Tag Archives: Economics

Estimated Costs for a Winter Cover Crop in an Annual Crop Rotation

Authors: Sarah Light – UC Cooperative Extension Agronomy Advisor, Sutter, Yuba, Colusa Counties; Margaret Lloyd – UC Cooperative Extension Small Farms Advisor, Yolo, Solano, Sacramento Counties; Helaine Berris – Graduate Student, UC Davis, Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources; Donald Stewart – Staff Research Associate, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, UC Davis; Brittney Goodrich – UC Cooperative Extension Specialist, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, UC Davis

View the full publication here: https://coststudyfiles.ucdavis.edu/uploads/pub/2022/09/28/2022covercropsbenefits.pdf

This cost study models the planting and management of a winter cover crop in a summer crop rotation planted in the lower Sacramento Valley of … Read the rest

Cover crop calculator – Economics

This interactive calculator is a decision-support tool that estimates the costs and benefits of winter cover cropping in almond and processing tomato operations in California’s Central Valley. The tool estimates how much farmers can expect their profits to change after growing winter cover crops for a certain number of years. All values that are used in the calculator are flexible and can be adjusted to match the reality on your farm. The tool was designed for farmers who are interested in growing winter cover crops and who want to understand how long it will for that investment to break even. … Read the rest

Oregon State University Cover Crop Calculator and User Guide

Link: https://smallfarms.oregonstate.edu/calculator

This free online tool compares the nutrient value and cost of cover crops, organic and synthetic fertilizers and compost. Use this Calculator to develop well balanced and cost effective nutrient management programs for your farm. Developed by Nick Andrews, Dan Sullivan, Jim Julian and Kristin Pool.

The OSU Organic Fertilizer and Cover Crop Calculator is a tool to assist with preplant nitrogen (N) input decisions. It forecasts the quantity of plant-available nitrogen (PAN) provided by inputs such as fresh organic materials, cover crop residues, and finished compost. The calculator is an Excel-based worksheet available for free download via the OSU … Read the rest

No-Till Case Study, Miller Farm: Restoring Grazing Land with Cover Crops

This free publication from ATTRA is a case study study on converting marginal cropland back to grazing land by planting several years of a diverse cover crop mixture containing legumes, tap roots, and more. For Ken Miller of Mandan, North Dakota, a cover crop cocktail helps break up the old plow layer, increase nutrient cycling, and improve productivity. Learn about his grazing system, how it’s working, and future plans.

Link: https://attra.ncat.org/product/No-Till-Case-Study-Miller-Farm-Restoring-Grazing-Land-with-Cover-Crops/

… Read the rest