“One-size fits all is not the way to go with cover crops,” says Brandon Van Middendorp with LaCrosse Seed.
With a 100+ year history, LaCrosse Seed distributes seed for cover crops, forages, native grasses, turf grasses and wildflowers.
Cover crops have gone from a buzz word to mainstream in the past five years explains Van Middendorp.
Soil health and a focus on conservation practices have built an increasing demand for cover crops, and the high number of prevent plant acres in 2019 meant many more farmers used cover crops for the first time.
“A lot of farmers were able to see the benefits of cover crops and the weed control they can provide,” he says.
In the latest The Scoop podcast, Van Middendorp explains more about how retailers can find success with cover crop sales by earning the role of being the farmer’s trusted adviser:
“It’s important to be prepared and plan ahead,” Van Middendorp says.
He says providing custom blends and seed mixes is important. And La Crosse has helped retailers be prepared for conversations with farmers with technical support, marketing and programs and pricing.
