Soil health

[Podcast] 60 Inch Wide Corn Rows Can Improve Soil Health

Retired engineer Bob Recker is an expert on wide row corn. In this week’s podcast, Recker explains how 60-inch corn rows can improve soil health and water quality, why research and development are happening every day on the farm, and more. (Courtesy of Cover Crop Innovators)

May 26, 2020 | Posted in Seeding Practices

Retired engineer Bob Recker is an expert on wide row corn. In this week’s podcast, Recker explains how 60-inch corn rows can improve soil health and water quality, why research and development are happening every day on the farm, and more. (Courtesy of Cover Crop Innovators)

Soil Health Practices Have to Pay

May 25, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health

Source: Rock Island Dispatch-Argus

Self-titled “soil health farmer” Chad Christianson is not unlike other farmers when he says soil health practices have to “pay their way.” He realizes that rent is high and taxes are not cheap. Read more in this article from the Rock Island Dispatch-Argus.

Growers Invest in Cover Crops for Soil Health Benefits

By Sarah Hill posted on May 22, 2020

The results from the first annual Cover Crop Strategies Benchmark Study found the majority of growers do not receive incentive payments to plant cover crops, while soil health benefits are their top reasons for growing covers.

[Video] Making the Transition to No-Till

May 20, 2020 | Posted in Seeding Practices

Maddy Rabenhorst, Field Manager with the Soil Health Partnership, discusses the challenges and benefits of incorporating soil health practices in your operation, why growers should consider using no-till, the process for transitioning to no-till, and more.

[Podcast] Cover Crops & Crop Insurance

In this week’s podcast, crop insurance expert and Wisconsin farmer Ryan Stockwell with the National Wildlife Federation discusses why crop insurance regulations are outdated, why crop insurance eligibility rules are unfavorable to cover crops, how crop insurance will be evolving, and more. (Courtesy of Cover Crop Innovators)

May 13, 2020 | Posted in Economics

In this week’s podcast, crop insurance expert and Wisconsin farmer Ryan Stockwell with the National Wildlife Federation discusses why crop insurance regulations are outdated, why crop insurance eligibility rules are unfavorable to cover crops, how crop insurance will be evolving, and more. (Courtesy of Cover Crop Innovators)

Much to Learn About Soil Microbes

May 6, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health

Source: Aberdeen News

Results of a three-year soil health study focusing on arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi proves there is still much to learn about soil microbes. “This is the purpose of research,” explains Mike Lehman, soil microbiologist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Agriculture Research Station (USDA-ARS) in Brookings, S.D. Read more in this article from Aberdeen News.

More Soil Health Policies Needed

May 4, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health

Source: Kenosha News

Calling it a “quiet crisis” in 2018, Ohio State University professor of soil science Rattan Lal said soil loss is a major issue that has been affecting farmers around the world for centuries. “The best practices are to not plow, keep the ground covered with residue and grow a cover crop in the off-season,” Lal said. Read more in this article from Kenosha News.

Invest in Soil Health to Reduce Loss & Risk

May 1, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health

Source: Environmental Defense Fund

It goes without saying that 2019 was an extremely difficult year for farmers like me. Unprecedented amounts of snow and rain led to 3.9 million acres in South Dakota that couldn’t be planted. Read more in this blog post from the Environmental Defense Fund.

Improving Soil Health in Vegetable Production with Cover Crops

April 29, 2020 | Posted in Seeding Practices, Soil Health

Using cover crops is a way to protect the soil and mitigate soil loss, says Pennsylvania cover crop expert Steve Groff, and that includes in vegetable production. Groff also explains how vegetable production can be done with no-till, how bare soil can lead to soil-borne disease in vegetable crops, how soil health and plant health are linked, and more.

[Podcast] Using Cover Crops to Repair Ruts, Damaged Soils

In this week’s podcast, Pennsylvania cover crop expert Steve Groff explains how growers can use cover crops, no-till and improving soil health to overcome extreme wet conditions at harvest time. (Courtesy of Cover Crop Innovators)

April 15, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health

In this week’s podcast, Pennsylvania cover crop expert Steve Groff explains how growers can use cover crops, no-till and improving soil health to overcome extreme wet conditions at harvest time. (Courtesy of Cover Crop Innovators)