Attra - Sustainable Agriculture

In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Colin Mitchell sits down with Dr. Alexis Racelis of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley to discuss the use of cover crops in semi-arid subtropical environments.In particular, the conversation centers on the Subtropical Soil Health Initiative, a research partnership between NCAT and UTRGV to address soil health challenges in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.While cover crops are heralded as a regenerative agriculture tool to improve soil health, in drier climates integrating cover crops into farming systems can be challenging. Colin and Dr. Racelis discuss whether cover crops even can be detrimental in some scenarios and steal water from cash crops.Dr. Racelis is an associate professor with a joint appointment in the Department of Biology and the School for Earth, Environmental, and Marine Science at UTRGV. He leads the Agroecology and Resilient Food Systems program, which focuses on participatory research and education in resto