Soil Health Principle #4: Keep a living root!
Resources and information for cover crops in South Dakota
Cover Crop Selection
Cover crops provide seasonal vegetative cover on cropland resulting in many possible conservation benefits. Choices range from single species to diverse mixtures. Selecting cover crop species adapted to the production rotation, resource concerns present, and landowner goals is crucial for successful adoption of the cover crop practice.
- Cover Crop Table (PDF; 371.18 KB)
- Cover Crop Chart (ARS)
- SD-JS-340 Job Sheet (Cover Crop Seeding Plan and Record)
- SD Cover Crop Tech Note 16 (This technical note is to serve as a guide for installing cover crops according to the practice standard found in the South Dakota (SD) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Technical Guide.)
Cover Crop Management
Cover crops can be managed to meet many different producer objectives. Whether added to promote soil health or used for grazing, proper termination and utilization are essential cover crop management strategies.
- Cover Crop Prevent Planting
- The Use of Turnips for Extending the Grazing Season (sdstate.edu)
- Utilizing Annual Crops for Forage in Western South Dakota (sdstate.edu)
- Managing Cover Crops Profitability, 3rd Addition (SARE)
- Plant Cover Crops and Insure Your Cash (USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and Farm Service Agency(FSA) have jointly developed these guidelines for cover crops across all USDA programs.)