The 2018 growing season featured everything from severe drought to significant flooding. That all happened within the Illinois and Missouri geography in which Abigail Peterson serves as a field manager for the Soil Health Partnership.

“During the spring for the cover crop establishment there was great moisture in the ground,” said Peterson, “so we had some great cover crop growth during the spring and that’s when it really matters.”

As the season progressed, Peterson observed dryer weather, where nutrient deficiency became more prevalent than pressure from pests like slugs. For their neighbor across the Mississippi River, however, farmers were soon concerned about the infrequency of rain.

“Missouri was very dry across the board,” she said.

Peterson points out, however, that farmers are part of the Soil Health Partnership for five OR MORE growing seasons, giving a more accurate picture of what cover crops can do.

“Within those five years, that’s really what I’m looking for,” said Peterson. “Are these changes [resulting from cover crops] going to make a difference in the long run? You can really alleviate some of the that risk that comes with weather and pest control.”