Cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) has become a popular cover crop (CC) in corn (Zea mays L.)) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] production fields across Wisconsin and beyond. With the rise of herbicide-resistant weeds across Wisconsin, there is increased interest in adoption of cereal rye as a cover crop as part of an integrated weed management strategy. Previous research has shown that a cereal rye cover crop can be effective at suppressing small-seeded weeds such as waterhemp [Amaranthus tuberculatus (Moq.) Sauer]. The effectiveness of cereal rye in suppressing waterhemp is related to the amount of above-ground biomass produced which competes for resources (e.g., light, water, nutrients) while also providing a physical barrier. Achieving high cereal rye biomass can be challenging in corn-soybean rotations in the upper Midwest given the short window for cover crop growth. Research conducted in 2021 near Brooklyn, Wisconsin estimates that it takes ~7,000 lb of dry cereal rye biomass per acre to suppress waterhemp emergence by 50% however ~800 lb of dry cereal rye biomass per acre was enough to suppress waterhemp growth in 50%. Given the already narrow window which Wisconsin producers face for harvesting crops and planting cover crops, it can be difficult to obtain this level of cereal rye biomass. One strategy to help growers achieve more cereal rye biomass is targeting an earlier planting date of the cereal rye, which is not always an easy task with Wisconsin’s usually wet falls. Historically, the recommendation for terminating a cereal rye cover crop is 10 to 14 days before crop planting; however, some producers have started ‘planting green’ into a living cover crop to maximize its biomass in the spring and weed suppression potential. Over the last three years, the University of Wisconsin-Madison Cropping Systems Weed Science Program has conducted research on the value of fall-seeded cereal rye for weed suppression in corn and soybeans. Recommendations include fall-seeding cereal rye after corn preceding soybeans, pairing the cover crop with PRE-emergence herbicides containing multiple effective sites of action, and delaying termination of the cereal rye until the time of planting or 10 to 14 days after to maximize cereal rye biomass. Results will be summarized in this presentation to provide best management practices when considering adopting cereal rye as an additional tool as part of an integrated weed management strategy.