Tag Archives: organic matter

21Aug/24

How to Help Growers Start

This Digital Café features Lee Briese, an independent crop consultant, who has scouted over 1.25 million crop acres weekly. In this session, Lee provides invaluable insights on how growers can begin implementing minimal tillage or no-till practices, cover crops, and intercropping while keeping their risks low. This webinar was originally broadcasted August 21, 2024.

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17Jul/24

Activating the soil starts at the surface

Conservation management brings soil to life. Measuring these changes in soil life can be simple and yet robust as indicators of key soil functions. This Digital Café featured Alan Franzluebbers, Ecologist with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, who described how soil-test biological activity can indicate improved soil health. This webinar was originally broadcasted July 17, 2024.

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19Apr/24

Soil health and nutrient management: What it can and cannot do

Improved soil health provides several benefits to crops and water quality. However, there are limitations and as a result, some misconceptions exist. This presentation features Chad Penn, Research Soil Scientist at USDA-ARS and Adjunct Professor of Agronomy at Purdue University, who addresses how improved soil health impacts soil fertility and nutrient transport, as well as dispelling common myths.This presentation was originally broadcast on April 17, 2024.

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22Nov/21

Can We Quantify Soil Biological Activity Without a Lab?

As part of the Soil Health Nexus Digital Cafe Series, Dr. Amy Schmidt and Karla Melgar from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln present “Can We Quantify Soil Biological Activity Without a Lab?”. This presentation was originally broadcast on November 17, 2021.

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16Nov/19

Poultry manure improves profits, soil health

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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01Nov/18

Building Soil Organic Matter Takes Time

Our “instant” culture gravitates to testimonials about how to rapidly increase soil organic matter by 1% within 1 to 3 years. Conversations with lenders and landlords regarding rewards on manure applications and multi-species cover crops investments would likely be easier if financial rewards or measured soil physical properties came quickly.

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