Goals and strategies for advancing soil health were announced with the release of the Soil Renaissance Strategic Plan during the World Congress of Conservation Agriculture in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. “This Strategic Plan is a starting point that will evolve and expand as work is completed, new challenges are identified and more individuals and groups join the Soil Renaissance,” said Neil … Read More
Research & Practical Insights into Using Gypsum
Key industry experts will discuss the benefits of agricultural gypsum at the fourth annual Midwest Soil Improvement Symposium: Research and Practical Insights into Using Gypsum. The symposium offers advanced education on the use of agricultural gypsum for managing soil quality. It will take place at the Kansas State University Alumni Center on August 13, 2014, and is co-sponsored by GYPSOIL, … Read More
IFBF Members Urge Support of Conservation Programs
Iowa Farm Bureau members urge Governor Branstad to sign legislation authorizing additional one-time investments approved by lawmakers this year, including appropriations to the Water Quality Initiative, Soil Conservation Cost-Share Program, and the Ag Drainage Well Closure Program. A commitment to these important conservation programs will leverage private funds and are ideal areas to invest in Iowa’s water quality and soil … Read More
Getting the Dirt on Soil
The U.S. Geological Survey has released a set of maps depicting the distribution of selected chemical elements and minerals in soils across the country. Understanding the composition of soil is important for a variety of reasons. Specialists in agriculture and food safety find soil data useful because soil is the source of most biologically active trace elements that reach humans … Read More
iCropTrak Introduces 60 Second Soil Zoning
iCropTrak has released a new mobile farming app with the ability to create a new grower, a new farm, add CLU field boundaries, and soil zones in as little as 60 seconds on an iPad without the need of a desktop or cloud server. According to Cogent 3D president Aaron Hutchinson, this new application means that for the first time, … Read More
NRCS Chief Reviews Conservation Programs
The chief of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) reviewed the conservation programs included in the new farm bill with members of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting meeting in Washington DC this week. “We are very excited to finally have a new farm bill and Congress has provided a very significant investment in natural resources conservation,” said NRCS Chief … Read More
New Blog by Soil Science Society of America
The Soil Science Society of America created a blog, Soils Matter, to help the public understand this precious natural resource. “We know that many people are interested in soils,” says Jan Hopmans, president of SSSA. “We wanted to create a blog so our members can communicate real soil information and answer questions.” The blog is averaging about 2,500 page views … Read More
5 Reasons to “Root” for Soil Health Farmers
To meet the growing sustainability challenges of the 21st Century, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is reminding people that many of the solutions are right at our feet — in the soil. Here are the top five reasons NRCS says why on Earth Day 2014 you should “root” for soil health farmers: 5. A lot of people are coming … Read More
Valley Irrigation Offers Soil Moisture Monitoring
Valley® Irrigation is putting the latest soil moisture monitoring technology into the hands of growers with Valley SoilPro™ 1200, powered by AquaSpy™. SoilPro 1200 delivers the most detailed soil moisture data in an easy-to-understand format. With just a few clicks, growers can see the depth of their crop root zone, soil moisture levels by depth, soil electrical conductivity, temperature, and … Read More
New Soil Health Toolbox Evaluates Plant Nutrients
Now, labs can test soil health more accurately with a new Soil Health Nutrient Toolbox from Woods End Laboratories in Mt. Vernon, Maine. “Years of research have led to this new way of testing soil,” Woods End Founder William Brinton, Ph.D., said. “Now, three labs are offering the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Soil Health Nutrient Toolbox, and we hope … Read More