Cover Crops Provide Multiple Benefits, Higher Yields

From the USDA:

Posted by Ciji Taylor, Natural Resources Conservation Service, on January 21, 2015 at 3:00 PM

USDA employees, Paul Youngstrum and Eric McTaggart, examine a cover crop radish. NRCS photo by Jody Christiansen.

Corn and soybean farmers across the nation saw an increase in yields last year thanks in part to soil health-building cover crops.

More than 1,900 farmers responded last winter to a survey about cover crops conducted by the USDA’s North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program and the Conservation Technology Information Center. The results to the survey were released in late fall.

Farmers who planted corn in a field following a cover crop had a 3.1 percent increase in yield compared to side-by-side fields with no cover crops. Likewise, soybean yields increased 4.3 percent following cover crops, according to the survey.

With assistance from the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), farmers and ranchers are using cover crops to protect soil – their most valuable asset. Over the past six years, NRCS has helped landowners plant close to six million acres of cover crops by providing both financial and technical assistance.

Practices, like cover crops, help increase organic matter in the soil. In fact, one percent of organic matter in the top six inches of soil can hold about 27,000 gallons of water per acre. Increasing organic matter increases the holding capacity for water making land more resilient to extreme weather.

“By using practices like cover crops that enhance soil health, there will be more soil organic matter development and higher production potential. That results in a higher return on investment and true economic growth,” said Barry Fisher, NRCS Indiana soil health specialist.

Highlights of the 2013-2014 survey include:

• Cover crop acreage among survey respondents increased by 30 percent per year.
• Winter cereals – including winter wheat, cereal rye and triticale – were the most popular cover crops, planted by 73 percent of respondents.
• Legumes, which could include clover, winter pea, vetch and others, were planted by 55 percent of respondents.
• 63 percent of the cover crop users said they had never received financial assistance or payments to grow cover crops.
• Yield benefits rose as farmers reported more years of experience with cover crops.
• The top perceived challenges for cover crops were noted as the time required to plant and manage cover crops, terminating cover crops, and selecting the right cover crop varieties.

Cover crops provide numerous benefits in addition to yield increases. They help improve soil health by reducing erosion, increasing soil organic matter content, improving air and water movement through soil, reducing soil compaction, capturing and recycling nutrients in the soil profile and managing soil moisture to promote biological nitrogen fixation.

This is significant as farmers reported the three benefits they desired most from cover crops were increased soil organic matter, reducing erosion and reducing compaction.

“Cover crops mimic what Mother Nature was doing before man began farming. She always kept herself covered and always had some kind of live roots year round. The closer we can mimic this the better our soils will become over time,” said one survey respondent.

Farmers who had four or more years of experience with cover crops saw a higher increase in bushels per acre than those with zero to three years of experience, most likely due to an increase in organic matter.

Another survey respondent commented: “Cover crops are not a one-time practice but a long-term system. This system has enormous benefits while the individual practices making up the system are hard to quantify in the short run.”

Farmers interested in learning more about soil health-building cover crops and soil health management systems should visit www.nrcs.usda.gov/GetStarted or a local USDA service center.

Illinois Farmer Ralph Upton knows first-hand how much soil and crop yields can improve with proper use of cover crops. Upton has been using cover crops since the late 1990s. NRCS photo by Ciji Taylor.

An Iowa Couple Grows Food, Family and a Community on an Organic Farm

From the USDA:

Posted by Ron Nichols, Natural Resources Conservation Service, on January 20, 2015 at 10:30 AM

Andy and Melissa Dunham, seen here with daughter Leonora, own and operate Grinnell Heritage Farm in Grinnell, Iowa. NRCS photo by Ron Nichols.

Some people are born to farm. Others grow to love it. In Melissa Dunham’s case, she fell in love with a farmer — and now she loves both the farmer and the farm.

“I was happily employed in the Twin Cities, but then I fell in love with this wonderful man who told me he was an organic vegetable farmer,” Melissa said. “I thought, ‘Sure, why not?’ We got married within seven months.”

It was an unexpected career and life change. “Everybody thought I was nuts moving down here to central Iowa to be a farmer,” she said. But now she’s growing food she believes in — and in a way that will leave the land in better condition for the generations to follow.

She and her husband, Andy Dunham, own and operate Grinnell Heritage Farm in Grinnell, Iowa. The certified organic farm has grown from three acres in 2007 to 22 acres today and produces more than 60 varieties of plants and vegetables.

Grinnell Heritage Farm is a certified organic farm that has grown from three acres in 2007, to 22 acres today. NRCS photo by Ron Nichols.

“We grow everything from asparagus to zucchini,” Melissa said.

The Dunhams understand that the health of their soil translates into healthier crops and a more resilient farm. A fifth-generation farmer on the Grinnell farmland, Andy has made improving the health of the farm’s soil a major priority.

“Our philosophy is feed the soil, it will feed your plants, and then it will feed us,” he said.

Judging from the farm’s improvement in yields over time, this approach is working. “We read the ‘Knott’s Handbook for Vegetable Growers,’ which is kind of the vegetable grower’s official handbook, and our yields are almost always well above what their best yields are projected,” said Andy.

Working with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the Dunhams have been able to accelerate the adoption of a number of resource-protecting practices through the agency’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).

“There were several practices, like adding hedge rows for wildlife habitat, that we probably wouldn’t have been able to do without the EQIP contract,” Andy said.

The Dunhams were also able to take advantage of EQIP’s Organic Initiative back when they were converting from a conventional farming operation. “We did an awful lot of stuff with cover cropping and we did a lot of things for managing water quality,” he said. “The program was very helpful.”

Cropping diversity plays a central role in improving soil health because plant diversity above ground promotes biological diversity below ground, but it also plays a part in keeping the farming operation resilient.

“We have had some really, really severe weather swings over the last seven years and on numerous occasions. It’s either been too wet or too dry or both,” said Melissa. “Last year we had both flooding and a drought, but by being diverse we have been able to stay in the black. It’s helped us stay afloat when the weather extremes aren’t in our favor.”

While all farmers have to deal with weather-related issues, organic farming has additional challenges — like not being able to use synthetic nutrients or pesticides to control weeds and harmful insects. However, Andy believes it’s worth the extra effort.

“People who are wary of an organic system think it takes a lot of management — and it does,” he said. “But if you stay committed, if you follow the principles — even if you make a few mistakes — and stick with it, things will get better.  The yields will go up and you can rejuvenate tired soils. It can be done.”

Inherent farming challenges notwithstanding, a lot of good things are being raised on the Grinnell Heritage Farm including healthy food, healthy soil, a healthy family and a chance to teach other people about farming. “And I love being able to spend this much time with my family,” Melissa said.

Certified organic cabbage growing on the farm will be sold to local retailers and at farmers’ markets. NRCS photo by Ron Nichols.

Florida Family Farm Adopts Conservation Practices, Helps Gulf of Mexico

From USDA:

Posted by Doug Ulmer, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Florida, on January 5, 2015 at 10:00 AM

A center-pivot irrigation system uses low pressure-high uniformity to water a cover crop mix that includes Daikon Radish on Mitch Holtzclaw’s farm in O’Brien, Fla. NRCS photo by Doug Ulmer.

For three generations members of Mitch Holtzclaw’s family has farmed land in Suwanee County, Florida. Today, Holtzclaw grows more than 1,000 acres of peanuts, corn and small grains.

His farm is about three miles from the historic Suwannee River, which flows directly into the Gulf of Mexico. The sandy soil types and karst limestone topography on Holtzclaw’s farm are characteristic of the watersheds in the middle Suwannee River Basin and cause for concern over increased nutrient concentrations that can be found in the area’s ground and surface water.

The Holtzclaw family has worked with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), over the years on several Environmental Quality Incentive Program conservation practices. So, when NRCS announced the national Gulf of Mexico Initiative, or GoMI, in response to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Holtzclaw saw an opportunity to incorporate new conservation farming techniques into his farm’s management system that conserve and help clean water.

“Getting cover crops started was the biggest benefit. Trying some new cover crop types to see what works best, and using cover crops on almost all our cropland has helped us use less water and improve our soil,” Holtzclaw said.

Since his GoMI contract began, he has experimented with several mixes of cover crops. Holtzclaw has already seen the benefits of growing cover crops in conjunction with his conservation tillage practice. He directly strip tills the cover crops, while efficient low-pressure irrigation systems with drop emitters reduce the amount of water used. Cover crops and drip irrigation help prevent soil erosion and deliver nutrients efficiently so that soil and nutrients don’t wash into waterways.

He also uses nutrient management conservation practices and soil test annually to determine the precise nutrient application needed.

Holtzclaw is not alone in implementing conservation practices that provide sustainable results on his land which also impacts the regions watershed system as a whole. Other agricultural producers in this area have voluntarily participated in the Suwannee River Partnership and implemented best management practices to help improve water quality.

GoMI has intensified this effort in Suwannee, Escambia and Lafayette counties that were also selected to participate in the national initiative.

He is now interested in energy efficiency programs and hopes to receive EQIP financial assistance when converting his old diesel irrigation motors to new high-efficient electric motors. He feels that all of these conservation programs not only benefit his land but also help his bottom line.

Mitch Holtzclaw plants strip tilled peanuts in small grain cover crop. These conservation practices were implemented under the national Gulf of Mexico Initiative. NRCS photo by Doug Ulmer.

Strategic Conversations, a Crisis Response at the Grass Roots Level

From USDA:

Posted by Chris Coulon, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Ohio, on December 16, 2014 at 10:00 AM

From left to right, Hardin County farmer Jerry McBride, AgCredit CEO Brian Ricker and Ohio State Conservationist Terry Cosby place the first cover crop sign in McBride’s cover crop field which contains a mix of oilseed radish, hairy vetch, and cereal rye. NRCS photo by Dianne Johnson.

As Mark Twain once said, “Let us make a special effort to stop communicating with each other, so we can have some conversation.” Recently, in Ohio, the staff of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), put that advice to work: rather than trying to communicate broadly, they took their message on the road, visiting with farmers face-to-face to talk about the importance of cover crops on improving water quality.

For two days this past summer, 400,000 Toledo, Ohio residents dependent on safe drinking water from Lake Erie could not use their water for drinking, bathing or washing. Toxins from algae contaminated their water, exceeding the city’s water treatment facilities capacity to remove it.  Boiling the water only concentrated the toxin. No one knew how long this would last.

Runoff from 4.5 million acres of land, primarily farmland, drains from the Western Lake Erie Watershed into Lake Erie. Phosphorus used to fertilize farm fields may run off if applied before a heavy rain, eventually reaching Lake Erie, providing a feast for algae. The trick is to keep the phosphorus in place.

NRCS knew the agency had to act immediately in the face of this crisis. NRCS offers professional conservation expertise and financial incentives to farmers who implement conservation practices on the ground to help keep soil and phosphorus out of drainage water.

The NRCS team in Ohio decided that planting cover crops would provide the most effective and immediate conservation protection for Lake Erie. Cover crops can keep soil in place and take up phosphorus. Funds from the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, or EQIP, would help farmer’s purchase and plant cover crop seeds.

But the window to plant cover crops was closing fast so the team needed to get the word out quickly. Face-to-face communication takes the most time and effort, but it’s very effective. Knowing this, NRCS conservationists hit the road. It was time to have conversations.

Ohio’s response team meets with Hardin County farmers on August 12, 2014 to hear their thoughts about Toledo’s water ban and a potential cover crop program. NRCS photo by Chris Coulon.

Over the next seven weeks, NRCS conservationists traveled to farms and had conversations with farmers in 10 of the watershed’s 20 Ohio counties. After the first few meetings, the team realized that the farmers knew about the EQIP cover crop idea before the team arrived! At every meeting, the farmers shared with NRCS suggestions and information which the team used to create a more effective cover crop program in an effort to protect Lake Erie from runoff.

Twitter played an unexpected role in spreading the word of the proposed cover crop program.  Agri-businesses, organizations, and media “retweeted” the teams’ photos and comments from farmers posted on Twitter, informing people far beyond the borders of Ohio about the crisis response. Within the first two weeks, followers of NRCS Ohio’s Twitter account increased 25 percent.

The team’s communication work culminated in a press conference announcing a $2 million available to plant cover crops through EQIP. NRCS produced and published a number of communications products to get the word out. Partners also promoted the effort.

The farmer conversations created a media buzz focusing on farmers working toward solutions, rather than blaming them for the problem. The success of this intensive communication effort is in the numbers – more than 450 EQIP applications submitted by farmers in the Lake Erie watershed offering to plant cover crops on 86,000 acres!

As cover crop planting commenced, the NRCS team shared the story of their successful crisis response strategy and discussed future conservation efforts at press conferences, on expert panel broadcasts, and at the Great Lakes Mayors Summit in Chicago. The team continued traveling to watershed farms to attend meetings with farmers to learn what worked and what didn’t with the cover crop program and to discuss the future of Lake Erie watershed conservation efforts.

NRCS and farmers wrapped up their response effort where it began, on Jerry McBride’s farm in Hardin County. The financial cooperative, Ag Credit, and NRCS started a new partnership during the crisis to create and distribute 500 cover crop signs. These signs, posted along roads bordering cover crop fields, will help people identify cover crops and show that farmers have taken action. Jerry McBride posted the first sign.

Ottawa County Soil and Water Conservation District employee Mike Libben (right) points out focus areas for planting cover crops to Ohio State Conservationist Terry Cosby during Cosby’s visits to counties in the Western Lake Erie Watershed. NRCS photo by Chris Coulon.

Earth Day 2014: The Hope in Healthy Soil

USDA Blog Post:

Posted by Ron Nichols, Natural Resources Conservation Service, on April 22, 2014 at 3:00 PM

Conservation tillage practices like no-till allow farmers to plant cash crop seeds with little disturbance to the soil, which protects the habitat for billions of the soil’s microorganisms. NRCS photo.

For years, it was believed that a certain amount of cropland soil erosion was inevitable. But by using conservation techniques like cover crops, no-till and diverse crop rotations, an increasing number of farmers are proving that we can actually build our soils and, in some instances, increase soil organic matter by as much as 3-4 percent.

In the process, these farmers are using less energy, maintaining or increasing production and improving their bottom lines. And that’s a reason to celebrate today—Earth Day 2014.

These farmers understand the soil is alive. So they’re farming with practices to ensure the soil ecosystem is alive and well and working for them. While management techniques vary from farm-to-farm, they all use these four key soil health principles. They…

1. Minimize soil disturbance. The soil’s natural biological cycles and soil structure can be disrupted through tillage, chemical disturbance or improper livestock grazing. By reducing or eliminating these activities, farmers will benefit from better plant growth, reduced soil erosion, increased profit margins and better wildlife habitat.

2. Energize with diversity. Biodiversity, growing more plants in rotation, increases the success of most agricultural systems. Diversity above ground improves diversity below ground, which provides an ideal habitat for the billions of micro-organisms that perform essential soil ecosystem functions like helping make nutrients available to plants.

3. Keep the soil covered. Using cover crops helps restore soil health, protects against soil erosion and groundwater leaching, and provides livestock feed and wildlife habitat. In addition, cover crops protect the soil ecosystem from temperature extremes and improve plant health.

4. Maximize living roots. Year-round, living roots are essential to provide the food and habitat for soil micro-organisms. These roots also create pores and channels in the soil that provide oxygen and increase water infiltration capacity — which helps makes cropland more resilient to weather extremes like droughts and floods.

Learn more about the “Unlock the Secrets in the Soil” campaign of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and hear what farmers have to say about the importance of soil health in these short “Profiles in Soil Health” videos.

Also, learn from soil health farmers in your state.

In addition to planting rotations, soil health farmers often use a “cocktail mix” of cover crop seed varieties to improve nutrient cycling and to improve soil ecosystem diversity and health. NRCS photo.

Top Five Reasons You Should "Root" for Soil Health Farmers on Earth Day 2014

USDA Blog Post:

Posted by Ron Nichols, Natural Resources Conservation Service, on April 17, 2014 at 11:00 AM

What's underneath? Healthy soil has amazing water-retention capacity. USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service is celebrating Earth Day by highlighting the importance of soil health.

Earth Day is next Tuesday.  To meet the growing sustainability challenges of the 21^st 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 to dinner. We all rely on the soil for our food and fiber. By the year 2050, an estimated 9 billion people will join us at Earth’s dinner table, meaning we’ll have to grow as much food in the next 40 years as we have in the past 500.

The Soil Health Solution: Improving soil health increases the productivity and function of our soil (including nutrient uptake to plants), which offers increased food security in a growing world.

4. There are fewer acres of land to grow the food we need. Globally, millions of acres of cropland are lost to development or resource degradation.

The Soil Health Solution: Improving soil health naturally can protect our working lands from erosion and desertification and ensure that our food-producing acres stay fertile and productive.

3. Weather extremes like drought and climate change pose increasing food production challenges.

The Soil Health Solution: Healthy soil is more resilient soil, with greater infiltration and water-holding capacity, which make farms more resistant to periods of drought. And since it holds more water, healthy soil helps reduce flooding during periods of intense rainfall.

2. There is growing competition for water and other food production resources — and many resources are limited (or in some cases finite) in their supply.

The Soil Health Solution: Healthy soils help optimize those inputs and maximize nutrient use efficiency. In addition, healthy soil keeps production inputs like fertilizers and pesticides on the land and out of our streams, lakes and oceans.

1. We can repair and rebuild it. For years, it was believed that a certain amount of cropland soil erosion was inevitable.

The Soil Health Solution: By using conservation techniques like cover crops, no-till and diverse crop rotations, an increasing number of farmers are proving that we can actually build our soils — and, in some instances, increase soil organic matter by as much as 3-4 percent. In the process, farmers are actually using less energy, maintaining or increasing production and improving their bottom lines. Meet some of those farmers.

In fact, there are many more reasons why soil health is important to all of us on Earth Day — and every day. Learn more about the basics and benefits of soil health and how NRCS is helping our nation’s farmers “Unlock the Secrets in the Soil.”

Healthy soil retains water, and is a key to the need to feed the world’s estimated 9 billion people by 2050. (NRCS photo)

Christmas Tree Grower Branches Out

USDA Blog Post:

Posted by Catherine Bailey, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Oregon, on December 26, 2013 at 10:00 AM

Christmas trees are a staple crop for many farms in Oregon, including this tree farm off Interstate 5. (NRCS photo)

During a time of year more often associated with consumption than conservation, Daniel Logan, owner and operator of Logan Tree Farm near North Plains, Ore., shows that managing and preserving the land yields both profit and holiday cheer.

Raising Christmas trees is a family business for Logan, who can remember pruning and clipping trees as early as six years old. His family has grown Christmas trees in the area since 1883, and he continues the tradition, managing about 35 acres of Christmas trees, including Douglas, Noble, Grand and Nordmann Firs.

While the Pacific Northwest may be the among the largest producers of Christmas trees in the nation, growers face a number of challenges, including managing land for extended and sustained use, while coping with both unpredictable weather and volatile commercial markets.

Logan recognized the need for conservation to improve his land and in 1992 began working with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to plant cover crops. His goal was to reduce the need for chemical use and improve soil quality.

Logan eventually enrolled in the Conservation Stewardship Program, a Farm Bill conservation program that provides technical and financial assistance to producers interested in conserving and enhancing natural resources on their property. With CSP assistance, Logan continues to reinforce and expand cover crops on his Christmas tree farm.

“It just seemed like the natural next step,” Logan said of his decision to enroll.

Since planting cover crops on his property, Logan has witnessed a number of benefits, including improved soil quality, a reduction in soil erosion and improved tree health. The land is also less muddy, which proves helpful in keeping trees clean and presentable for sales.

“It’s like working on a carpet,” Logan said.

All of these conservation efforts contribute to an improved crop yield, which can only mean good things for locals looking to find that perfect tree. Logan expects to sell upwards of 1,800 trees this year alone, with Noble firs standing out as his top sellers.

“The Noble is a good keeper,” Logan said. “They stand up well, and they’re just really pretty.”

Even so, Logan warns that even healthy, sturdy trees have a shelf life and shouldn’t be kept much longer than two to three weeks. While it’s possible to extend this time by a couple of days by lowering your home’s thermostat several degrees and keeping trees a safe distance away from any heat sources, Logan is adamant that most trees should be disposed of prior to a month.

As Logan and NRCS move forward in their partnership to improve soil quality and strengthen crop yields, the future for Christmas trees in Washington County, Ore. looks bright.

Secretary Visits Virginia Farm, Announces Progress on Effort to Reduce Farm Sediment Runoff into the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

USDA Blog Post:

Posted by Barbara Bowen, Public Affairs Specialist, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Virginia, on December 6, 2013 at 2:00 PM

NRCS Illustration showing a substantial reduction in farm runoff entering the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

Yesterday, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack visited a Virginia Century Farm in Stafford County to release a new report that shows how farmers like Gerry Silver are helping make significant progress in reducing sediment and nutrient runoff into the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

The Secretary lauded Silver Ridge Farm as a gold standard for conservation because the owners have implemented voluntary conservation practices such as cover crops and no-till planting to control soil erosion and prevent the release of nitrogen and phosphorus into area waterways.  Though the family has kept the land in continuous agricultural use for more than 100 consecutive years, he called the operation a “farm of the future” because the family has continued to evolve their operation over time to maintain productivity and diversify income opportunities.

The farm was the perfect setting to spotlight USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) report, the only regional effort that scientifically and statistically matches farmers’ actions with soil, landscape and climate to quantify agricultural impacts on water quality.  The report estimates that conservation practices applied by farmers and landowners in the region since 2006 are reducing nitrogen and phosphorus leaving fields by 48.6 million pounds each year (26 percent) and 7.1 million pounds (46 percent) respectively.

In addition, the report said the use of cover crops nearly quadrupled from 2003-2006 to 2011, with adoption increasing from only 12 percent of acres to 52 percent of acres with a cover crop at some point in the rotation.  In 2003-2006, 19 percent of cropped acres had a high need for conservation treatment; by 2011, only four percent of acres were in that category.

Importantly, conservation practices adopted by Bay producers since 2003-06 have reduced average annual edge of field losses of sediment by 15.1 million tons (60 percent).  This amount of sediment would produce enough dirt to fill 150,000 railroad cars on a train that would stretch 1704 miles, or further than the distance from Washington, DC, to Albuquerque, New Mexico, every year.

Visit to Silver Ridge Farm in Stafford County, Virginia: with Secretary Vilsack (left) are Edward Gerald "Gerry" Silver, Sole Proprietor of Silver Ridge Farm, and Alexa "Lexi" Clark, Soil Conservationist with the NRCS Fredericksburg Service Center. USDA photo.

Richard Street, At-Large Member of the Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Board, highlighted the need for partnership efforts to improve Bay health. “USDA, NRCS, and state agencies need to work together to assist local jurisdictions and governments to improve the health of the Bay,” said Richard Street.  Street, who is also a Senior Environmental Engineer with Spotsylvania County, added, “In Spotsylvania County, we took our cue from farmers in using a voluntary approach to conservation activities in urban settings with low impact development.”

The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) released a statement saying it was pleased by the CEAP report findings. According to NACD, “The report, which demonstrates a reduction in runoff of nutrients and sediment in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, reflects the focused approach on implementing voluntary, incentive-based conservation practices in the Bay through the partnership of conservation districts, producers, state and federal agencies including NRCS and the Farm Service Agency.”

“This is a great day for agriculture,” said NACD President Earl Garber. “The CEAP report clearly demonstrates that producers’ proactive, voluntary use of good conservation practices is paying off in a big way in the watershed.”

Sean Garvin, Region 3 Administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency said, “Farmers have stepped up their efforts to implement conservation practices to clean up the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and the progress reported by USDA in its CEAP report today is consistent with the rates reported through the Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) Partnership.”

The Chesapeake Bay Watershed touches six states (Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia) and the District of Columbia. The area is home to 17 million people.  More than 150 major rivers and streams flow into the Bay, the largest estuary in the United States.

The full report, along with a fact sheet, summary and infographic, is available here. Learn more about USDA’s Conservation Effects Assessment Project.

Edward Gerald "Gerry" Silver, Sole Proprietor of Silver Ridge Farm, discusses conservation efforts with Secretary Vilsack on the farm on Thursday. USDA NRCS photo.

USDA Celebrates Soil's Importance on its Special Day

USDA Blog Post:

Posted by Terry Bish, Acting Director, Public Affairs, Natural Resources Conservation Service, on December 5, 2013 at 3:15 PM

In this photo from the 2009 Society for Range Management (SRM) Award tour, Soil Quality Specialist, Rick Bednarek, formerly of SD, explained the darkness of the soil was due to the organic matter which is the key indicator of the health of soil.

Too often, it’s treated like dirt. But this week our living and life-giving soil is finally getting some of the respect it deserves today, for World Soils Day.

While soil may not enjoy the media attention of Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year’s, it can be argued that it shares importance with all three. Where would we be without soil?

This amazing resource is responsible for nearly all life on the planet. Naturalist Aldo Leopold describes soil perfectly, saying: “Land is not merely soil, it is a fountain of energy flowing through a circuit of soils, plants and animals.”

Understandably, it’s easy to take soil for granted because it’s mostly hidden from view — and few who live off the farm have reason to give it a second thought. Fortunately, scientists, conservationists and farmers are increasingly recognizing that keeping our soil healthy and functioning is the key to our survival.

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and its conservation partners are working directly with private landowners to improve the health of the soil on our working lands. And by improving the health of the soil, we are also improving the health and vitality of our farms, families and communities.

This renewed focus on the health of our soil has created an exciting new revolution in American agriculture as farmers, ranchers and other landowners are increasingly making their land more productive and sustainable through soil health management systems.

Although all farming operations are different, most all can benefit from:

• keeping the soil covered as much as possible;
• disturbing the soil as little as possible;
• keeping plants growing throughout the year to feed the soil; and
• diversifying plants as much as possible using crop rotation and cover crops.

By improving soil health can harvest benefits on and off the farm including increasing farmland sustainability and resilience, improving water and air quality, providing wildlife habitat and reducing flooding.

This work ensures healthy soil will be plentiful for future generations.

World Soil Day serves as a reminder to all of us that we owe our existence to the soil. President Franklin Roosevelt says it best: “The nation that destroys the soil destroys itself.”

In naming Dec. 5 World Soil Day and 2015 as International Year of Soils, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations aimed to focus attention on something we see, touch, walk on and depend on every day – and should never take for granted.

As we face mounting global production, climate and sustainability challenges, I believe there is no better time to work hand-in-hand with farmers and ranchers to improve the health of this critical living resource.

For more information on soil, visit NRCS’ soil health awareness campaign, “Unlock the Secrets in the Soil.”

The South Dakota Legislature made Houdek (pronounced hoo-deck) the official State Soil in 1990. South Dakota has over 650 different soils.

Mimic Nature to Harvest Benefits of Healthy Soil, Expert Says

USDA Blog Post:

Posted by Michelle Banks, Natural Resources Conservation Service, on December 3, 2013 at 2:00 PM

NRCS joins others to celebrate World Soil Day on Dec. 5.

In the minds of many, a freshly tilled field is picturesque – clean and ready for the next planting. But according to a soil health expert, what looks good to the eye, isn’t always good for the soil – or a farmer’s bottom line.

Thursday, on World Soil Day, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is celebrating the importance of healthy soils and sharing how farmers and ranchers can help care for it through conservation practices like no-till.

When soil is heavily tilled, the stalks from the previous crop are chopped, and the top several inches of soil structure are disturbed. Conventional thought suggests this fluffing action allows for better seed placement, but Ray Archuleta, NRCS conservation agronomist, said that no-till systems, especially when combined with cover crops, are better – and lead to healthier, more drought-resistant soil.

Archuleta, who works at the agency’s East National Technology Center in Greensboro, N.C., said no-till has significant financial benefits for producers, too.

“No-tillage can save thousands of dollars every year in fuel, labor and equipment maintenance,” Archuleta said.  “The key is to let the soil organisms do the work.”

Tennessee grain farmer Bartt McCormack has refrained from tilling — instead using no-till planting — for more than 35 years.  He knows first-hand why no-till with cover crops has created a favorable soil ecosystem. They’ve had a positive impact on his bottom line, he said.

“We’re a 90-95 percent no-till operation,” he said. “When you start pulling iron over 6,000 acres, it takes a lot of labor and a lot of fuel.”

McCormack grew up using tillage on the family farm, but after enrolling in NRCS programs, the farm began implementing no-till on more and more acres.

But McCormack cautions there is a process in transitioning to a no-till operation. He advises that farmers have to re-tool and change management practices on herbicides and rotations, but most importantly, they need to have an open mind at the possibilities that no-till with cover crops can bring.

“It’s not like changing a pair of pants,” he said.

McCormack has seen a boost in yields since he made the transition to no-till. “I’ve seen a 60 bushel difference in yield,” he said. “That’s a tremendous amount.”

On fields where he also planted cover crops, McCormack said his yields were event better. “Looking back, plowing up my fields was reducing my yields.”

Like a growing number of farmers across the nation, McCormack is sold on the benefits of improving soil health. He plans to continue experimenting with different varieties and combinations of cover crops, including planting multiple species on nearly all of his 6,000 no-till acres this fall.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has designated Thursday, Dec. 5 as World Soil Day.  To find out more about soil health click here.

Bartt McCormack uses cover crops and no-till to improve yields on his Tennessee farm.

Risk Management Tools Help Farmers Create a More Environmentally Sustainable Future

USDA Blog Post:

Posted by Brandon C. Willis, Administrator, USDA Risk Management Agency, on December 3, 2013 at 10:00 AM

Good risk management tools aid in conservation efforts and help protect beautiful views like this for the next generation. USDA photo.

American producers know that crop insurance is a proven tool for managing the risks of farming.  But many folks may not be aware that it also promotes sound practices that encourage environmental sustainability.

One of the primary reasons the Federal crop insurance program is good for conservation is that it requires producers to exercise good farming practices in order to be eligible for coverage.  Good farming practices vary from crop to crop and from region to region, but follow the principle that the farming practices carried out are considered prudent and responsible by local extension agents and certified crop consultants. And this means planning for the long-term future, not just the current crop year.

One area where crop insurance encourages both maximum productivity as well as beneficial soil health is through requiring crop rotation when appropriate. Based upon the opinion of local experts, producers are often required to rotate crops in order to remain eligible for crop insurance coverage.

Another way that crop insurance maximizes productivity while improving the soil is by ensuring that crop insurance policies are consistent with the latest science based research on soil health. Cover crops for conservation have been around for a long time but are now being embraced by more farmers due to the increased understanding of the benefits of soil quality, nutrient cycles, erosion control, weed management, and soil water availability.  RMA and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) recently worked together to clarify guidance for producers who want to ensure good soil health and retain crop insurance.  For crop insurance, producers can determine the recommended termination time for a cover crop by referring to the NRCS Cover Crop Termination Guidelines. This benefits both farmers with their planning option, as well as the land itself.

Good risk management tools aid in conservation efforts and help protect beautiful views like this for the next generation. USDA photo.

Finally crop insurance protects the soil through prevented planting coverage. Prevented planting coverage offers producers the guarantee they need so they do not take unnecessary risks with soil health by forcing a crop on land that is too wet or too dry.  Because of prevented planting provisions farmers who may otherwise be forced to make risky farming decisions that can harm the soil are able to instead plant cover crops and protect one of our most valuable resources – our soil.

Risk management is about making sure farmers can put seed in the ground the year after a drought or a flood, but it’s also about making sure the soil health is maintained to produce a good crop year after year. It is difficult for a grower to consider investing in new (and more sustainable) production methods or equipment if they are uncertain whether they will make it through the next year.  Crop insurance gives growers a degree of security that helps them to take a more long-term view of how they farm and the sustainability of their methods.

Good risk management tools aid in conservation efforts and help protect beautiful views like this for the next generation. USDA photo.

Secretary's Column: Taking New Steps to Care for the Land and Water

USDA Blog Post:

Posted by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, on September 13, 2013 at 3:00 PM

Natural resource conservation is paramount to the ongoing strength of our nation. Healthy soil contributes to agricultural productivity. Healthy forests clean our water and air. Vibrant waterways are critical for our health, for transportation and for trade. Investments into conservation spur job growth and community development, particularly in rural areas.

This is an uncertain time for USDA conservation activities. Congress has not yet passed a comprehensive Food, Farm and Jobs Bill that would continue to invest in conservation efforts, while providing rural America with certainty regarding many other important programs.

As we continue urging Congress to provide a new Food, Farm and Jobs Bill, USDA this week took several new steps to strengthen conservation across the country.

We invested in innovation by awarding new grants under USDA’s Conservation Innovation Grants program.  New technologies and tactics are constantly emerging that help producers and landowners care for the environment.  These 33 new awards will help organizations across the country carry out advanced new conservation strategies and share them with producers. For example, several projects will investigate the benefits of cover crops, which could help producers grow more while mitigating the impacts of a changing climate.

These new project awards are part of more than 260 projects funded since 2009, including a special group of Conservation Innovation Grants to help agriculture adapt to drought.

We also invested this week in the future of renewable energy from wood products. USDA announced a partnership with industry to work toward additional wood-to-energy projects, while awarding more than $1 million in grants for five statewide teams that will further develop these efforts.  This builds on past work that has resulted in more than 230 wood-to-energy projects created under the Obama Administration.

Advanced wood energy provides a wide range of benefits for our nation. It encourages forest restoration by providing a new way to use wood byproducts. It contributes to an “all-of-the above” energy strategy, giving folks an alternative to costly energy sources. And it helps to create good jobs in energy and forestry for rural Americans. Renewable wood energy holds tremendous promise for rural America, and the new investments made this week are yet another step forward for this technology.

To cap off a week of positive new developments for USDA conservation efforts, we announced today that the U.S. Forest Service will partner with Coca-Cola, the National Forest Foundation and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation in a long-term effort to restore and clean waterways in our National Forests.

National Forests provide drinking water for more than 60 million Americans – and working together, USDA and Coca-Cola will undertake a range of projects in the coming years to restore forest waterways. These include working on the Angeles National Forest in California to prevent erosion caused by wildfire; restoring a stream in New Mexico that was previously impacted by industrial activity; and enhancing waterways within the Lake Michigan watershed.

Our hope is that these restoration projects will stand as an example for the benefit of public-private partnership to deliver results for the American people, even in a time of tighter budgets.

These new efforts complement the wide range of work we will continue to do with a focus on delivering record conservation results for Americans. With the right tools, including a new Food, Farm and Jobs Bill, there is much more we can achieve in the years to come.