Soil Health

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Cover Crops: The Final Piece of the Water Quality Puzzle

Growers share how widespread cover cropping has helped reduce water quality problems in Kansas’ Black Vermillion River watershed.
Growers share how widespread cover cropping has helped reduce water quality problems in Kansas’ Black Vermillion River watershed.
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Cover Crops Can Turn Around Soil Degradation

When used in combination with reduced tillage and diverse crop rotations, covers can restore farm soils to a more healthy and productive state.
Problems with soil degradation impacting agriculture go all the way back to ancient Greece. Many of today’s growers have the same problems, but they are now armed with the knowledge and tools needed to reverse the trend, says David Montgomery, author, geologist and professor of Earth & Space Sciences at the University of Washington. 


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Buffering the Soil with Long-Term Covers

Jeff Olson is protecting the soil and improving water infiltration with a mixed bag of application methods and plenty of patience.
Jeff Olson isn’t afraid to step outside his comfort zone. A 5th-generation corn and soybean farmer in Winfield, Iowa, Olson attributes part of his willingness to take risks and try new things to his years of experience.


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Crop of the Future: Carbon?

An increasing awareness and concern about the environment, changes in government policy, America’s re-entry into the Paris Agreement and a robust demand for carbon offsets all point toward an appetite for a different type of agricultural crop – carbon. Read more in this article from Texas A&M University Extension.
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Healthier Soils Promoted by Carbon Markets

Farmers are decreasing their tillage intensity and are now considering ways to capture soil carbon for payment which may require they move to towards regenerative practices like no-till and cover crops. Tillage breaks up soil aggregates and loses carbon dioxide to the atmosphere within 5-10 minutes; while long-term no-till with cover crops starts the slow process of recovering lost carbon. Read more in this article from Ohio's Country Journal.
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Legume Cover Crops Means Less Fertilizer Needed

For corn, using dairy manure and legume cover crops in crop rotations can reduce the need for inorganic nitrogen fertilizer and protect water quality, but these practices also can contribute to emissions of nitrous oxide — a potent greenhouse gas. Read more in this story from the Altoona Mirror (Altoona, PA).
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Solution for Soil Erosion

The images coming out of the Upper Midwest and High Plains region of the U.S. this spring are reminiscent of the Dust Bowl of the 1930s. Relentless wind coupled with dry conditions have led to severe soil erosion, and the situation was made worse in areas lacking cover crops. Read more in this article from Lancaster Farming.
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The National No-Tillage Conference returns January 12-15, 2027! Build and refine your no-till system with dozens of new ideas and connections at the 35th Annual National No-Tillage Conference in Indianapolis, Jan. 12-15, 2027. Experience an energizing 4-day agenda featuring inspiring general session speakers, expert-led No-Till Classrooms and collaborative No-Till Roundtables. Plus, Certified Crop Adviser credits will be offered.

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