Cover crop biomass accumulation and root growth depend on when the cover crop is established. This determines how much cover the cover crop provides and this is important for erosion control, especially when establishing a cover crop in a tilled seedbed, or with no-till in low residue situations.

Farmers are eager to harvest soybeans and corn, but fields are soggy after significant snow and rainfall over the past week. Sjoerd Duiker says the compaction threat is therefore very considerable.