Sustainable cover-crop farming practice faces one big limitation: Land to produce seeds
Thursday, June 11, 2020 - 08:10
in Earth & Climate
As farmers around the globe look to grow food more sustainably—with less water, fertilizer, pesticides and other environmental impactors—the use of cover crops is becoming more popular. These crops, which are often grasses or legumes, or many other types of plants, are generally grown between the harvest and planting season of the land's main cash crop, to reduce erosion, build soil fertility and control weeds, among other benefits. Their use has jumped in recent years. From 2012 to 2017, U.S. cover crops increased to 6.2 million hectares, an increase of 50%.