2019 has tested the resolve of many farmers. So it was refreshing to experience an overall optimistic environment at the 6th annual National Strip-Tillage Conference in Peoria, Ill. Many of the 338 farmers, researchers and industry professionals assembled with a shared objective of making lemonade out of lemons in 2019, but they also sought opportunities to rebound in 2020.

Cover crops are an important component of any cropping system. Planting them immediately after silage or grain harvest is key to success, according to researchers at Penn State University.

The decision to use cover crops is like getting married. It takes time, a little money, commitment and a willingness to listen to make it work for the long-term. A grower has to be committed to doing whatever it takes to get covers seeded so they can do their part, according to long-time cover crop grower Myron Johnson of Headland, Ala.