Switchgrass Can Improve Soil Quality

Kelly MarshallConservation, erosion, Research, Soil

In parts of Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, Illinois, Oklahoma and Texas the loss of topsoil leaves growers to work with difficult claypan soil, but researchers at the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources are hopeful about a solution.  Studies show switchgrass, a perennial plant commonly used for biofuels, can build up the soil quality on farms that have … Read More

Maryland Cattle Operation Shows Conservation Success

Kelly MarshallAg Group, Conservation, livestock, Soil, USDA, Water Quality

Conservation in the Chesapeake Bay watershed has been on the national radar for years. Now the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and Catoctin and Frederick Soil Conservation Districts are showing off successful conservation efforts by local farmers and ranchers. A recent event at Hedgeapple Farm, a Maryland Angus operation, highlighted the volunteer efforts that have lead to improvement of the Bay’s … Read More

Michelin Earns SIMA 2017 Innovation Gold Medal

Kelly MarshallAward, Soil

Michelin‘s new “2 in 1 tire” has earned a 2017 Innovation Gold Medal from SIMA at the Paris International Agri-Business Show. The new technology allows farmers to be more efficient in the field by increasing contact with soil by up to 20 percent. When travel on roads the tire alters with a central continuous tread band that grips the pavement … Read More

Trelleborg Earns SIMA Innovation Gold Medal

Kelly MarshallAgribusiness, Award, Equipment, Soil

Trelleborg has earned top honors at the 2017 SIMA Innovation Awards with a gold medal for their newly developed Variable Inflation Pressure (VIP) system. These soon-to-be-launched tires were developed in conjuncture with AGCO FENDT.  It consists of an autonomous wheel that can self-adjust the tire’s pressure based on the load from the combine.  This innovation optimizes the tire’s footprint to reduce … Read More

Soil Health Roadmap Could Deliver Billions

Kelly MarshallAg Group, Soil

The Nature Conservancy has been working with General Mills on a project called the Soil Health Roadmap.  With funding from General Mills, the organizations have put together a group of Conservancy scientists, economists and agriculture experts to create a Roadmap to sustainable, healthy soil.  The project builds a case for economic benefits for U.S. farmers and businesses and outlines the environmental advantages for future … Read More

New Holland Acquires Grass & Soil Business

Jamie JohansenAgribusiness, Equipment, Forage, Hay, Machinery, New Holland, Soil, Tillage

New Holland Agriculture will expand its wide offering with new implement product lines as a result of CNH Industrial’s agreement to acquire the agricultural Grass and Soil business of Kongskilde Industries, part of the Danish Group Dansk Landbrugs Grovvareselskab. This business develops, manufactures and sells solutions for agricultural applications in the Tillage and Hay & Forage segments under various brands, … Read More

Soil Health Partnership Field Days Come to Close

Lizzy SchultzAg Group, Conservation, Education, Events, Soil, Soil Health Partnership

The Soil Health Partnership (SHP) field days are coming to an end for this growing season after the series hosted 40 different events in eight states throughout the summer. The events were mainly hosted by farmers enrolled in the program and had regular cooperation from local groups, and were held with the intention of spreading the word about cover crops, … Read More

Soil Microbiology is the Key to Yield

Kelly MarshallAgribusiness, Soil, Water Management

Formerly growers have focused on chemicals for crop health, production and yield.  Then focus shifted to mechanical technology and then biological considerations.  Ben Elliot of Brookside Agra says the trend is set to shift again, this time focusing on understanding soil biology and structure. “We are learning about a whole new dynamic to agronomy today in growing crops and it is … Read More

Veris Tech Offers #Soil Sensing Platforms

Cindy ZimmermanAudio, Farm Progress Show, Soil, technology

Veris Technologies, which recently announced a new partnership with The Climate Corporation to make high resolution soil maps from Veris on-the-go soil sensors available in the Climate FieldView™ platform, had two of their most popular soil sensing platforms on display at the recent Farm Progress Show. “We’ve got the MSP3, which does three depths of soil connectivity mapping, organic matter … Read More

Midwest Row Crop Collaborative Launches

Joanna SchroederAgribusiness, Audio, Conservation, environment, Farm Progress Show, NCGA, Nutrient Management, Soil, Soil Health Partnership

The Midwest Row Crop Collaborative was announced during the 2016 Farm Progress Show this week to add more support to on-farm conservation programs and practices. First out of the gate, the Collaborative will raise $4 million dollars over five years to support the Soil Health Partnership (SHP), a National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) initiative. The Collaborative was created to support, … Read More