Tag Archives: Soil Health

25Jul/23
Five farmers participating in the nutrient management exercise.

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

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.

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28Jun/23
Ron talking to farmers in front of a corn field

Making a Difference for Kansas Water Quality

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.

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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

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.

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27Apr/23
Visual illustration of the nitrogen cycle

New Whitepaper Explores the Connection between Soil Health and 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.”

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30Jan/23
Soil in a hand with earth worms in the soil

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

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.

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