Guest Post: Cover Crops Benefit Organic Farmers in More Ways than One
May 06, 2021
Many organic farmers want to reduce their reliance on traditional crop inputs. And one of the best ways to achieve this goal is by planting cover crops.
In addition to higher-yielding crops, most operations will benefit from improved soil health along with a wider range of crop marketing options.
Case in point: Justin Raikes. This fifth-generation farmer has been so impressed with the results of cover cropping on his Nebraska acres that he decided to launch his own seed business called Nebraska Cover Crop.
He’s inspired to share his experiences so that more organic farmers are aware of the benefits cover crops can provide.
The Decision to Go Organic
Justin runs a large family farm. About a quarter of the 4,500 acres are certified organic and they have 700 more acres in transition.
Justin says his decision to go organic is working out even better than he expected. Organic price premiums are a clear benefit, but so is improved soil health.
Last year, the corn plants in his fields looked strong and robust – even the ones growing next to an escaped waterhemp overwhelmed by Japanese beetles.