Tag Archives: Soil Health

27Sep/24

Training helps Ag Educators Make Cents of the Economics of Conservation

September 27, 2024Conservation, Economics, grazing, Soil Health

n mid-September, agricultural and conservation educators came together for the Reginal Conservation Finance Ag Educator Training in Arlington, Wisconsin. Extension educators and partners from across the Midwest heard from agricultural economic experts about the financial benefits of conservation agriculture and how to tackle tough conversations around these topics. Attendees also got to see first-hand some of the research taking place at the US Dairy Forage Research Farm in nearby Prairie du Sac, and see how one farmer is taking a mob grazing approach to his operation on the shoes of Lake Wisconsin.

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.

01Sep/23

New Resource Summarizes Current Data on the Financial Impacts of Conservation Agriculture

September 1, 2023Agriculture, Conservation, Economics, Soil Health

Farmers and ranchers are increasingly interested in conservation practices to strengthen soil health and improve water quality for present and future generations. Conservation practices can also help farmers improve their profitability in the face of increasinglyRead More…

25Jul/23

Five farmers participating in the nutrient management exercise.

Interactive Nutrient Management Exercise gets Creative Juices Flowing in Nebraska and Beyond

July 25, 2023hands-on learning, manure, Soil Health

Leslie Johnson’s childhood home is only 4 miles as the crow flies from her current office where she works as Animal Manure Management Extension Educator at Nebraska Extension, based at the Haskell Ag Lab.

“I like to joke – I didn’t make it very far in life,” quips Johnson. But for her, she couldn’t be happier. She is close to her family farm and her family while contributing to her husband’s family farm and teaching and helping producers and ag professionals through her work with Nebraska Extension.

28Jun/23

Person holding clump of soil with earthworm

A One-Stop Shop for Research-based Resources about the Profitability of Conservation Ag Practices

June 28, 2023Agriculture, Conservation, Soil Health

With all the buzz about soil health, regenerative ag, and climate-smart, farmers want to know how practices such as cover crops and no-till pencil out. While data on the financial impacts of conservation practices are stillRead More…

28Jun/23

Ron talking to farmers in front of a corn field

Making a Difference for Kansas Water Quality

June 28, 2023Agriculture, Conservation, Extension, Soil Health, Water Quality, watershed management

Some of us measure a career in terms of years. Ron Graber, extension watershed specialist for Kansas State University, uses a whole different yardstick.

“When we start a career, we hope to make a difference,” said Graber. For him, that success is measured in innovative partnerships, successful management strategies, and improved water quality.

30May/23

Jon Stika, North Dakota Conservationists speaking at Soil and Water Conservation Leadership Program Training

North Dakota’s Soil and Water Conservation Leadership Academy looks to build knowledge and community

May 30, 2023Extension, soil conservation, Soil Health, Water

In November 2022, I assumed the role of NDSU Extension Specialist and Program Director for Soil and Water Leadership Development. With the assistance of two Program Coordinators and a team of Extension Specialists, I support and guide 54 distinct Soil Conservation Districts across the state of North Dakota.

27Apr/23

Visual illustration of the nitrogen cycle

New Whitepaper Explores the Connection between Soil Health and Water Quality

April 27, 2023Extension, graphics, Soil Health, Water Quality

The Soil Health Nexus is excited to debut two new resources on the Soil Health Toolbox. Two Soil Health Nexus members, Francisco Arriaga, Associate Professor and Extension Specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Anna Cates, State Soil Health Specialist at the University of Minnesota, recently published a long-awaited whitepaper exploring the connection between soil health and water quality.

“While there has been a lot of work linking farm management practices with soil health or water quality, few have looked at the connection to both soil and water quality,” notes Cates. “Generally, management systems that lead to better soil health result in decreased risk to water quality, but that is not the case in all conditions or for all management systems. What works in one field for both soil health and water quality might not be the best option for another field. This whitepaper explores those intricacies so educators can better recognize and communicate when the relationship isn’t positively correlated.”

30Jan/23

Soil in a hand with earth worms in the soil

Weather, Water, and Soil Intersect in Indiana’s Climate Smart Agriculture Programs

January 30, 2023Agriculture, climate, climate-smart, Indiana, Soil Health, Water

Climate Smart Agriculture has been a buzzword over the past year, with the connotation that farms can play a large role in sequestering greenhouses gasses. In order to do so, carbon in the upper layers of soil has to be increased, methane from ruminants must be lessened or harnessed to be converted to energy, and renewable energy resources have to be incorporated into farm management considerations. In Indiana, many resources have been dedicated to progressing in this arena. We just used a variety of other terms in the process.