Metrics, Management, and Monitoring |
An Investigation of Pasture and Rangeland Soil Health and Its Drivers |
This project starts with the understanding that farmers and ranchers have been implementing soil health practices on their pastures and rangeland for years. These practices have resulted in a healthy ecosystem, healthy soils, a healthy product, and also a profitable operation. Most of these observances are considered anecdotal. This project focuses on quantifying these observations and illustrating the impact of these management decisions. Producers will then make better informed decisions on their operations – better for the producer, the land, and society.
This 5-year study will seek to:
- Quantify soil health metrics for grazing land environments and link remote sensing capabilities
- Determine how farmers and ranchers’ management practices impact soil health and carbon sequestration in pasture and rangeland
- Understand the relationship between grazing management and socio-economic well-being and resilience in rural U.S.
The total cost of the project is estimated to be more than $19 million funded mainly by the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) and the Noble Research Institute with additional funding coming from Greenacres, The Jones Family Foundation, and Butcherbox.
The leading institutions who are engaged in this project include the Nobel Research Institute, Michigan State University, and Colorado State University, in collaboration with Oregon State University, University of Wyoming College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Quanterra, Savory, Snaplands, and The Nature Conservancy.
By focusing this project on pasture and rangeland, there is the potential to have a significant impact nationally and globally as these lands hold 20% of the world’s soil organic carbon stock and cover 70% of the world agricultural area.
You can read further about this project at the Noble Research Institute’s website where they share their goal for tangible outcomes for farmers and ranchers, the execution plan, a management framework for the project, and key milestones.
|
Expand Your Soil Health Library |
New Book: Farming with Soil Life |
Written by the Xerces Society and published by SARE Outreach, Farming with Soil Life features photograph-filled profiles that outline how to observe and identify 73 soil organisms. Each profile includes the identification, description, ecological role, habitat, diet and life cycle of the highlighted species.
Farming with Soil Life also examines how producers can boost life in the soil using buffers, no-till cropping, cover cropping, crop rotations and other practices that encourage soil flora and fauna communities to thrive. Minimizing tillage, synthetic fertilizer use, and some pesticides and insecticides may also benefit soil biology.
Understanding the relationships between soil, soil life and crop production is key to defining and achieving goals within a sustainable production system. “Soil is a living, dynamic habitat for a great diversity of animals and plants. It supports the global carbon and nitrogen cycles. Healthy soils sequester carbon, helping to mitigate climate change. The more we learn, the more we understand that soil is an irreplaceable part of life."
|
Chelsea Green Publishing is an employee-owned company which focuses on organic farming and gardening, homesteading, local food, natural building, restorative living, sustainable economics and much more. They're a great resource with an extensive list of hardback/paperback books, audiobooks, DVDs and blogs to help you quench your thirst for knowledge.
You can sign up for their newsletter which gives you a little nudge to check out the new releases, look ahead at the upcoming releases, and read the latest blog entry with interesting recipes.
Currently they're hosting "The Ultimate Homesteading Giveaway" which is a collection of books which include:
- The Small-Scale Poultry Flock
- The Resilient Farm and Homestead
- The Organic Grain Grower
- The Regenerative Grower's Guide to Garden Amendments
- Silvopasture
- Cold-Hardy Fruits and Nuts
- The Living Soil Handbook
The giveaway holds a $250 value and it's running through July 3.
|
Webinar: Practical Conservation Tillage for Organic Cropping Systems |
When: July 17, 2023 / 1:00 pm Eastern
Duration: 1.5 hours
Presenter: Mark Schonbeck, Research Associate with the Organic Farming Research Foundation, Santa Cruz, CA
Audience: Land Owners, Land Managers, Natural Resource Professionals , Agronomists, Conservationists
This training will share farmer stories of innovative tillage practices that improve soil health, and provide an overview of research documenting practical reduced-tillage strategies that protect soil health while sustaining satisfactory organic crop yields.
The National Organic Standards require certified organic producers to implement tillage and cultivation practices that “maintain or improve the physical, chemical, and biological condition of soil and minimize soil erosion.” While continuous no-till may be impractical for organic production of annual vegetable or field crops, innovative farmers and researchers have developed many tools and strategies to reduce tillage intensity and to minimize the adverse soil impacts of field operations in organic systems.
This webinar will include farmer stories featuring several of these innovations, and research documenting practical reduced-tillage strategies that protect soil health while sustaining satisfactory organic crop yields.
|
First published in the eResource, June 6, 2023 |
NACD would like to take this month’s Soil Health Champions Spotlight to celebrate the life and legacy of Soil Health Champion, David Brandt of Ohio, who passed away on May 23, 2023. Immediately, the news of his passing traveled through the agriculture and soil health communities, emphasizing the impact he had throughout the course of his life on many across the country. Tributes, articles, and social media posts soon followed, revealing a patchwork of stories sharing Brandt’s impact and the legacy he leaves behind.
|
Brandt was one of the first NACD Soil Health Champions upon its inception in 2015 – before the program really got off the ground. This is just one example of how Brandt was an all-around early adopter when it came to soil health. He was always on the front end of the movement and looking forward to whatever came next.
What stood out about Brandt, in a network of soil health champions and among early adopters, was his extremely generous spirit. He was notorious for sharing his time and knowledge to help others. Many of today’s leaders, including some other Soil Health Champions, can trace the beginnings of their soil health journey back to David Brandt. Through one-on-one mentoring, field days on his farm and presentations across the country, his impact can’t quite be quantified.
Brandt began farming in 1971 in Ohio and imported the first no-till drill into the U.S. from Ireland in 1975. A few years later, in 1978, Brandt planted his first cover crop, which was cereal rye, with the goal of improving erosion control on his land. Forty-five years later, Brandt said that cover crops had become the anchor of a diverse crop rotation in his continuous no-till system.
|
NACD wrote a brief profile for Brandt upon joining the Soil Health Champions Network, which can still be found here on NACD’s website. But to read more about this pioneer in conservation and regenerative agriculture, do an internet browser search for David Brandt or visit YouTube and search for videos of David Brandt. Outside of the conservation field, David Brandt was also known to many for his appearance in a viral meme (pictured above), that brought smiles to many around the world. His story and his legacy carry on in his family, his mentees, and in the furtherance of regenerative agriculture and soil health.
|
2023 Hugh Hammond Bennett Award - Coming Soon! |
The National Conservation Planning Partnership (NCPP) created the Hugh Hammond Bennett Award for Conservation Excellence in 2017 to honor the legacy of Hugh Hammond Bennett by recognizing producers and conservation planners from within the NCPP partnership who have exemplified outstanding service through development and implementation of sound conservation planning and other conservation techniques.
The nomination period will begin July 1 and last until September 1. If you are interested in submitting a nomination, please contact your state leader in one of the five partner agencies/organizations to coordinate. This could be the NRCS State Conservationist’s office, the Executive Director of the state association, the president of the state’s district employees’ association, the state agency leadership, or the state RC&D Council leadership.
Regional winners in both categories will be chosen for each of the seven NACD regions. These winners will be recognized at the regional/state level and then advance for the opportunity to be named the national winner.
Stay tuned for the nomination period to open July 1. In the meantime, please check out the award information and consider who you would like to nominate!
|
Please continue to email Beth Mason, NACD North Central Region Representative, any activities, events, news articles, and interviews so we can help share your message.
|
|
This spring, NACD welcomed two new Soil Health Champions!
Mike Dues - OH
|
“There’s a Droid on that Farm” – Organic Innovators Share their Experiences in a New Podcast Series
|
This article was first published with FFAR, written by Kathleen Delate, Professor, Organic Agriculture Program, Iowa State University
|
Future of Food: Soil Regeneration Documentary |
The film is a great combination of early clips of the industrialization of agriculture and supermarkets mixed with educational information on regenerative agriculture and interviews with soil health experts.
NACD Soil Health Champion Jimmy Emmons was also interviewed for this documentary, sharing how he's witnessed the changes in agriculture over the years, even within his family.
|
The Noble Research Institute has launched a brand-new docuseries entitled, "Regenerating the Ranch." Join them on their journey as they share aspects of their regenerative transition on the seven Noble research ranches. See what’s working, what isn’t and how to continue building a healthier ecosystem while improving their bottom line.
To subscribe, visit the YouTube playlist link, click the bell icon, and you’ll receive notifications when a new episode is posted.
Current episodes include:
- Context is Everything
- How We Are Adapting Our Cow Herd to Regenerative Ag
- Raising Grass Fed Sheep on Our Ranch
- Water Infrastructure on Our Ranch
- Adding 500 Goats to Our Ranch
- Our Worst Drought in 10 years
- We Need These Cover Crops to Grow
|
Free Marketing for Holistic Management™ Practitioners |
Holistic Management International is offering free marketing on their website for certified Holistic Management Practitioners through their Community Map.
This map identifies HMI Farmers and Ranchers, Learning Sites, Tours, Direct to Customer Sales, and Trainers. This free service aims to connect customers to regenerative producers for their sustainable products and their learning experiences. It is exciting to see many NACD Soil Health Champions already participate in this program - most of which are in New Mexico!
|
Beginner's Guide to Composting |
Their website published a blog that shares great information on composting, answering the questions of the Why, Where, What, and How of composting. They even share a bit about different recipes, tips, and troubleshooting.
Be sure to check it out and consider sharing it in your outreach efforts as it has an easy-read format and a couple of really great graphics which could be used in your own Facebook or social media posts.
|
David Brandt: Legumes' Potential Impacts on Nitrogen |
The following chart supplied previously by David Brandt was published on June 1, 2023 in Cover Crop Strategies, showing 17 different legume species and the potential amount of nitrogen each might be able to capture at a given seeding rate.
|
Are you a member of our Facebook Group? If you are an NACD Soil Health Champion or the conservation district/ Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) employee who sponsors a Champion, be sure you connect with us on Facebook.
Share your conservation articles, your pictures, your updates and your events with us by connecting through Facebook! This is just another way to network with other Champions.
|
Promote Your
Next Soil Health Event
|
Do you have any upcoming soil health events? Are you looking for an upcoming soil health event to attend?
NACD has opened the events calendars for folks to post various soil health events whether they are local, state, national or even international.
Be sure to check out NACD’s events calendar to add your event today and look for future events to add to your calendar!
|
|
