Drainage

May 8, 2012

Article

USDA Advances Water Quality Conservation Across the U.S.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced the launch of a new National Water Quality Initiative committed to improving one to seven impaired watersheds in every U.S. state and territory. The 157 selected watersheds were identified with assistance from state agencies, key partners, and NRCS State Technical Committees. USDA's NRCS will make available at least $33 million in financial assistance to farmers, ranchers and forest landowners this year to implement conservation practices to help provide cleaner water for their neighbors and communities....More
Apr. 1, 2012

Article

Corn and Soybean Digest

Buffer Booster | Cut Nitrates by Routing Tile Water Through Grass Buffer

Directing tile water through a grass buffer can significantly improve drainage water quality. This new conservation drainage practice, called a “saturated buffer,” removes nitrates from subsurface drainage water at low cost – without affecting farm field drainage....More
Mar. 1, 2012

Article

Corn and Soybean Digest

Slow Nitrate Flow | Small Check Dams Cut Nitrate Loss in Half

By installing small check dams within drainage ditches beside fields, research shows that growers can stop close to 30-50% of the nitrate nitrogen (N) from flowing downstream, according to Mississippi State University (MSU) studies....More
Mar. 1, 2012

Article

Corn and Soybean Digest

New Ways to Evaluate Soil

Soil quality is the most important base layer for all farm production decisions. That includes decisions about yield goals, plant populations, fertility programs and hybrid genetics, says Clay Mitchell, a Harvard-educated corn and soybean grower, futurist and new technology guru from Buckingham, IA....More
Feb. 15, 2012

Article

Corn and Soybean Digest

The Chesapeake Impact | Lawsuit Between EPA and Farm Bureau Could Have Broad Consequences

The water quality fight simmering in the Chesapeake Bay region could drastically impact agricultural land use from Virginia to Montana by the time the legal battle is over....More
Feb. 8, 2012

video

2012 Conservation Legacy Award South Region Winner: Bryant Farms

Cullen Bryant, of Bryant Farms, Dillon, SC, explains his conservation efforts. The South Carolina farm pursues both economic and environmental sustainability....More
Feb. 3, 2012

Article

Corn and Soybean Digest

Cover Crop Starter | Great Resources Offer Help with Valuable Practice

A list of cover crop benefits came easily for more than 50 farmers at the Iowa Crop Advantage workshop: erosion control, weed control, improved soil organic matter, nutrient retention, better water infiltration and reduced nitrogen losses....More
Jan. 18, 2012

Article

Secretary Vilsack Signs Historic Agreement with EPA and State of Minnesota Encouraging Farmers to Protect Rivers, Streams and Lakes

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced that the USDA has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the state of Minnesota to develop a new state program for farmers designed to increase the voluntary adoption of conservation practices that protect local rivers, streams and other waters by reducing fertilizer run-off and soil erosion....More
Jan. 12, 2012

Article

3 Tips for Prepping Compacted Ground for Planting

Many corn and soybean growers harvested record crops last fall. However, they may be facing compaction issues because of saturated soils at harvest. Combines and grain carts caused deep ruts and severe compaction issues. So what can farmers do to break up that soil and smooth out rough fields?...More
Jan. 1, 2012

Article

Corn and Soybean Digest

Escaped Sediment Being Blamed on You | Conservation Practices have Slashed the Amount of Soil Moving from Farm Fields into Waterways

This spring, a muddy lake on the Mississippi River sparked a flurry of controversy about agricultural drainage. Lake Pepin, on the Minnesota-Wisconsin border, is filling up with silt. Most of the sediment is carried into the lake by the Minnesota River, a turbid prairie river that meanders through some of the most productive – and heavily tiled – cropland in the world....More