A diverse panel covered the topic of cover crops at the ASTA CSS 2015 and Seed Expo this week, exploring how the practice is starting to hit the mainstream.
David Pearl with the CISCO Companies in Indianapolis, who serves as chair of the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) Cover Crops Working Group, says this was the first full cover crops session at the CSS/Seed Expo. “It’s seed and that ties in with corn, soybeans, wheat and sorghum,” said Pearl, who noted that he was very pleased with the diverse perspectives presented on the panel and the standing room only attendance at the session. Interview with David Pearl, CISCO Companies
The panel included a farmer, seed dealer, and farm organization representative, with perspectives from DuPont Pioneer and Monsanto as well. “We really need collaboration across all of the industry,” said Nancy DeLong with DuPont Pioneer. “Everyone needs to be thinking about how we can improve the tools that farmers use for conservation practices.”
Learn more about what DuPont Pioneer is doing to spread the word about cover crops in this interview: Interview with Nancy DeLong, DuPont Pioneer
Monsanto’s Kevin Coffman talked about the importance of agriculture in the overall environmental picture with the focus on climate change. “Because we’re unique in agriculture that we’re in the photosynthesis business – cover crops, corn and soybeans all have a role in sequestering carbon,” said Coffman. He also talked about the initiative announced by Monsanto just last week “to make agriculture part of the solution” to climate change, and he discussed the role of the Soil Health Partnership in educating farmers about cover crops and other conservation solutions. Interview with Kevin Coffman, Monsanto
ASTA CSS 2015 and Seed Expo Photo Album
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