Eighty percent of U.S. growers participating in the 2022-23 National Cover Crop Survey report trying cover crops. Two Indiana farmers share what they've learned along the way and some recommendations.
The Inflation Reduction Act is the most significant climate legislation ever enacted. The package includes more than $19 billion to support USDA conservation programs, but the money won't last forever.
Dry conditions in some parts of the Midwest are putting a strain on yield potential early this season. But some stands are thriving. Practices such as continuous covers and no-till are making the difference.
The recent soil dust cloud catastrophe in central Illinois is a wake-up call from Mother Nature suggesting all of agriculture needs to implement more sustainable production practices. We owe it to future generations.
Rural electric cooperatives, utilities and other energy providers will soon be able to apply for nearly $11 billion in grants and loans for clean energy projects, funded by the $430 billion Inflation Reduction Act.
Funding for habitat management is being examined as legislators and lobbyists evaluate how farm bill programs will be administered in the future. Many want more flexibility in the programs for farmer and rancher use.
Industry experts say the new legislative package represents a 'generational opportunity' for conservation funding and needs to reach U.S. farmers and livestock producers sooner rather than later, starting this spring.
Dick Billings passed away several years ago, but his wife, their son and granddaughters have been able to build upon his vision for the family’s operation, thanks to a team of farmers and a forestry consultant.
“Everything we do is conservation minded for water and soil erosion, and there is no incentive for that except the viability of our farm,” says Tracy Zink. “And if we don’t do that, then we won’t be here.”
Lawrence M. Conyer attributes his conservation practices, including cover crops and minimum till, to his ability to manage his land to be resilient and to grow his operation at scale.
Food and agriculture face a time of unparalleled change, both in the heft of the systemic issues they’re working through and in the speed at which seismic shifts will likely occur.
Cover crops, conservation tillage, irrigation optimization, fertilizers and pesticides all have a fit on Rondo Farms, but only when they're right for the land, the agronomy and the financials.
If a given farming operation can accurately measure its carbon footprint out of the gate, and then seek improvement, the opportunity for greater payments expands in tandem.
Aaron Krueger's conservation practices have created more resiliency on his land and reduced input use. He expects to gain additional rewards during his second phase of management and practice changes.
Producers turn to their peers for insights on new practices and technologies while balancing environmental stewardship with daily priorities such as labor availability and succession planning.
Named IDFA 2022 Innovative Dairy Farmer of the Year, the Hildebrand's have been at the forefront of innovation — from their processing plant to multifaceted industry partnerships to tapping into the A2 milk market.
It's easy to knock something you know little or nothing about. Farmers who are working to adopt conservation practices on their operations face ridicule routinely. Yet their efforts now could help us all in the future.
Dairy farmers made progress on the U.S. Dairy Net Zero Initiative and the industry advanced multiple partnership projects on many fronts, including research into methane reduction and collaboration with food companies.
A USDA-National Resources Inventory report shows soil erosion rates on cropland decreased 35% from 1982 to 2017. Even so, some members of the agricultural community say rates are unsustainable for crop production.
Feed additives, metabolic pathways and methane-reducing gene traits all are part of new research efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from dairy cows.
In most scenarios, companies want to incentivize growers by paying them to use regenerative farming practices, especially no-till and cover crops, on ground where they haven’t used such practices previously.
Good data forms the framework for management decisions Lukas Fricke and his brother make on their Ulysses, Neb., farm operation, including the one they made recently to sign a carbon contract.
“There’s real science around soil health, and this is a way retailers can have meaningful impact without directly selling anything,” says Dr. Jennifer Wells, Senior Agronomist and Account Manager at Truterra.
After participating in four carbon market pilot programs in the past two years, Kyle Mehmen has learned a lot about the opportunity, and perhaps even more about what not to do.
Soil carbon sequestration can become an important mitigation strategy if there is agreed upon, credible, cost-effective and consistent measurement, reporting and verification behind the credits, according to researchers.
When the Borg family added chickens to their diversified beef and row-crop farm, they had enough opportunity to bring their daughters back into the business and start building a sustainable future for their operation.
This year marks the company’s 20th anniversary as well as a rebrand from Certis USA to Certis Biologicals. Through its legacy companies, Certis traces its historic roots back more than 70 years.
CRP acres often follow market forces, according to research from Farmer Mac. As such, today’s high cash grain prices may dissuade producers from enrolling acreage in CRP programs.
Zach Johnson and Mitchell Hora explore the roles of finance and government in building the markets with Cristian Barcan, vice president for sustainability for Rabo Agrifinance, and Iowa Secretary of Ag Mike Naig.
Dr. Rick Haney joins the Field Work podcast to discuss the soil health test he developed helped farmers get a true picture of what was going on beneath the surface.
Shawn Boler’s great-grandfather once owned the acres he now oversees and plans to preserve for future generations, thanks to the Keeping it in the Family Sustainable Forestry and African American Land Retention program
From carbon adjustment mechanisms and energy to infrastructure and innovation, John Kerry shares five points geared to hold global warming to a 1.5-degree Celsius limit.
Brian Doerr recently introduced regenerative agriculture practices, including cover crops, on his family's Nebraska farm. He details his decision-making and implementation steps here.
The pork industry is a buzz with carbon reduction goals and even carbon neutrality. Pipestone's Roger Cochrane shares strategies farmers can use to reduce carbon dioxide emission equivalents and improve sustainability.
Farmers are only 30 growing seasons from the biggest challenge agriculture has ever faced—growing 70% more food on the same amount of land they do today.