The Role of Cover Crops in a Comprehensive Duke Farm Soil Health Initiative

Duke Farms Foundation will work with a group of 4-6 EQIP eligible farmers to share information and techniques in a timely manner as well as to cover practical issues that arise in using a multi-species cover crop, to understand the individual farmers’ goals for participating in the NRCS program, determine how they measure their success, review the data on soil health and what appears to work and determine any barriers to their continued use of cover cropping systems. Duke Farms Foundation will hold at least 4 public programs and establish a demonstration for Duke Farms’ visitors and farmers over the three years – to promote the use of cover crops in the region, establish cover crop demo plot near farm , hold annual demonstrations of the roller crimper as part of the Professional Development Workshop series, present annually at the NJ Agricultural Conference, present information at annual Rutgers Twilight Meetings, and other public outreach.