The Cover Crop Chart (v. 2.0) is designed to assist producers with decisions on the use of cover crops in crop and forage production systems. The chart, patterned after the periodic table of elements, includes information on 58 crop species that may be planted individually or in cocktail mixtures. Information on growth cycle, relative water use, plant architecture, seeding depth, forage quality, pollination characteristics, and nutrient cycling are included for most crop species. The Cover Crop Chart is easy to use, requiring only Adobe Acrobat software. Using the chart as a guide, users can select individual crop species by clicking on the name which will direct them to additional information about the selected crop. Icons within each crop page return the user to the chart, thereby easily allowing comparisons of different crops. The Cover Crop Chart represents a compendium of information from multiple sources throughout the U.S. and Canada, and is not based on research conducted at the USDA-ARS Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory (NGPRL). Primary sources of information included the Midwest Cover Crops Council, USDA - Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SARE), USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) PLANTS Database, relevant peer-reviewed journal articles, and the 3rd edition of *Managing Cover Crops Profitably* (Andy Clark, Editor). Information on specific crops is occasionally generalized and/or approximate to accommodate wide variation in geographic/agronomic conditions, and therefore may not reflect performance in on-farm conditions. Accordingly, USDA - Agricultural Research Service (ARS) makes no guarantee to the performance of specific crops based on information provided within the Cover Crop Chart. The Cover Crop Chart is produced and distributed by the staff of the USDA-ARS NGPRL, Mandan, ND. Mark Liebig and Holly Johnson contributed to the design and content of the chart with input from NGPRL staff and producers and technicians from the Area IV Soil Conservation Districts of North Dakota and NRCS staff at the Bismarck and Dickinson Field/Area Offices.
(Link to Metadata) The Renewable Energy Atlas of Vermont and this dataset were created to assist town energy committees, the Clean Energy Development Fund and other funders, educators, planners, policy-makers, and businesses in making informed decisions about the planning and implementation of renewable energy in their communities - decisions that ultimately lead to successful projects, greater energy security, a cleaner and healthier environment, and a better quality of life across the state. Energy flows through nature into social systems as life support. Human societies depended on renewable, solar powered energy for fuel, shelter, tools, and other items for most of our history. Today, when we flip on a light switch, turn an ignition or a water faucet, or eat a hamburger, we engage complex energy extraction systems that largely rely on non-renewable energy to power our lives. About 90% of Vermont's total energy consumption is currently generated from non-renewable energy sources. This dependency puts Vermont at considerable risk, as the peaking of world oil production, global financial instability, climate change, and other factors impact the state.