As part of the Soil Health Nexus Digital Cafe Series, Matt Fryer of the University of Arkansas hosts a panel discussion soil health and fertility. This presentation was originally broadcast on July 22, 2020. Panelists included:Read More…
A meta-analysis of current cover crop research was done by researchers at the University of Illinois. They found that microbial abundance was up 27%, activity was up 22%, and diversity increased 2.5% when using cover cropsRead More…
A number of states within the Midwest Cover Crop Council have developed cover crop recipes. These publications are intended to provide a starting point for farmers who are new to growing cover crops. With experience, farmers may fine-tune the use of cover crops for their systems. Additional states will be coming soon.
Read More...A 20-year study by Iowa State University researchers shows fertilizing cropland with poultry manure can benefit soil health and farm profits when compared to a commercial fertilizer. The study looked at long-term impacts of poultry manure on soil quality, crop yield, production costs and water quality in conventional Iowa cropping systems.
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Many of us take the soil we stand on for granted, including myself. I mean, it’s everywhere – especially on my carpet with 2 boys in my house. However, without soil, we can’t grow crops. Farmers know that soil is a critical part of farming, and making sure that soil can continue to grow crops for many years to come is at the forefront of every farmer’s mind – sometimes without even realizing it.
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Soil health conferences in South Dakota and Nebraska will take place on February 14, 2019.
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As the season approaches its conclusion and harvest conditions are most challenging, there are a few things worth remembering to protect and sustain soil health. Consider attending the 2019 Soil Health Conference held on February 4-5.
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Manure is often viewed by many as an environmental liability. However, if manure is applied at rates equal to or less than the nitrogen (N) requirement of a crop, can manure produce environmental benefits over commercial fertilizer? This was the focus of an Asian research group which summarized the results of 141 published studies from Asia, Europe, and the U.S. comparing manure substitution for fertilizer. This article summarizes the “Take Home Messages” from this research paper.
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Over the past several years, state and federal agencies and researchers have been trying to come up with a definition for soil health. The United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service defines soil healthRead More…
Soils of Northern Great Plains are relatively young (11000 to 14000 years old) and have some of the highest organic matter levels (4 to 7%) of all mineral soils in the United States (Overstreet and DeJong-Huges,Read More…