Conservation Farming
No one knows better than you that the future of your farm depends on balancing practices and profits that sustain your land, resources and family. The stakes are evolving based on weather patterns, technology, market demand and more. What actions are you taking to remain resilient?
8 steps you can take towards sustainability
- CROP ROTATION
- REDUCED TILLAGE
- NO TILL
- COVER CROPS
- WATER MANAGEMENT
- NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT
- FORAGE AND BIOMASS PLANTING
- DATA AND RECORD KEEPING
Read More on Conservation Farming
Correct acidity to create diverse microbial populations, which decompose residue and release soil nutrients.
In the field, farmers need to focus on the four Rs of fertility management: the right product, right rate, right time and right place.
Because every farm is different, many practices might be needed to improve soil quality
Edge-of-field tools save nutrients for crops and keep them out of water supplies
Nearly 75 years ago, USDA soil scientist Charles E. Kellogg wrote: “Essentially, all life depends upon the soil.” Expressing a similar sentiment, President Franklin D. Roosevelt said: “The nation that destroys its soil destroys itself.”
Measurable improvements in soil health are showing up in side-by-side trials
You or your neighbors could be unknowingly planting Palmer amaranth anywhere Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) mixes are grown or pollinator mixes are established. Palmer amaranth seed in CRP planting mixes have been identified in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota and Ohio. It could be in CRP mixes in other states, too, just not identified yet.
As farmers harvest their corn crop this year, they might want to look carefully to see what else—namely, marijuana--might be growing among their cornstalks.
Financial health is typically measured in dollars and cents, but that’s not the only standard Bryan Boll uses to evaluate his farm’s well-being. Accruing nutrient-rich soil is just as vital to the future of his operation as hard currency.