www.sare.org resources sustainable-production-and-use-of-on-farm-energy Sustainable Production and Use of On-Farm Energy High and fluctuating energy costs have caused economic challenges for many of the country’s farmers and ranchers. For this reason, more producers are seeking alternative energy sources to improve their...
www.sare.org resources organic-production Organic Production In 1992, there were 3,587 organic operations in the United States. Almost 25 years later, that number has more than quintupled to 24,650 certified organic operations as of 2016. What...
www.sare.org resources how-to-conduct-research-on-your-farm-or-ranch How to Conduct Research on Your Farm or Ranch This 32-page Ag Innovations Series technical bulletin provides detailed instruction for crop and livestock producers, as well as educators, on how to conduct research at the farm level using practical...
www.sare.org resources farmer-panel-on-cover-crops Farmer Panel on Cover Crops In this panel, farmers Skip Paul (Rhode Island), Jeff Frey (Pennsylvania) and Perry Lilley (Maine) share their experiences with cover crops, including their motivation for using them, successes and challenges,...
www.sare.org resources cover-crop-field-tour-recap-and-debrief Cover Crop Field Tour Recap and Debrief Attendees of the Cover Crops for Soil Health workshop have a short discussion reflecting on their tour of the long-term farming systems research project at the USDA Beltsville Agricultural Research...
www.sare.org resources managing-soil-health-with-cover-crops-beyond-the-basics Managing Soil Health With Cover Crops: Beyond the Basics In this session, leading experts dive deep into the soil-related benefits of cover crops. Ray Weil (University of Maryland) discusses the physical benefits, including improved water infiltration and aggregate stability,...
www.sare.org resources cover-crops-as-part-of-an-overall-nutrient-management-system-2 Cover Crops as Part of an Overall Nutrient Management System In this session, Steven Mirsky (USDA-ARS) discusses the role of cover crops in integrated fertility management and maximizing nutrient availability, as well as the role of grasses versus legumes and...
www.sare.org resources evaluating-and-improving-cover-crop-performance-and-adoption Evaluating and Improving Cover Crop Performance and Adoption Many of the benefits of cover crops are known and their use is increasing, but more can be done to evaluate and improve their performance and adoption. In this session,...
www.sare.org resources cover-crops-current-and-future-directions Cover Crops: Current and Future Directions This plenary discussion on current and future directions in cover crops features Greg Roth (Penn State, presenting on behalf of Scott Rushe, Seedway), Ramona Garner (USDA-NRCS Plant Materials Center) and...
www.sare.org resources managing-cover-crops-for-ecosystem-services-in-vegetable-systems Managing Cover Crops for Ecosystem Services in Vegetable Systems Natalie Lounsbury (University of New Hampshire) discusses how to manage cover crops for such ecosystem services as: suppressing weeds, attracting pollinators, cycling nutrients, promoting biological diversity and controlling erosion. This...
www.sare.org resources fitting-cover-crops-in-vegetable-rotations Fitting Cover Crops in Vegetable Rotations Ron Morse (Virginia Tech, emeritus) shares how to successfully fit cover crops into a vegetable rotation, including establishment methods, matching the right species to the right methods, recommended rotations and...
www.sare.org resources establishment-methods-for-cover-crops-and-cash-crops-in-grain-production-systems Establishment Methods for Cover Crops and Cash Crops in Grain Production Systems Steven Mirsky (USDA-ARS) and Greg Roth (Penn State University) provide a rundown of common establishment methods for cover crops: aerial seeding, interseeding and post-harvest drilling. They also discuss the importance...
www.sare.org resources cover-crop-cocktails Cover Crop Cocktails Cover crop mixes, or cocktails, can do a lot, but can also be complex to put together. Mitch Hunter (Penn State University) discusses the principles of how to assemble different...
www.sare.org resources cover-crop-planting-dates-and-seeding-rates Cover Crop Planting Dates and Seeding Rates In this session, Matthew Ryan (Cornell University) discusses the necessity of proper establishment timing and seeding rates for maximizing cover crop performance. He explains how knowledge of the interaction between...
www.sare.org resources overview-of-cover-crop-developments-nationwide Overview of Cover Crop Developments Nationwide Rob Myers (North Central SARE, University of Missouri) reviews data from three years of a national SARE/CTIC cover crop survey, including yield and economic data, and gives examples of new...
www.sare.org resources the-farmer-field-day-toolkit The Farmer Field Day Toolkit Field days are educational events held on-farm or on-ranch. They are organized and hosted by the producer, oftentimes in collaboration with agricultural educators. The events usually include demonstrations of specific...
www.sare.org resources conservation-generation Conservation Generation Conservation Generation is a new short film by the National Young Farmers Coalition (NYFC) about four young farmers and ranchers in the arid West. The Colorado River irrigates 15 percent...
www.sare.org resources investing-in-the-next-generation-of-agricultural-scientists Investing in the Next Generation of Agricultural Scientists The challenges that farmers and ranchers face today are growing more and more complex, and the cornerstone of the SARE program is the idea that sustainable solutions to these challenges...
www.sare.org resources cover-crops-for-soil-health-workshop Cover Crops for Soil Health Workshop This three-day professional development workshop, hosted by Northeast SARE and Delaware State University in March 2016, addressed the latest research on the benefits and successful management of cover crops in...
www.sare.org resources systems-research-for-agriculture Systems Research for Agriculture Farmers today face a complicated host of environmental, social and economic pressures: protecting water and air resources, mitigating greenhouse gases, conserving biodiversity and limiting soil erosion, all while trying to...