Written By Laura Barrera and first published on AgFuse.com In 1995, Pennsylvania farmer Steve Groff was speaking at an event when he asked the audience the question:Do cover crops pay off? His thinking at the time was that he had been no-tilling since 1982, and maybe if he no-tilled long enough, he wouldn’t need them. …
Early Cover Crop Benefits: What Can You Expect In The First Year? Read More »
Written By Laura Barrera and first published on AgFuse.com If you want to make smart, well-informed decisions on your operation, you need relevant, high-quality data to support those decisions, says Tim Laatsch. A great way to achieve this? On-farm research. An Illinois-based farmer, Laatsch knows first-hand the importance of on-farm research. As the Director of …
Written By Laura Barrera and first published on Agfuse With harvest either underway or on the horizon for most growers in the U.S., now is a good time to prepare for your soil sampling program. Most universities and the NRCS recommend taking soil samples in the off-season, after the last crop harvest, and before the …
How To Create The Most Effective Soil Sampling Program Read More »
Written By Laura Barrera and first published in AGFuse.com When it comes to fertility in crop production, nitrogen is one of the most critical nutrients involved. “Nitrogen plays an important part in many essential functions and compounds necessary for life,” says the University of Missouri Extension and can be found in various parts of plants. …
Are Nitrogen Stabilizers Worth Using? 3 Factors To Consider Read More »
Written By Laura Barrera and first published on Agfuse.com Many farmers across the U.S. experienced wet weather last growing season. According to NOAA, the 12-month period between July 2018 and June 2019 set the precipitation record in the U.S. with an average 37.86 inches per month — 7.9 inches above average. The result of all …
Key Factor In Improving Soil Water Infiltration Rates Read More »
Written By Laura Barrera and first published on Agfuse.com While soil health may be harder to quantify than benefits like biomass production or input savings, there are ways of measuring how cover crops are making a difference in your soil. While there are numerous reasons for using cover crops, a primary one is improving soil …
Written By Laura Barrera First Published on AGfuse.com If someone asked you, “How do plants take up the water and nutrients they need?” you’d probably tellthem through the roots. But did you know that for many crops, those roots aren’t working alone?That’s because most plant species associate with mycorrhizal fungi. What are mycorrhizal fungi? University …
FOUR ISSUES TO CONSIDER You probably know that crop rotation is a good thing. Growing different crops back to back provides several benefits,such as preventing pests and disease, improving soil health and reducing fertilizer inputs, all of which can boost yourcrop yields and your bottom line. By adding cover crops to the mix, you’re diversifying …
