By SHELLY STRAUTZ-SPRINGBORN
Michigan Correspondent

EAST LANSING, Mich. — A new tool is aimed at making cover crop management easier for farmers. Michigan State University extension and the Midwest Cover Crops Council (MCCC) have teamed up to release an online aid that helps farmers in deciding what cover crops will benefit their row crop rotation.
The Cover Crop Decision Tool is an initiative by the MCCC to consolidate cover crop information by state or province, to help farmers make such selections at the county level. A team of cover crop experts – including university researchers, extension educators, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) personnel, state departments of agriculture, crop advisors, seed suppliers and farmers – develop information for each state or province.

“The MCCC hopes the cover crop selector tool will encourage the use of cover crops by providing the information and decision-making help necessary for farmers to successfully use cover crops in their cropping systems,” said Dean Baas of the MSU extension W. K. Kellogg Biological Station Land and Water Unit.

Find the tool at http://mccc.msu.edu/SelectorTool/2011CCSelectorTool.pdf
Application of the cover crop tool is simple: Users select their state or province and county. They may also give information on their cash crops, including planting and harvest dates, field information such as the soil drainage class, artificial drainage or flooding and desired cover crop benefits.

The system’s dynamic interface is easy to navigate and allows users to immediately see how their input changes cover crop options. An information sheet also may be generated for a selected cover crop, which provides additional information and references relevant to application within the state or province.

Reporting features show users which cover crops are best suited for their areas and include seeding dates and growing periods. The report also shows cover crops that are not suitable for use in a particular area, based on the conditions cited by the farmer.

The current version of the tool has been completed for Michigan, Indiana and Ohio, while other states and provinces are presently developing their information. When completed, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Ontario, Canada, will be added to the Web-based system.

For more information, contact Dean Baas at baasdean@msu.edu or 269-671-2412, ext. 260.