COVER CROPS  

Summit for Finding Common Ground in Controlling Agricultural Nonpoint Sources of Nutrients

THE SUMMIT

Purpose

Accepted Principles

Central Questions

Participants

Logistics

Reports

EUTROPHICATION

What is it?

U.S. Assessments

International Efforts

Management Programs

AGRICULTURAL SOURCES

Relative Importance

Fertilizers

Animal Wastes

Soil Mineralization

Management Practices

Cover Crops

POLICIES

Economic Analyses

Clean Water Act

State Statutes

Pending Legislation

One approach to controlling the loadings of nutrients into groundwater and surface waters is the planting of cover crops, which reduce soil erosion and hold nitrogen in the root zone.  Background on the use and effectiveness of cover crops is provided by:

• University of California Cover Crop Resource 

• Sustainable Farming Connection 

• Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas 

• Penn State University Cover Crops and Conservation Tillage 

• University of Maryland Focus on Cover Crops 

• Maryland Department of Agriculture Cover Crop Cost Share Program 

Last updated September 17, 2001