Idaho Natural Resources Conservation Service and Partners Expand Cover Crop Technology In Idaho.

Throughout Idaho there are many situations where cover crops would benefit the soil and farming operations. During 2010, NRCS and partners promoted cover crop technology through several activities such as cover crop demonstration plantings at the Plant Material Center in Aberdeen, Idaho and with the Yellowstone Soil Conservation District (SCD).   Additionally, the SCD received national Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI) funds to reduce wind erosion using cover crops in a wheat-potato rotation with 10 farmers signing up for the first year.  Idaho NRCS developed an Agronomy Technical Note to improve the knowledge of employees and producers on cover crops.  Idaho NRCS also refined the cover crop payment schedule for the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) Organic Initiative to make it more applicable to organic producers.  Idaho NRCS listed cover crops as a priority issue for the state Conservation Innovation Grant program leading to the University of Idaho Extension being awarded a three-year grant to evaluate cover crop nitrogen mineralization rate and the applicability of the Oregon State University cover crop calculator.  The University of Idaho Extension is also evaluating yield and quality of 12 annual forages to determine their value for both cover crops and grazing. These activities and others will be documented during the poster session.