Natural Resources
All Natural Resources Content
Cover Crop Usage in South Dakota is on the Rise
The number of South Dakota producers who use cover crops has been increasing at an accelerating rate over the past ten years.
Soil Organic Matter Matters: How Conservation Practices Bring Value to Farmers
Conservation management practices, such as conservation tillage, cover crops, crop rotation and livestock integration, help improve soil health over time and offer producers numerous economic benefits.
“Snirt” and How To Minimize It
Blowing soils, dust storms and “snirt” (snow with dirt on it) are frequent challenges during dry, windy winters. Learn some soil health principles to limit erosion and minimize snirt on field edges this planting season.
Cover Crop Considerations for 2020
Producers across South Dakota are harvesting small grains. These crops provide an excellent window for adding a cover crop into your rotation.
How to Stop Drift
The goals of applying any crop protection products include: increasing effectiveness, mitigating drift, and maximizing profits. We will focus on mitigating drift, even though all three interact with each other.
What Makes Up a Healthy Soil?
Healthy soil has strong soil structure that stays together whether it’s wet or dry. Learn about the many components that combine to make soil healthy.
Crop Residue, Cover Crops Impact on Soil Health Parameters
Interest in no-till and cover crops has been on the rise among South Dakota crop producers. In 2019, half of South Dakota crop ground was under no-till management and about 900,000 acres were planted to cover crops.
Tale of Two Watersheds
See the difference that cover crops and a no-till cropping system can have on watersheds when high winds and heavy rains impact our region. The difference in the amounts of run-off water is astounding!
Seven Grams of Fertilizer Is All It Takes: Growing Optimal Corn in South Dakota
Have we really asked how much fertilizer is really takes to grow a decent corn crop? Learn some important considerations for fertilizing corn and improving long-term soil health and fertility.
Does the GREET Carbon Model Address Soil Health Principles?
Learn how the recent Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Technologies (GREET) production model lines up with the Five Soil Health Principles.