26Jun/24

A man kneeling in front of a well head collecting water

New Kansas State University partnership works to help locals know their water

June 26, 2024drinking water, Extension, private well water, Water Quality

Over 43 million people nationwide depend on private wells for drinking water. Kansas follows that trend, with more than 151,000 people sourcing drinking water from domestic private wells, according to the Kansas Geological Survey. Most citizens tout their well water as fresher and cleaner than chemically treated water from municipal water systems.

However, thinking your well water tastes better is very different than knowing your water is safe for consumption, according to Stacie Minson, an extension watershed specialist with the Kansas Center for Agricultural Resources and the Environment (KCARE) at Kansas State University.

05Jun/24

Man sitting in grass with a dog in front of a barn

Seven Recipients of Good Idea Mini-Grants to Implement Edge-of-Field Practices on Midwest Farms and Share Their Stories

June 5, 2024Agriculture, Conservation, farmer leadership, Water Quality

Seven teams of farmers and farm advisors have been awarded funding from Good Idea Mini-Grants, a program to encourage the implementation of edge-of-field conservation practices on farming operations in the Mississippi River Basin. Selected from amongRead More…

29May/24

Agriculture Applied Podcast highlights grassroots approaches to conservation across North Dakota

May 29, 2024Conservation, Extension, soil

When it comes to creating effective and meaningful educational programming Hannah Nordby has two core principles. First and foremost, consider the audience. Don’t expect people to come to you, meet them where they’re at. Secondly, cultivate engaging learning environments that inspire participants. If we aren’t having fun, why are we doing it? With these two principles in mind, she facilitates conservation leadership and planning programming for Soil Conservation District supervisors and employees across North Dakota.

29Apr/24

A New Extension-focused Conference focusing on Agriculture and Climate is planned for July 31-August 1st in Peoria, Illinois

April 29, 2024Agriculture, climate, Conservation, Extension, Water

This summer, the North Central Agriculture and Climate Conference will unite Extension and agricultural professionals from across the region to spotlight climate adaptation and mitigation research, outreach, and Extension programs. The conference is being hosted by the North Central Climate Collaborative, USDA Midwest Climate Hub, Extension Foundation, North Central Regional Water Network, and partners. The event – which will be July 31st – August 1st at the Peoria Civic Center – will provide ample opportunity for Extension professionals and technical service providers to share their work and gain valuable knowledge on the climate-related work happening across the region. It will also provide a much-needed opportunity to network with other extension professionals from your own institution and connect with extension colleagues from other land-grant institutions across the region.

25Apr/24

Dr. Mallika Nocco flying a drone used for mapping evapotranspiration near an Eddy Covariance tower over a potato field in Wisconsin

The Conservation Irrigation Lab launches agricultural water management research and extension program at UW-Madison

April 25, 2024Agriculture, climate, Conservation, Extension, Irrigation, watershed management

Save water. Renew Soils. Support Farms. This is Dr. Mallika Nocco’s vision for the Conservation Irrigation Lab, her research and extension program that recently moved from California (UC-Davis) to Wisconsin (UW-Madison). Dr. Nocco’s mission is to provide science-based information for growers, managers, and policy makers to navigate the ever-changing terrain of sustainable agricultural practices and implement water-saving measures that advance production goals. Her group collaborates across disciplines and believes deeply in the power of applied research and cooperative extension.

26Mar/24

Addressing Irrigation Innovation in Agriculture

March 26, 2024Agriculture, climate, Irrigation, soil, technology, Water

Michigan’s agricultural landscape, while fertile and diverse, grapples with unique challenges including climate variability and evolving concerns around irrigation water use. Irrigation plays an important role in Michigan agriculture. Given the impacts of climate change such as temperature variability and erratic precipitation, it is more important than ever that farmers have the tools to make informed decisions about irrigation water use.

28Feb/24

Iowa State Program Helps Urban and Suburban Homeowners Practice Conservation In their Own Backyard

February 28, 2024Conservation, native vegetation, rain barrels, woodlands

As Iowa becomes a more urbanized state, conservation is needed in the cities and towns just as much as the agriculture fields! Folks at Iowa State University are working hard to expand the resources available for those that want to practice conservation in their own backyards. Backyard conservation practices can make a big difference for wildlife diversity in the cities, help stabilize soil, and help improve water quality in urban areas.

07Feb/24

Three men standing in a soybean field and talking

Survey of Agricultural Lenders Reveals Opportunities for Collaboration with Conservation Professionals

February 7, 2024ag lending, Agriculture, Conservation, conservation finance

Cross-posted with The Human Capital blog on The Confluence for Watershed Leaders Agricultural lenders are often farmers’ closest financial partners, and they have significant influence on a farmer’s financial decisions, including whether to invest in conservationRead More…

30Jan/24

People standing under a tent in a farm field

Soil Health Nexus Team looks to expand economic and livestock integration resources for ag professionals

January 30, 2024Economics, education, Nutrient Management, Soil Health

We are excited to announce that the Network’s soil health team, the Soil Health Nexus, has recently received a North Central Region SARE Professional Development Grant to expand their outreach and education efforts. The grant, which started this month, will allow the team to enhance its Soil Health Toolbox, a resource hub for research-based soil health resources throughout the North Central Region, and create two new resources for ag professionals.

26Jan/24

Diverse Corn Belt Project Maps a Road to a More Prosperous Future

January 26, 2024Agriculture, corn, diverse corn belt, resiliency

Few people would accuse Dr. Linda Stalker Prokopy of Purdue University of thinking small. As project director of the Diverse Corn Belt (DCB) project, the professor of natural resources social sciences is combining her lab’s research on motivation and persuasion with the work of more than 30 other investigators who bring their expertise in agronomy, entomology, soil science, economics, computer modeling, marketing, Extension, education and policy. Their goal for the five-year, USDA NIFA-funded project: nothing less than creating concrete, viable, evidence-based frameworks that can guide America’s Corn Belt toward a more diverse, resilient, prosperous future.