CARD

Cover Crop Practices in Iowa 2015–2020

December 2022  [22-SR 119]

Sriramjee Singh, Alejandro Plastina, J Arbuckle

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Suggested citation:

Singh, S., A. Plastina, and J. Arbuckle. 2022. "Cover Crop Practices in Iowa 2015–2020." Staff report 22-SR 119. Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, Iowa State University.


Abstract

This report presents data collected through five annual waves (2015–2020) of a survey on Iowa farmers’ use of cover crops, administered by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) to farmers who visited local conservation field offices and who had received technical assistance and/or cost share related to cover crops. The 3,039 responses shed light on Iowa farmers’ rationale and motivations to use cover crops, the timing of planting and termination, the types and extent of varieties used, and farmers’ preferred information sources. Since the survey methodology did not follow a scientific design, results cannot be extrapolated beyond the sample.