Soil Fertility
All Soil Fertility Content
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.
Swine Manure for Spring Planting
Did you know that swine manure is a valuable fertilizer that offers many benefits? Learn how it can be used to promote healthy plant growth, improve soil fertility, and reduce the need for synthetic fertilizers.
“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.
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.
Managing Soil for Carbon Storage
Did you know that adopting soil health principles can lead to increased soil carbon concentrations? Learn about some recent studies in South Dakota that evaluated the potential of land management activities to increase soil carbon.
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.
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.
Does the COMET Carbon Model Address Soil Health Principles?
The COMET-Farm model, developed by USDA/NRCS and Colorado State University, is a whole farm and ranch carbon and greenhouse gas accounting system. Learn how it addresses the Five Soil Health Principles.