Nick Bunse grows corn and soybeans on his farm near Newton, and so far this year has had a good stand of cover crop in spite of the drought. However, when he found out about the Farm Service Agency’s new reporting requirements for fall seeded small grains and perennial forage crops, he didn’t know what to think. Part of the stated goal of the December 15th deadline is to provide FSA with statistics showing the positive environmental impact producers have when they put down cover crops, but Bunse wasn’t buying it.
Iowa FSA’s Executive Director John Whitaker says Bunse’s not quite right when he says growing cover crops only affects his farm. In the clip below, Whitaker explains the thinking behind the requirement, clarifies the press release linked above, and addresses what happens if producers do not report cover crops.
