Introducing Nuseed Carinata, an entirely new contract cover crop opportunity with on-farm agronomic, economic, sustainability and carbon reduction benefits, is exciting and challenging. “Once growers understand all the benefits, including additional income from existing farmland, and know the Nuseed team is there to support them, they are keen to take the next step in adding Nuseed Carinata to their crop rotations,” says Nuseed Carinata Business Manager Sebastian Bravo based at the new Nuseed Innovation Center in Venado, Argentina.
The Nuseed Carinata contract provides growers with additional revenue from existing farmland without disrupting typical crop rotation or food production and rewards sustainable farming practices to supply the low-carbon biofuel feedstock. That’s in addition to the known agronomic benefits of growing a cover crop between main food crops.
According to the most recent Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) 2019-2020 cover crop survey farmers who used cover crops in 2019 ranked yield benefits of cover crops high. Additionally, the survey indicated that growers were also motivated by cover crops’ abilities to deliver other benefits, like weed control, soil health, erosion control, livestock grazing and more.
Growers indicated reduced herbicide costs in soybeans (38.7% of producers), corn (39%), wheat (31.9% of producers) and cotton (70.6%). The most common level of savings was $6 to $10 per acre. Among the farmers who did not report a cut in herbicide applications or costs, a majority still reported improved weed control with the use of cover crops.
With the combination of an added revenue opportunity on top of the agronomic benefits and the improvement of existing farmland the Nuseed Carinata program stands to be the catalyst for a substantial increase in cover crop acres worldwide to meet low-carbon biofuel demand. That’s good for our air, soil and for growers.
