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Massachusetts NRCS begins aerial cover crop seeding of 5,122 acres via helicopter into standing corn as a soil conservation BMP.

John Vogel, Editor, American Agriculturist

August 11, 2016

2 Min Read

After finishing aerial cover crop seeding in New Hampshire, a helicopter will soon be flying over 5,122 acres of Massachusetts cornfields, dropping winter rye grass seed. The aerial seeding was scheduled between Aug. 10 and mid-September in townships across Massachusetts, on a roughly northwest to southeast schedule.

The goal is to improve soil health by establishing a cover crop to protect the soil after corn harvest. Farms sign up for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and participate voluntarily.

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This year, it’s part of 55 contracts involving $452,583 of USDA’s EQIP financial and technical assistance for the conservation best management practice. Participation is substantially higher this year, compared to last year when the BMP practice began.

Cover crop seed is released from a hopper hanging beneath a low-flying chopper. By interseeding the rye into corn, the seed establishes under the corn canopy before the corn is harvested. In New England, if farmers apply a cover crop after harvest, it can be too late in the season for it to establish well enough to provide full benefits.

Nonfarming neighbors need to know their farm neighbors are caring for the land by participating in this project, says Rita Thibodeau, the Natural Resources Conservation Service district conservationist coordinating the statewide effort. “It’s a very controlled seed application that uses GPS to track the helicopter’s flight path and precisely map where seed is distributed.

“One of the big principles of soil health is to keep something growing on the surface of the ground at all times,” Thibodeau says. “The cover crop will keep the ground covered in the fall, winter and spring.”

Aerial seeding isn’t new, she says. But GPS technology is an enhancement that makes the practice more efficient and effective. Weather and other variables determine exact flight schedules, she adds. But the seedings take place between mid-August and mid-September.

About the Author(s)

John Vogel

Editor, American Agriculturist

For more than 38 years, John Vogel has been a Farm Progress editor writing for farmers from the Dakota prairies to the Eastern shores. Since 1985, he's been the editor of American Agriculturist – successor of three other Northeast magazines.

Raised on a grain and beef farm, he double-majored in Animal Science and Ag Journalism at Iowa State. His passion for helping farmers and farm management skills led to his family farm's first 209-bushel corn yield average in 1989.

John's personal and professional missions are an integral part of American Agriculturist's mission: To anticipate and explore tomorrow's farming needs and encourage positive change to keep family, profit and pride in farming.

John co-founded Pennsylvania Farm Link, a non-profit dedicated to helping young farmers start farming. It was responsible for creating three innovative state-supported low-interest loan programs and two "Farms for the Future" conferences.

His publications have received countless awards, including the 2000 Folio "Gold Award" for editorial excellence, the 2001 and 2008 National Association of Ag Journalists' Mackiewicz Award, several American Agricultural Editors' "Oscars" plus many ag media awards from the New York State Agricultural Society.

Vogel is a three-time winner of the Northeast Farm Communicators' Farm Communicator of the Year award. He's a National 4-H Foundation Distinguished Alumni and an honorary member of Alpha Zeta, and board member of Christian Farmers Outreach.

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