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Minnesota farmer says "healthy soil is the key to addressing many natural resource concerns'

June 26, 2019

2 Min Read
cover crops in field
Soil Health Partnership

The House Agriculture Committee Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry held a hearing on “Managing for Soil Health” on June 25.

“Soil health practices such as cover crops, crop rotations, and no-till or reduced-tillage have the potential to provide financial benefits to farmers by reducing input costs, increasing yields, and ensuring the productivity of crop land over the long term,” House Agriculture Committee Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry Chairwoman Abigail Spanberger of Virginia said in her prepared remarks. “Managing for soil health offers an exciting value proposition to farmers and society. It is my hope with this hearing today, we can discuss the value of soil stewardship, share best practices, and learn about any barriers to adoption of soil management systems.”

National Association of Conservation Districts Secretary-Treasurer Ian Cunningham emphasized the role of conservation districts in leading the nation’s farmers to implement soil health conservation practices during his testimony.

Cunningham, who farms in southwest Minnesota, said soil health is a priority in his farm operation.

“We have come to realize that healthy soil is the key to addressing many natural resource concerns,” he said in written testimony. “It is clear that healthy soil is the bedrock and should be the priority of our conservation efforts.”

He said farmers need the latest data and research from a trusted local source to make informed decisions about soil health on their land.

“If we are to continue to grow the food, fuel and fiber our nation and the world will need in the future, agriculture must continue to innovate and grow more with less, while making sure our natural resources are protected for future generations,” Cunningham said.

Dr. Shefali Mehta, executive director of the Soil Health Partnership, highlighted the need for collaborations to improve soil health in her testimony.

“Through strong outcome-based collaborations, like ours, we have seen greater awareness and adoption of soil health practices,” Mehta said. “With stronger data and input across our diverse growing regions, we are learning more about the economic impacts to farmers and ways to improve adoption by mitigating risks and improving the bottom line.”

The Soil Health Partnership is a program of the National Corn Growers Association. It is a farmer-led effort that has built a network of more than 220 farmers in 15 states with 100 partner organizations at the federal, state and county levels.

Source: House Agriculture Committee,  National Association of Conservation Districts, Soil Health Partnership, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset. 

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