AgriLife Extension to host Cover Crops in Blackland Farming program on Feb. 20 in Thrall

Cover crops, climate-smart incentive program will be featured

February 6, 2024 - by Abby Read

The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the Stiles Farm Foundation will host a Cover Crops in Blackland Farming program on Feb. 20 at the Stiles Farm in Thrall.

a close up of young green wheat that could serve as a cover crop in the Blackland region — Cover crops, such as wheat, will be discussed at the Cover Crops in Blackland Farming program held at the Stiles Farm in Thrall on Feb. 20. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo by Michael Miller)

The free event is scheduled for 8-10:30 a.m. at the farm, located at 5700 Farm-to-Market Road 1063. Registration will begin at 8 a.m. Coffee and breakfast tacos will be provided.

For more information, contact Ryan Collett, Stiles Farm Foundation farm manager, at 512-898-2214 or [email protected].

Program focus and topics

The program will focus on cover crop management and help introduce producers to the Texas Climate-Smart Initiative.

Topics will include the following:

Grazing covers with cash crops study review: Texas Climate-Smart Initiative introduction – Julie Howe, Ph.D., professor and associate department head for undergraduate programs, Texas A&M Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Bryan-College Station.
Managing cash crop fertility with covers – Jake Mowrer, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension state soil fertility specialist and associate professor in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Bryan-College Station.
Stocking rates and cattle nutrition management with winter/summer annual cover crops – Jeff Goodwin, Ph.D., director, Center for Grazinglands and Ranch Management and Texas A&M AgriLife Research assistant professor in the Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Bryan-College Station.
Group discussion of the Texas climate-smart incentive program details.