Cover Crops & IPM: Managing Pests by Working with the System

Join us for a webinar with Dr. John Tooker, Professor and Extension Specialist in Entomology at Penn State, for a research-based look at how cover crops, no-till management, and integrated pest management (IPM) interact within cropping systems.

Dr. Tooker will share insights from his research in no-till, and cover-cropped systems, including what farmers are learning about planting green and its potential value. He will also explore how soil health practices can influence pest and beneficial insect communities, with particular attention to slugs, the soil food web, and the unintended effects insecticide and neonicotinoid seed treatments can have within these systems.

Participants will gain a better understanding of how management decisions aboveground can influence biological relationships throughout the cropping system, as well as opportunities to rely more on ecological processes while reducing unnecessary insecticide use.

Bring your questions and join us for a practical, science-based discussion of how cover crops, planting green, and IPM can work together to build more resilient cropping systems.

This webinar is offered through Farmers for Soil Health, an initiative designed to increase cover crop adoption by providing technical assistance, financial incentives, and educational resources. Whether you are new to cover crops or looking to refine your approach, these sessions provide practical insights that can be applied in the field.