The Soil Health Institute and Cargill conducted this project to provide farmers with the economics information they need when deciding whether to adopt soil health practices and systems. The 12
The Soil Health Institute and Cargill conducted this project to provide farmers with the economics information they need when deciding whether to adopt soil health practices and systems. The 12
The Soil Health Institute and Cargill conducted this project to provide farmers with the economic information they need when deciding whether to adopt soil health practices and systems. The 10
The Soil Health Institute and Cargill conducted this project to provide farmers with the economic information they need when deciding whether to adopt soil health practices and systems. The 10
Cover crops can lessen soil erosion and compaction, improve water infiltration, enhance nutrient availability, suppress weeds, and assist with pest management. However, cover crops are not commonly used in alleyways
Integrated crop-livestock system (ICLS) is an alternative that can help in intensifying food production while benefiting the environment. However, the assessments of the impacts of ICLS on the soil and
This study examined the effect of crop rotations and winter cover crops (CCs) on near‐surface pore characteristics of a silty clay loam soil in a 27‐yr no‐till field experiment. The
Agricultural soils are largely degraded or under threat of degradation. Given a growing human population and the subsequent need to feed this population, agricultural practices must maintain productivity and soil
Cover cropping is a widely promoted strategy to enhance soil health in agricultural systems. Despite a substantial body of literature demonstrating links between cover crops and soil biology, an important
Many farms use leguminous cover crops as a nutrient management strategy to reduce their need for nitrogen fertilizer. When they are effective, leguminous cover crops are a valuable tool for
Cover crops should be viewed as a long-term investment in improved soil health and farm management. They can begin to pay for themselves in the first year of use, or
Reducing tillage and growing cover crops, widely recommended practices for boosting soil health, have major impacts on soil communities. Surprisingly little is known about their impacts on soil microbial functional
Global agricultural and food systems face the challenge of feeding a growing world population in the face of finite and diminishing resources. To guide the redesign of agricultural systems, farmers
Metagenomics in agricultural research allows for searching for bioindicators of soil health to characterize changes caused by management practices. Cover cropping (CC) improves soil health by mitigating nutrient losses, yet
In addition to soil health and conservation benefits, cover crops (CCs) may offer weed control in the midwestern United States, but individual studies report varying effects. We conducted a meta‐analysis
A practice that offers clear benefits to farmers, wildlife, and climate is cover cropping. Cover crops are non-commodity crops planted in between rows or during fallow periods to prevent chemical
Soil health is a combination of physical, chemical and biological properties impacting the function and productivity of the soil. Several of these properties directly affect your farm’s net return. Soil
Learn how Adair County farmer Dennis Lundy is promoting soil health through no-till alfalfa production.
Find out from Iowa farmers how cover crops can benefit your livestock operation.
Discover ways Iowa farmers are using cover crops to reduce erosion, manage nutrients, and improve soil health.