More and more farmers all across Virginia are making the switch to soil building continuous no-till systems. These farmers are cutting costs and saving time by planting all of their crops, year in and year out, without tillage. They are also maximizing the soil benefits that come with less disturbance by adding in cover crops, crop rotation, and other practices. As diverse as they are, one thing these farmers all have in common, they tell us they are gaining ground.
In the past, “ecoganic” farmer Ellen Polishuk would tune out when she heard the words “no-till,” thinking it had nothing to do with her biological vegetable farm. In this video, Ellen explains how she is now trying to save time and further enhance her organic soil management system by seeding cover crops without tillage. Be sure to watch the associated profile video that provides an overview of Ellen’s soil management strategy, as well as the other technical clips with details about her soil-enhancing practices.
An overview of the increasing number of scientific studies that have examined the use of biological indicators, including a case study of the ecosystem service of water infiltration, finishing with the considerations involved in starting a new soil health monitoring service in the United Kingdom and in maintaining biological monitoring in The Netherlands.
This article explores the integrated concept of soil health, including the emergence of a globally acceptable concept of sustainable agriculture that will require the convergence of soil health-promoting practices and contributions.
In 2018, agricultural activities were responsible for emissions of 618.5 MMT CO2 Eq., or 9.3 percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Transportation, electricity generation, and manufacturing sectors were the most significant contributors. Agricultural soil management activities, such as the application of synthetic and organic fertilizers, deposition of livestock manure, and growing nitrogen-fixing plants, were the largest contributors to U.S. N2O emissions (77.8 percent).
SOURCE: United States Environmental Protection Agency
The Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS) is an international organization of professionals who practice and advance the science and art of natural resource conservation.