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Talk of Iowa, hosted by Charity Nebbe
Talk of Iowa

Cover crops offer many benefits. Why isn't more farmland used this way?

By Charity Nebbe,
Dani Gehr
Published May 31, 2023 at 7:00 AM CDT
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Talk of Iowa, hosted by Charity Nebbe

Acres dedicated to cover crops tripled over the past 10 years, but cover crops remain a small portion of farmland, despite the practice's environmental and agricultural benefits. On this episode of Talk of Iowa, Charity Nebbe speaks with an agronomist, a policy expert and a farmer about the benefits of planting cover crops and why they aren't used more broadly.

Later, Nebbe speaks with Jeremy Parsons, the Iowa State Fair's new CEO who has dreamed of taking reign of the fair since childhood.

Guests:

  • Mark Licht, associate professor in agronomy and extension cropping system specialist, Iowa State University
  • Jonathan Coppess, associate professor and director of the Gardner Agriculture Policy Program, University of Illinois
  • Aaron Lehman, Iowa Farmers Union president
  • Jeremy Parsons, CEO of the Iowa State Fair
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Talk of Iowa EnvironmentIowa State UniversityIowa State Fair
Charity Nebbe
Charity Nebbe is IPR's 'Talk of Iowa' host. She also hosts IPR's podcasts 'Garden Variety' and 'Unsettled'. Since 2010, Nebbe has interviewed, conversed with, and shared ideas from guests of all backgrounds and locations, and has helped listeners better understand, appreciate, and explore their state and the world around them. Nebbe has a bachelors degree from Iowa State University.
See stories by Charity Nebbe
Dani Gehr
Dani Gehr is a talk show producer for Iowa Public Radio. She holds a bachelor's degree from Iowa State University. Since 2022, Gehr has worked with IPR's talk team to bring news and features to IPR's listening audience.
See stories by Dani Gehr
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