This week I’m attending the Conservation in Action Tour put on by the Conservation Technology Information Center. We’re in Illinois and will be touring farms in the Indian Creek Watershed where CTIC has been partnered with multiple entities in a project since 2010. To kick things off I met our Acting Chief of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Jason … Read More
Survey Gives Insight into Cover Crop Use
During the 2012 drought, corn and soybean yields improved following cover crops, according to a recently released report with detailed results from a farmer survey on cover crops. The survey was carried out in partnership between the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) and the USDA North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program. More than 750 farmers, primarily … Read More
Conservation in Action Tour Coming Up
The 2013 Conservation in Action Tour will be held July 9-10 in Livingston, Illinois and for those who are interested there are still a few seats left. A pre-tour seminar on July 9 has also been added. Learn more about the tour in the video below. This tour will feature three stops focusing on soil health, nutrient management and drainage … Read More
2013 Conservation In Action Tour Registration Open
Registration has opened for the Conservation Technology Information Center’s 2013 Conservation In Action Tour, which will explore innovative conservation practices in and around the Indian Creek watershed in Livingston County, Ill., on July 9 and 10. Celebrating the theme of Community 4 Conservation, this year’s tour will bring together agriculture leaders from all over the country – including farmers, crop … Read More
GROWMARK Sees United Effort for Conservation as Refreshing
The recent Indian Creek Watershed Project Field Tour brought varied groups together for a common goal: conserving resources. During the tour, Chuck talked with one of our good friends from GROWMARK, Howard Brown, manager of agronomy services, who was glad to see those with different backgrounds coming together like this. “It’s not about selling one thing or promoting one idea. … Read More
Drought, CTIC Tour Open Up Learning Opportunities
If there’s anything positive about the drought this year (and I realize that’s a real stretch) it might be what producers and companies are learning from these extreme circumstances. In addition, events, such as the Indian Creek Watershed Project Field Tour, fittingly set when conservation is a hot topic of discussion gives even more opportunities to discuss how to overcome … Read More
Providing Good Ground Cover Through the Air
A dozen years ago, to me, that headline would have meant using fighter aircraft to put precision munitions on targets to protect troops on the ground. Now, in the world of precision agriculture, it means using aerial application to put down seeds for ground cover crops. “Typically your crops will [still] be out in the field, and we need to … Read More
New Water Quality Improvement Projects
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that $8.4 million in financial assistance is available to support 23 new partnership projects in several Mississippi River Basin states under USDA’s Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative (MRBI). These projects will fund producer activities that will avoid, control and trap sediment and nutrient runoff from agricultural lands, improving water quality throughout their operations. On … Read More
AgNerds Love Precision Agriculture
We like new technology and we like our gadgets. We’re called AgNerds. And AgNerds are pretty open to precision agriculture. John McKee is one of us. John is a farmer of corn, cotton, soybeans and wheat. He was a civil engineer prior to farming so precision ag has come natural to him. He was also one of the speakers on … Read More
Precision Ag in a Conservation Plan
During the 2012 Conservation in Action Tour the word “precision” came up multiple times. As precision ag continues to develop it is being seen as an effective tool for conservation plans and practices. One of our speakers addressed this subject. He’s Terry Griffin, farmer and also VP, Applied Economics for new precision ag company, CrescoAg. Terry says one example of … Read More