PEI Potato Board: Acreage of cover crops before potatoes has doubled in Canada

New numbers from the P.E.I. Potato Board show that on Prince Edward Island, Canada, the acreage of cover crops grown before potatoes has doubled. There's a lot more green in potato fields across Prince Edward Island in the months outside the traditional growing season. That's because potato growers are turning to cover crops as a way to make their soil healthier — and generate some extra cash. Researchers with the P.E.I. Potato Board have been tracking the adoption level of cover crops for the last few years, and the numbers are substantial. Ryan Barrett, research and agronomy specialist at the Potato Board: "The last few years we've really seen that number jump, so we're up to over 50 per cent of the acres that had potatoes in them last year had a cover crop in them from our survey." "About 50 per cent of the acres that are going into potatoes this year also had a cover crop last year. And that's a big change from what it used to be. Now, we have a lot of fields that are staying ...