Soil health - Articles

Investing in Healthy Soils

October 12, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health

Anastasia Fyke doesn’t have time for millennials. Sort of. The fourth-generation buckwheat farmer from Manitoba (and a millennial herself) wants to help farmers transform agriculture from Canada’s sixth-largest greenhouse gas producer into a carbon sink. Read more in this article from The Humboldt Journal.

More Growers Adopting Soil Conservation Practices

October 7, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health

Source: Newswise

Farmers who make soil health a priority are more likely to rotate three or more crops and to graze livestock on cropland, according to a survey of producers in South Dakota, North Dakota and Nebraska. The survey examined why some agricultural producers prioritize soil health and how to encourage more producers to adopt these conservation practices, according to assistant professor Tong Wang of South Dakota State University’s Ness School of Management and Economics. Read more in this article from Newswise.

[Podcast] Improving Water Quality with Cover Crops

This podcast, sponsored by Yetter Equipment, features an interview with Jeff Vetsch, a researcher at the University of Minnesota Southern Research & Outreach Center in Waseca, Minn., and Anna Cates, Minnesota State Soil Health Specialist.

October 7, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health

This podcast, sponsored by Yetter Equipment, features an interview with Jeff Vetsch, a researcher at the University of Minnesota Southern Research & Outreach Center in Waseca, Minn., and Anna Cates, Minnesota State Soil Health Specialist.

Soil Health, Profitability Depend on Soil Organic Matter

September 28, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health

Source: Leavenworth Times

Soil organic matter (SOM) is an indicator of how healthy and productive a soil is and serves many important functions. The higher the SOM the better the soil is. Read more in this article from the Leavenworth Times (Leavenworth, KS).

A Recipe for Improved Soil Health

September 23, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health

Source: Lancaster Farming

A carefully crafted cover crop composition, manure management, precision agriculture and the right mix of soil additives can be a recipe for improved soil health. Cover crops require a thoughtful approach. Read more in this article from Lancaster Farming.

What Makes Healthy Soil?

September 21, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health

Source: Alberta Farm Express

Soil health has been defined as “the continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living system, within ecosystem and land-use boundaries, to sustain biological productivity, maintain the quality of air and water environments, and promote plant, animal, and human health.” The challenge with this poetic definition is that, while it does describe the functional abilities of soil, it does not provide quantifiable values or measurements. Read more in this article from the Alberta Farm Express.

[Podcast] Soil Health Motivates Growers to Use Conservation Practices

Tong Wang, Advanced Production Specialist with South Dakota State University Extension, shares results from a study that looked at how growers in the Northern Great Plains adopt soil health practices. The study examined how growers value yield and profitability compared to soil health.

September 17, 2020 | Posted in Seeding Practices

Tong Wang, Advanced Production Specialist with South Dakota State University Extension, shares results from a study that looked at how growers in the Northern Great Plains adopt soil health practices. The study examined how growers value yield and profitability compared to soil health.

Profitability Improves by Interseeding Wide-Row Corn With Cover Crops

September 16, 2020 | Posted in Seeding Practices

Source: University of Minnesota Extension

Cover crop adoption across the U.S. is on the rise, but Minnesota adoption has hovered around 2%. While Midwestern farmers understand the importance of soil health, adopting sustainable technologies that offer limited near-term economic returns is challenging. Read more in this article from University of Minnesota Extension.

Soil Health Defined

September 9, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health

Source: Ohio's Country Journal

Soil health is a term that everyone seems to be confused about or have their own opinion. Soil health is about three things: soil organic matter (SOM), soil microbes and organisms, and plants. Read more in this article from Ohio's Country Journal.

Soil Health Practices Regenerate Saline Patches

September 7, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health

Source: Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan

White desert is how Frederick farmer, Don Nickelson, used to describe the saline patches on his land. “Nothing would grow there,” says the crop and cattle producer. Read more in this article from the Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan (Yankton, SD).