Kansas State University research scientists and extension specialists will host a field day event Tuesday, Aug. 24, to discuss and demonstrate cover crop management options for soil health and water quality benefits in livestock operations.
The program begins at 9:30 a.m. and ends at 2 p.m. The event is free, and lunch will be provided at the site near Marquette. Directions from Kanopolis reservoir are 1 mile south on KS-141 and 1.25 miles east on Avenue T.
“Cover crops are not only important for long-term water supply and soil sustainability, but for our agricultural producers’ bottom line,” said Augustine Obour, a professor of soil science at K-State’s Agricultural Research Center in Hays.
This field day will showcase how growers can use cover crops to improve soil health and protect water quality by the reduction of sediment and nutrient losses. Participants will also hear about how K-State researchers have been evaluating cover crop management options in water-limited environments, a concern for growers in central and western Kansas.
 Speakers at the event will include local producers and landowners, Kansas State University researchers and extension agents, and representatives from the Ellsworth County conservation district.
More information, including registration, are available online from the Kansas Center for Agricultural Resources and the Environment.