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year to year. Cover crops require water to grow, “We are dedicated to responding to the needs of
so during periods of drought when there is less producers, and this flexibility is good for agri-
growth, there will be less for the cattle to eat. culture and promotes climate-smart agricultural
“It is fully dependent on how much rain you practices,” Richard Flournoy, the acting RMA
get,” he said. administrator at the time. “We are glad we can
better support producers who use cover crops.”
In semiarid and arid regions of Texas where
water is scarce, Texas A&M soil scientist Paul
DeLaune said planting cover crops for grazing
is how cover crops “make the most sense” for
producers in the region.
“I believe if done correctly, it can provide a soil
health benefit as well as economic incentive to
producers,” he said.
However, many factors impact the moneymak-
ing potential of that system. Cattle producers
need to consider how many cattle they put on
cover crop acres and for how long they graze
because too intensive of grazing can diminish
the amount of biomass in the soil, which, in
turn, eliminates some of the soil health benefits
of cover crops. Additionally, the costs of fencing
and providing water for the cattle can reduce
Cattle .graze .in .a .cover-cropped .field . .Photo: .Ben .Dwire
the economic viability of cover crop grazing in
expansive and dry regions.
Dwire also rents out some of his cover crop
acres to his neighbor for grazing, which brings Producers “need to make money if they’re
him an extra $35 to $40 per acre. Plus, since he integrating cattle and sometimes that takes some
charges roughly $1.30 per pair, it can help save time,” DeLaune said. “So it kind of goes back
his neighbor some money as well. to the logistics of not only fencing, but water
sources. You have to work within the environ-
“He’s saving anywhere between 70 cents and ment that you have.”
$1.50 per cow by grazing on the cover crops
and I’m getting a little extra money off of my Amy Mayer contributed to this report.
cover crops,” he said. “It helps pay for the seed
for me.”
Previously, RMA reduced prevented planting
payments by 65% if producers hayed, grazed
or chopped cover crops before Nov. 1, but the
agency changed the rule this year and opened
up the program to allow producers to receive
100% of the payment, even if they hayed,
grazed or chopped before the deadline.
36 www.Agri-Pulse.com
