Flexibility is Key with Cover Crops
Tara Desmond
April 30, 2025
Every year brings new lessons for cover crop management and 2025 is no exception. Here are a few timely insights for the season:
- Growth is behind this year
- Due to a cold and slow March and April, cover crops haven’t reached the height or growth stages we’d typically expect by now.
- Less growth can be good
- Lower biomass may make planting into residue easier and improve seed-to-soil contact.
- Termination timing needs to stay flexible
- Don’t stick to a calendar date. Base your decision on this year’s conditions.
- Soil moisture matters
- In a dry year, early termination helps preserve moisture for your cash crop.
- In a wet year, live cover crops can help draw moisture out to allow timely planting.
- Lean on trusted resources
- Whether it’s a seed advisor, retailer, or experienced neighbor, don’t hesitate to ask for help or advice.
- Share and learn from mistakes
- Often, the most valuable advice comes from farmers willing to share what didn’t work.

By Tara Desmond
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October 15, 2026
Jenny Webb has spent her career in Illinois agriculture. Now she’s about three months into a new job as president of the Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association (IFCA), the group that represents the ag retailers, applicators and suppliers who get fertilizer and crop protection products to your farm when you need them. Webb came to IFCA from Illinois Farm Bureau. She’s new to the fertilizer and chemical side of the business, but not to farmers or to the policy and regulatory issues that affect them. IL Corn sat down with her to talk about what she’s learned so far, the issues facing Illinois ag retailers, and why the work happening behind the scenes deserves more credit than it gets.





