Perennial Groundcover on Farmland Field Day

Wednesday, November 1, 2023 - 1:00pm to 3:00pm

Cover crops help prevent nitrate loss and protect soil from erosion, but also add work to plant in the fall. What if you could have a cover crop that you only had to plant once? Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will examine this topic during a field day, Wednesday, Nov. 1, at Gaesser Farm, 2507 Quince Ave., Corning, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The field day is open to the public.

Participants will learn about recent research on the use of perennial groundcover on farmland, explained Raj Raman, Morrill professor in agricultural and biosystems engineering at Iowa State and director of the Regen PGC – Regenerating America’s Working Landscapes to Enhance Nature Resources and Public Goods through Perennial Groundcover. Regen PGC researchers are looking at ways to make year-round groundcover on cropland commonplace. Field day attendees will have the opportunity to learn about using perennials as groundcover within corn and soybean systems, view plots of perennial ground cover, hear system management and chemical suppression tips, and learn about economic opportunities perennial groundcover offers.

Raman encourages people to "come learn about the potential of perennial cover crops, as well about the challenges of this new approach, and the steps we're taking to make this system more workable for farmers."

Those who plan to attend the field day are asked to RSVP online.

Additional information about the RegenPGC project can be found on the RegenPGC website.

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