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Farmers finding herbicide savings through cover crops

Some farmers are finding savings on herbicide costs by incorporating cover crops. 

Nathan Johanning, commercial agriculture educator with the University of Illinois Extension, says research shows that spring termination of cover crops can deter yield-robbing weeds.

“A cover crop isn’t going to give you 100% weed control, but it can give you maybe 50% weed control that your herbicides don’t have to do because you have some residue that’s suppressing and interfering with weed germination” he says.

AUDIO: Nathan Johanning – U of I Extension

Central Illinois farmer Brian Corkill, who’s been utilizing covers for over a decade, tells Brownfield, “We’ve been able to cut back applied fertilizer probably by 40%.”  He says, “And then I would say herbicides were probably in that range too. Last year, out of our corn acres, I probably only sprayed second pass of herbicide on 10% of my corn acres. So that was a big savings.”

Johanning says as instances of herbicide resistant weeds increase and margins tighten; farmers are exploring all options to protect their yields.

Brownfield spoke with both at the 2026 Midwest Covers & Grains Conference in Washington, Illinois.

AUDIO: Brian Corkill – Illinois farmer