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Soil

Black dirt, or soil, is the backbone of profitable crop farming. Rich soils are the portion of the earth’s surface consisting of disintegrated rock and humus that provide the perfect environment for seed growth.
Recent Items for Soil
  • buffer and wildlife habitat in Iowa with terraces, pond, conservation tillage
    May 15, 2013
    Article

    2013 General Conservation Reserve Program Sign-Up Starts May 20

    Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack reminds farmers and ranchers that the USDA will conduct a four-week Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) general sign-up from May 20 to June 14. Vilsack also announces the restart of sign-up for continuous CRP, including the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement Initiative, the Highly Erodible Land Initiative, the Grassland Restoration Initiative, the Pollinator Habitat Initiative and other related initiatives. Sign-up for continuous CRP began on May 13 and will continue through Sept. 30, 2013....More
  • May 3, 2013
    Article

    Conservation Stewardship Program Applications Due by May 31 1

    Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the Natural Resources Conservation Service's Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) will provide nearly $175 million in funding for up to 12.6 million additional acres of enrollment this year....More
  • Apr. 24, 2013
    Article

    Tillage Increases Soil Erosion: See for Yourself

    A gentle overnight rain turned into a science experiment for Darin Williams, Waverly, Kan., when he collected these samples of drainage water from nearby ditch waterways. The samples come from a ¾-mile radius of each other and have the same soil types....More
  • Apr. 4, 2013
    Article

    Sample this Spring for Soil Nitrogen, Adjust Rates When Needed

    The priority for spring sampling should be fields where corn in 2013 will follow corn (from which fall samples were taken) in 2012. We suggested last fall that any spring sampling done in order to adjust rates for the 2013 corn crop should best be done close to corn planting time, or at sidedress time....More
  • Apr. 1, 2013
    Article

    7 Tips for No-Till Planting in a Dry Year

    The residue cover in no-till fields is essential when it comes to conserving water. The residue protects the soil surface, reducing crusting and soil moisture evaporation. When it comes to no-till planting, the key is to minimize the soil and residue disturbance....More
  • Mar. 29, 2013
    Article

    Prevent Sidewall Compaction When Planting Corn this Spring

    With the potential for wet soils in some areas of the country this spring, compaction may be an issue during planting. Sidewall compaction in wet soils can be a problem, especially if the crop is “mudded-in” and a dry spell occurs after planting....More
  • Mar. 27, 2013
    Article
    Corn and Soybean Digest

    How To Avoid Soil Compaction: True, False Q&A

    Soil compaction is invisible, but its effects are clear to see: cloddy soil, delayed crop emergence, restricted root growth, stunted plants, low water infiltration, poor nutrient uptake and lost yield....More
  • Mar. 12, 2013
    blog

    Future of the Conservation Reserve Program

    In 2013, the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is celebrating its 27th anniversary, and over two and a half decades of conservation success. CRP was originally established in the 1985 Farm Bill, and today has over 390,000 landowners participating, most of which are farmers and ranchers, and currently has just over 27.0 million acres under some-type of CRP contracts. Another general CRP sign-up will be held in 2013, from May 20 through June 14, at local FSA offices....More
  • Mar. 6, 2013
    Article

    Gail Fuller, Kansas Soybean Grower, Wins National Conservation Award

    The American Soybean Association (ASA) presented Gail Fuller, Emporia, Kan., with the 2013 National Conservation Legacy Award on March 1, 2013, at the ASA Awards Banquet, held during the Commodity Classic convention and trade show in Kissimmee, Fla.

...More
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Must Reads
Save Your Soil and Maintain Corn Yields
Scientists Identify Soil pH as Indicator of Soybean Cyst Nematode Presence
Corn and Soybean Injuries Caused by Ponding and Saturated Soils
USDA Releases New Data on Soil Erosion and Development of Private Lands
How and Why to Avoid Soil Compaction
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