Farmers in the Midwest are talking about more than just the weather these past few weeks. The National Corn Growers Associaton’s Soil Health Partnership (SHP) has been busy lately holding field days in Nebraska, Illinois and Indiana, the Soil Health Partnership was busy holding field days, encouraging some real farmer-to-farmer conversations on how to best take care of soil health in different areas.

“The soil samples I take help me identify what soil management practices contribute to water efficiency in each of the fields where I want to make a change. After participating in this program, I expect to be better able to assess the interplay of yield with compaction and water filtration, organic matter, the nutrient cycle, and other chemical, physical and biological attributes,” [said SHP demonstration farmer Greg Whitmore from Shelby, Nebraska].

At the Forrest, Illinois field day, Mike Trainor talked about his past experience with cover crops and what he hopes to gain by participating in the Soil Health Partnership. “What is attractive about this program is the attention it places on the economic benefits of using cover crops,” said Trainor.

Leon Corzine, another SHP demonstration farmer, invited his neighbors in Assumption, Illinois to hear how soil health benefits farmers’ operations. “My son Craig now farms with me. Leaving the farm to him in better shape than I got it is important to me,” said Corzine. “I’m interested in growing cover crops but, like other farmers, I’m not quite sure what will work best. Working with Soil Health Partnership is a way for me to learn more about what I can do.”

More information on the Soil Health Partnership is available at soilhealthpartnership.org.