Livestock producers will greatly benefit from USDA’s decision to allow cover crops planted on prevented plant acres to be harvested September 1. National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Policy Committee Chair and Minnesota producer Donnie Schiefelbein says they lobbied hard for the change in Washington. He says moving the deadline up two whole months will improve the quantity and quality of feed that can be harvested from those PP acres.
He says livestock producers will need the extra feed with a shorter corn crop this year and a potential shortage of hay and forages.
Schiefelbein says the challenge has been trying to find cover crop seed because as soon as USDA made the announcement there was a rush on the market.
The cover crop harvest date was previously November 1, but due to the widespread prevented plant situation this spring USDA moved the date up.
