The role of cover crops in improving soil biological health

Cover crops are grown primarily to build and maintain soil health. They can increase the productivity of soil and its resilience to stress by increasing soil organic matter, improving soil structure (via improving aeration, water holding capacity, and drainage as well as preventing soil loss), retaining and recycling nutrients, suppressing diseases and pests (including weeds), and thus helping to promote subsequent cash crop growth. The many benefits of their use explain why cover cropping is a core strategy for soil health management initiatives in the United States, promoted by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) ( http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/soils/health/mgnt/ ).