COVER CROPPING
Cover Cropping and Pasture Cropping have advanced tremendously over the past twenty years around the world, in long-term research in poly-planting (multiple species) that achieve several benefits concurrently with soil structure improvements, mineral recycling through increased microbial diversity and biomass.
New varieties, poly species mix selections that are individually tailored to “what you want to achieve” with a cover cropping program are part of our service, along with modification and new designs in tillage/planting equipment all contribute to improved efficiencies and enhanced outcomes with cover cropping programs.
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Goal Setting plays a crucial role in"what you want to achieve"with your cover cropping program.
Some of the goals you may want to set through integrating multiple species, cover cropping with your production system include; positive changes in soil microbe biomass, open soil structure, improved water infiltration, fracking compacted soil, reduced erosion, weed suppression, increase organic carbon levels and nutrient cycling, reduced fertiliser and chemical costs, unlock minerals through years of applying acid-treated fertilisers, , increased soil carbon levels, provide lasting dry matter residue and supplementary hay production. Cover crops will improve the asset value, whether it’s a no-till, minimal till or conventional till production enterprise.
It has been estimated by the CSIRO that more than $10 billion dollars worth of phosphorus alone are locked-up in Australian agricultural soils, as tri-calcium phosphate, that can only be unlocked by certain soil bacteria and fungi!! Cover crops can contribute towards releasing vast amounts of minerals currently unavailable.
STEP 1.
DISCOVERY REVIEW
Identify all the limiting factors contributing to sub-optimal productivity and profitability
STEP 2.
GOAL SETTING
Select the goals that you want to achieve with the cover cropping program within these three categories;
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Highest Priority
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Higher Priority
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High Priority
STEP 3.
COVER CROPPING PLAN
The cover cropping plan sets out the plant species required for the goals set, planting timing and the monitoring plan to measure the program performance against the cover cropping goals.
To the left of the ruler -
no cover cropping
To the right of the ruler -
after cover cropping