Sowing Sustainability at the first annual Northeast Cover Crops Council Meeting
Northeast Cover Crops Council November meeting registration is now open

The potential benefits of cover crop use are well-known – decreased soil erosion, tighter nutrient cycling that can reduce the amount (and thus cost) of fertilizer that needs to be applied to a following cash crop, increased soil organic matter, yield resilience during years with challenging weather conditions, and the list goes on. On November 8-9, 2017, you can join other cover crop enthusiasts—experienced and novice alike—for a 2-day in-depth meeting focused entirely on cover crops.

The Northeast Cover Crops Council invites everyone to attend its first meeting open to the public, hosted by Cornell University and the USDA NRCS Big Flats Plant Materials Center. Farmers, students, researchers, extension educators, government and industry representatives, and others will gather to talk and learn about all things cover crop-related at The Statler Hotel, Cornell University (Ithaca, NY) on Nov. 8 and the USDA NRCS Big Flats Plant Materials Center (Big Flats, NY) on Nov. 9.

Sessions on Nov. 8 will feature experts providing proven real-world advice on cover crop use and will be held in the spectacular Statler hotel on Cornell’s campus. Speakers include industry experts, land-grant researchers, and experienced farmers who will share about their successes and failures, equipment, and stories working with cover crops. Sessions will focus on soil health, cover crop practices for no-till, pest management, cover crop mixtures, harvesting cover crops for forage, and more. There will be a catered lunch, and participants are enthusiastically encouraged to present their own work in a poster reception featuring local and seasonal refreshments and hors d’oeuvres. The field tour on Nov. 9 at the Big Flats Plant Materials Center will allow attendees to walk among cover crop variety and implementation demonstration plots and see specialized farming equipment.

This meeting will be a great opportunity to have your cover crop questions answered and network with cover crop experts from throughout the Northeast. The meeting is sponsored by the Northeast Cover Crops Council with funding from NE SARE, NYS Dept of Ag & Markets, King’s AgriSeeds, and Johnny’s Selected Seeds. The Northeast Cover Crops Council works to support the adoption and successful implementation of cover crops to enhance economic, environmental, and social benefits. Sponsorships have allowed us to keep registration prices low; please visit the Northeast Cover Crops Council registration website and register by October 27th. Contact Sandra Wayman at sw783@cornell.edu for more information.