-on experience outside of the classroom. That’s really becoming almost a requirement for our people as they move into our business.

That certainly makes sense. As a professor, and on the Alltech side as the head of our research program, are the up-and-comers that you’re seeing from an agriculture background, or do they come into agriculture by chance because of other things they are interested in?

You run into both kinds. I came up through the agricultural school system, so I’m used to land-grant universities and the kids that came from the farm. But I actually looked at the list of students that were competing in our Young Scientist awards, and I asked them: How many of you are from an agriculture background? Of the 15 sitting in the room, only two raised their hands. You know, the kids are gravitating to agriculture because they see some of the applications that can take place.

It’s almost reverse of what we think. We think about children leaving the farm and never coming back. These are students coming in from urban environments, from science environments, and wanting to understand what’s going on on the farm.

That’s encouraging and fascinating.

It really is. You think about that and it really reflects the excitement of agriculture research and application technology. I kind of coined a term I’m going to use in my presentation here talking about the “farmer technologist”; that is the kind of people who will probably be our leaders in the future.

Dr. Karl Dawson spoke at ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference. Audio recordings of most talks, including Karl's, are now available on the Alltech Idea Lab. For access, click on the button below.

According to the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, a record $6.5 billion in agricultural cash receipts was reached for Kentucky in 2014. Yet, while wheat is a staple for Kentucky farmers, profitability remains challenging.

Alltech Crop Science has conducted trials on 82 crops in 34 countries, but they also believe in working with local universities to provide cutting-edge technology for the state’s grain crops.  The challenges faced with wheat in particular represented an opportunity for research to deliver practical solutions. Therefore, Chelsea Jacobson, Alltech Crop Science research coordinator, recently conducted a nearly yearlong trial in partnership with the University of Kentucky to study the effect of amino acids on soft red winter wheat production.

The research focused on the foliar application of nitrogen (25–75 percent protein) in the form of amino acids at two key stages:

1. Late tillering (Feekes Growth Scale 3–4)
2. Early boot (Feekes 7–9)

The timing of the first application was important for several reasons, said Jacobson.

“Tillering begins in fall and will not be complete until early spring,” she said. “Head size is determined during this stage, as well as the number of spikelets per spike.”

Both of these play a key role in grain yield.

It’s important for producers to take measures to improve yield before Feekes 5, Jacobson noted, as the wheat plants emerge from the cold period of weather. The second application, at early boot stage, is just as critical.

“It’s important to protect the flag leaf from disease and other stressors during this time,” added Jacobson. “This supports grain fill and is crucial to high yield.”

The study showed a numerical increase in grain yield and test weight for the treated wheat compared to the control, reported Jacobson. One amino acid treatment showed a yield advantage of 4 bushels per acre.

Another benefit was a numerical decrease in grain moisture at maturity.

“This can help farmers get into their fields quicker and get their crops harvested,” noted Jacobson.  

Organic nitrogen delivered to the plant in the form of amino acids provides a source of organic carbon to encourage soil microbial populations.

“Plants must synthesize their own amino acids,” reported Jacobson. “This technology can ultimately reduce the plant’s workload and allow for an optimized uptake of plant nutrients.”  

Alltech’s unique fermentation technology provided a nutrient-dense application. Products in the company’s nutrition portfolio have a consistent profile of 18–20 amino acids.

“Through proper nutrition, plants can reach their maximum genetic potential,” said Jacobson.  

While yield and return on investment are key to today’s commodity prices, natural nutrition can in many cases also help farmers reduce the need for synthetic inputs.

“It’s all about keeping plants healthy and taking a more natural, bioavailable approach,” concluded Jacobson. “Farmers are looking for alternatives to synthetic chemistry. This new research shows the benefits of amino acid technology.”

Have a question or comment? 

Course condition makes or breaks the experience for golfers, determining their club loyalty. The critical task of top turf management literally starts at the ground level, taking into account plant health and protection.

“Turfgrass health and uniformity all start with nutrition,” said Kwame Duffy, Alltech Crop Science sales manager.

Duffy has been working with several turf managers to incorporate natural biological products into their management programs.

Nitrogen and potassium are two key components for high-quality turf. Turfgrass diseases can stem from either excessive or low levels of nitrogen as well as climate conditions that could be favorable to disease development. Having the ability to adjust nutritional imbalances directly and on an as-needed basis can provide the ability to combat turf disease.

By maintaining a healthy nutritional balance through the addition of biologicals, the potential for pest and disease pressure can be inhibited. Foliar nutrient applications and slow release nitrogen can provide for healthy plant growth.

Duffy gave an example with bentgrass.

“Bentgrass can be tricky to maintain, especially for courses located in the southern states,” he said.

During the recent hot months, bentgrass would normally be stressed. On a golf course that recently incorporated biologicals, the grass grew well and established new roots during June and July, said Duffy.

“The turf was 10 times healthier than if it had been untreated,” he said.

Pesticide use was cut by 30–40 percent and fungicide use was cut in half.

“It’s pretty impressive,” stated Duffy. “The addition of biologicals helped the plants defend themselves naturally. It’s the only thing the golf course superintendents did differently, and they are getting these great results.”  

In the future, Duffy believes some of the courses may be able to completely eliminate fungicides because of the results they are seeing.

Strategies for a future with increasing pesticide regulation

“The most important shot in golf is the next one.” – Ben Hogan

The turf industry is facing a future similar to that of the agriculture industry, with increasing regulation regarding pesticide use. Natural biologicals to protect turf from pests and disease will play a key role in this future.

“With these new management programs, we’ve seen more efficient application and a complete redirect of every dollar spent toward improved disease resistance,” said Duffy.

Ultimately, golf course superintendents are managing all course inputs for the best return on their investment, whether their budget is $30,000, $200,000 or $1 million, he said.

The importance of finding the best turf management strategies can’t be downplayed.

“Your horticulture practices are key to whether you have a golf course or not,” said Duffy.

During ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference, attendees at the International Welcome Dinner were greeted by a VIP guest, a 6-ton Keenan mixer wagon, also known as the “Green Machine.” After the recent Alltech acquisition of Keenan, Dr. Pearse Lyons, founder and president of Alltech, wanted to share the story of Keenan and show people what this mixer has to offer.  

The Keenan mixer wagon is the brainchild of Richard Keenan. Having first seen a total mixed ration (TMR) mixer wagon in the U.S., he wanted to make a real difference for farmers. He brought the idea to Ireland in 1978 and began improving upon it, tailoring it to suit the Irish animal diet. He went on to develop a system that was suitable for Northern Europe. The first Keenan mixer wagon was built in 1983; there are now machines in more than 35 countries across the globe.

The secret to the wagon’s success is the technology behind it. No matter what feed and forages you use, there are two things that are crucial: the quality and the consistency of the mix. Independent research shows the mix needs to be the same, day in and day out, to deliver the best results. That means evenly, thoroughly mixed feed that is never over- or under-mixed, with ingredients that are consistently added in the same order and ratios. The wagon does all this and more. It breaks down the mix to produce fibers with clean-cut ends, which help provide an optimum rumen condition when digested by the animal. This “optimal physical mix” allows for greater absorption of energy and nutrients.

François Derot, general manager of Keenan in France, discussed how farmers using the mixer wagon have seen an improvement in feed efficiency at ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference.

“What makes this machine special is that it creates a unique mix, which is made by retaining fiber structure to ensure optimum feed efficiency,” said Derot. “Thanks to its gentle mixing action, the mix is left light and fluffy. The technology behind the mix is where nutrition comes into play.”

But there’s more to the Green Machine than meets the eye. PACE Connect, a small box that sits on the Keenan mixer wagon, provides farmers with guidance on the order of loading and mixing and the number of paddle revolutions to achieve this optimal physical mix. This technology draws on Keenan’s ingredient database, which separates feed types into eight different categories. This small box provides the farmer with the correct loading sequence and the paddle revolutions needed.

The PACE Connect database currently holds details on over 10 million categorized ingredients drawn from over 1,700 farms in a wide range of countries. This technology utilizes the mobile phone network to connect the mixer wagon to a secure site that can be accessed by authorized users from anywhere in the world on any web-enabled device.

This information can then be accessed by Keenan nutritionists, who can offer live support through their InTouch technology. Here, a live review service ensures the herd gets exactly what it needs every day. The nutritionists provide constant advice on how to improve the TMR to enhance the performance of the herd. This allows farmers to manage herd health, ration formulation, weight gain and yield.  

Between Alltech’s primacy in science and Keenan’s manufacturing strength and technological know-how, Alltech has a winning combination to deliver greater farm efficiency and profitability directly to its farming customers.

The corn earworm is considered one of the costliest pests for crops in North America. Alonna Wright hopes to find a cure that can stop the menace and keep farmers around the U.S. happy.

Wright, a rising senior at the University of Kentucky (UK), won the 2016 undergraduate Alltech Young Scientist (AYS) award with her research on the biological control of agricultural pests.

“Winning the AYS award was a very surreal experience, and one of the most memorable of my life,” said Wright.

Wright said she entered the competition just hoping to get an honorable mention to put on a resume. She never imagined winning.

“It means so much to me personally, but also to be able to share my research on a global platform and bring awareness to this problem, which costs our farmers billions of dollars in damage each year, is a privilege that some scientists may not ever be able to have, and one that I don't take for granted,” she said.

Fighting corn earworm with a nudivirus

Wright conducted her research at Paratechs, a privately held biotech company in Kentucky

“Virology is a field that continues to captivate me with each new thing I learn about it,” she said.

Virology is a branch of science that deals with the studies of viruses and viral diseases. According to Wright, viruses are very important to study and continue to study “in order to prevent harmful viruses and utilize the capabilities of other viruses to benefit the greater good.”

Wright’s research specifically dealt with the Heliothis zea nudivirus.

“This virus affects some populations of the corn earworm, or Helicoverpa zea, which is an agricultural pest that causes billions of dollars in damage to the crops they feed on; they feed on 123 known hosts,” she said.

In nature, the virus causes approximately one-third of the corn earworm population to become sterile.

“What we have done here at ParaTechs is we have mutated the virus to cause 100 percent sterility in the population,” said Wright.

“My specific project was determining the interaction between those viruses, using a superinfection research model, to determine if the presence of the wild-type virus would prevent our mutant virus from causing the high rate of sterility that we expect,” continued Wright. “Our results showed that presence of the wild-type virus would not decrease the rate of sterility in the insects due to our mutant virus.”

With this research, Wright hopes to market this mutant virus as a substitute to some pesticides used for corn earworm control and to supplement the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) plants that are currently on the market.

What’s next for Wright

Wright, who is an agricultural biotechnology student at the UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment with minors in psychology and microbiology, believes agriculture is very important for the future.

“Agriculture is a very prevalent field of study in America, especially in Kentucky,” said Wright.

She believes that “home-grown” pride has brought agriculture back into the spotlight, and she encourages the younger generation to pursue a career in agriculture.

Wright’s plans are to utilize the full funding that she received from Alltech as part of her AYS award to complete her Ph.D. in a genetics-related program. Afterward, she plans on working in the industry on cutting-edge technology to help advance agricultural products and techniques. 

Wright’s dream would be to work as a research scientist in a research company.

“I really enjoy being in a lab and the thrill that molecular research can bring on a daily basis, and I'd love to be able to do what I enjoy every day when I go into work,” said Wright.

Are you looking to improve soil health and your area’s water quality? Kentucky farmer Jim Wade believes you should look no further than the addition of cover crops to your farm operation.

Cover crops can help with nutrient trapping, erosion prevention and weed reduction.

Nutrient trapping and erosion prevention

Wade plants three- and four-way mixes/combinations of various seeds with cereal rye. The use of a cover crop mixture that contains two or more species is often more effective than a planting of single species cover crop. Wade has experimented with cover crop combinations that include red clover, crimson, vetch and Austrian winter peas.

His cover crops provide extremely good winter cover and help prevent soil erosion. The cereal rye has deep roots, Wade noted, making the soil more porous and increasing its water-holding capability.

“My fields planted with cover crops don’t have brown runoff,” said Wade. “I measure for compaction and never find any.” 

Building soil health is very important. Over time, a cover crop regimen increases soil organic matter, leading to improvements in soil structure, stability and increased moisture and nutrient-holding capacity for plant growth.

Cover crops also add organic, living matter to the soil with the degradation of their roots, explained Chuck McKenna, Alltech Crop Science territory sales manager. McKenna cited a research demonstration by the University of Kentucky in which one field plot has been no-tilled for more than 30 years.

“There is nearly a difference of 10 inches in soil height between that and the rest of the area,” he noted, referring to the building of organic matter.

No-till is almost a requirement when incorporating cover crops, added Wade. On his farm — where he raises corn, soybeans and wheat — he has been practicing no-till on 100 percent of his acres for more than 10 years.

Weed reduction

Another issue led Wade to experiment with cover crops: weed resistance.

“The first thing I noticed after trying cover crops was that I no longer had a horseweed (marestail) problem,” said Wade.

This year, he has a split test on corn acres.

“The test looks to be very definitive,” he said, in favor of those with cover crops.

With reduced weed pressure, Wade has been able to cut his herbicides cost in half.

Additional return on investment

Although today’s commodity prices are low, this is not the time to cut back on exploring cover crops, suggested McKenna.

“Many farmers think they can’t afford to plant cover crops or think they don’t have the time to incorporate them into their operations,” he added. “If they put a pencil to it, they would see that they can’t afford not to!”

Wade is one of many farmers participating in the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). He has enrolled 600 of his 1,000 acres in the cost-sharing program.

In 2016, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service is making $150 million available for agricultural producers through the CSP. It is estimated this will help add 10 million acres to the USDA’s largest conservation program.

With yield being the main way to increase profit, Wade happily reported that he believes he will see a 10 percent yield increase in his soybean fields this year.

Local adaption

As with any early adopter, Wade has had to adapt current technology to keep up with changing needs. With a background including training in engineering, he has modified his equipment to fit his cover crop strategy.

Crimpers are a good idea, Wade suggested. He has also custom built a 60-foot planter for planting into cover crops.

“It’s heavier than it used to be, and I use as much down pressure as I can get,” he said.

To plant the cover crops, Wade has a Hagie highboy sprayer that has been modified for broadcast seeding.

In conclusion, McKenna believes the addition of cover crops are a win-win for producers.

“They fit into an overall plant and soil health scheme,” he said. “They can complement — not replace —conventional programs.” 

Have a question or comment?