From cycling nutrients to reducing erosion to breaking compaction, cover crops offer a host of benefits to soil and fertility.

cover image of soil management book

Building Soils for Better Crops

Building Soils for Better Crops is a one-of-a-kind, practical guide to ecological soil management, now expanded and in full color.Download File (6.76 MB) | Online Text Version

Screenshot of an animated farm landscape

What is Soil Health

Soil health plays an essential role in raising healthy, productive crops and livestock. With this interactive infographic, learn how practices such as cover crops, no-till, crop rotation and the integration of livestock work in concert to improve soil health.

article on ten ways cover crops enhance soil health

10 Ways Cover Crops Enhance Soil Health

Soil health is a hot topic these days, one that is justifiably receiving considerable attention from farmers and their farm advisors. This short fact sheet highlights some of the key ways that cover crops improve soil health by influencing the biological and physical characteristics of the soil.Download File (608.79 kB)

Organic Fertilizer and Cover Crop Calculator

This free online tool compares the nutrient value and cost of cover crops, organic and synthetic fertilizers and compost. Use this Excel Calculator to develop well balanced and cost effective nutrient management programs for your farm.

Oregon State University fact sheet

Estimating Plant-Available Nitrogen Release from Cover Crops

This Oregon State University fact sheet explains the basics of plant-available nitrogen (PAN); when to kill cover crops for the maximum PAN benefit; step-by-step instructions on how to perform site-specific measurements to predict PAN from your cover crop; and case studies from the Willamette Valley.

Article cover with information

Cover Cropping: On-Farm, Solar-Powered Soil Building

This information sheet gives an overview of how to use cover crops to maintain good levels of nutrients and organic matter in the soil.Download File (213.88 kB)

ASA cover crop webinar series

Cover Crops, Soil Health Principles and Maximizing Yields

Learn about basic soil health principles and how cover crops are key to making those happen on your farm.

cover crop article with green title lettering

Combining Livestock, Manure and Cover Crops

A livestock and cover crop combination is the fastest way to profit from your investment.

Also, visit SARE's database for reports on these research projects:

Dig deeper into cover crops research: SARE has funded hundreds of research and education projects related to cover crops since 1988. This topic room features only a glimpse into SARE's entire portfolio of cover crop research. To discover more, visit SARE's database of projects and conduct full text or advanced keyword searches.