Tag: soil improvement

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No-Till November: Farmers, “Keep Your Stubble!”

No-Till November? Is that like No Shave November? Yes and no. The Natural Resources Conservation Service is asking farmers to keep your stubble – out in the fields, that is. NRCS is encouraging South Dakota farmers to “keep the stubble” on their harvested crop fields and improve soil health during No-Till November.

No-Till November
The three-year-old “No-Till November” Campaign kicks off soon, encouraging farmers to “keep the stubble” in their fields. (Photo from cropwatch.unl.edu)

First launched in 2017, the NRCS project is, of course, mirrored after the national cancer awareness No Shave November campaign that encourages people not to shave during the entire month. The NRCS campaign encourages farmers to keep tillage equipment in their machine sheds this fall and keep the crop stubble on their fields.

The campaign has reached more than 1.5 million people through Twitter and local media since 2017.

“No-till farming is a cornerstone soil health conservation practice, which also promotes water quality while saving farmers time and money,” said South Dakota NRCS State Conservationist Jeff Zimprich. “One of the first soil health principles is ‘do not disturb’. This campaign is a fun way to remind farmers about the important relationship between tillage and soil health. Utilizing cover crops and leaving residues on the soil surface improve soil health while increasing soil biological activity, providing erosion control and adding beneficial nutrients.”

Terry and Mary Ness

Terry Ness has been farming in central South Dakota for 42 years. He describes the changes he and his wife Mary have made to improve their soil health helped to give their soils more resilience. After utilizing tillage for the first 14 years of his career, he switched completely to a no-till system and noticed that many challenges became easier to overcome. 

To see Terry and Mary’s full Profile in Soil Health video feature, visit: bit.ly/TerryNess.“With all these good things I’m doing, you can see it in the insect population, the bird population – healthy soil makes healthy animals, makes healthy food – all this ties together.” – Terry Ness

More InformationTo learn more about soil health and no-till in South Dakota, visit your nearest NRCS service center, visit bit.ly/contactnrcssd, or ask questions from a local soil health mentor! E-mail Rachel.Giles@usda.gov to receive a digital copy of the “Building Connections” SD soil health mentor network directory, or have one mailed to you at no cost.
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Nitrogen fertilizer restriction begin September 1 in MN

Nitrogen fertilizer is a valuable tool in a farmer’s soil management toolbox. Farmers need to know there are some restrictions on that tool coming soon.

nitrogen fertilizer
Nitrogen Fertilizer application restrictions kick in. It’s important for farmers to remember that they start on September 1st. (Photo from morningagclips.com)

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) reminds farmers and landowners that beginning September 1, 2020, applying nitrogen fertilizer in the fall and on frozen soil will be restricted in areas vulnerable to groundwater contamination. This applies to Drinking Water Supply Management Areas (DWSMAs) with elevated nitrate levels. Vulnerable groundwater areas include coarse textured soils, karst geology, and shallow bedrock. Approximately 12 to 13 percent of Minnesota’s cropland is vulnerable to groundwater contamination. The Groundwater Protection Rule website shows vulnerable groundwater areas and a list of exceptions to the restrictions.

A short video on the fall restrictions and links for additional information are available on the MDA website.  The MDA is holding a webinar on August 12, 2020, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. to answer questions. The video and webinar details are available online.

The nitrogen fertilizer restrictions are part of the Groundwater Protection Rule. The rule minimizes potential fertilizer sources of nitrate pollution to the state’s groundwater and works with local farmers to prevent nitrate contamination in public water supply wells.

For more information, please contact Larry Gunderson at 651-201-6168, Larry.Gunderson@state.mn.us.

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Prevented planting and cover crops: 2019 Lessons Learned

Prevented planting, cover crops, and a wet fall taught farmers across the Midwest a lot of lessons going into 2020. The South Dakota NRCS has put together a short film

Watch this 3 1/2-minute video which is part of  a new mini series for #agriculture.

 In this discussion, farmers and specialists go over some of the lessons learned in 2020.  

 Wet August 2019 conditions prevented some cover crops from being planted; farmers were left weighing up terminating covers in the fall or leaving them to overwinter and provide spring growth; the perspective of experienced cover croppers on their attitudes to reseeding of covers (e.g., buckwheat) and how they deal with them. 

prevented planting
Cover crops and prevent plant acres in 2019; the South Dakota NRCS documented some lessons learned from last year and how they apply to the 2020 crop year. (Photo from NPR.org(

“Growing Resilience” is intended to help farmers and ranchers gain insights into 2020 crop year thinking from eight farmers and several technical specialists from the South Dakota NRCS and SDSU. Filmed in late-February 2020 in Mitchell and Crooks, SD, these recorded conversations offer candid comments on issues they faced on 2019 Prevented Planting acres, and how their soil improvement journey makes their fields more resilient.

These short video stories provide farmers and ranchers with ideas and options to consider now and for future growing seasons. Additional resources, including technical guidelines, are available on our website at www.sd.nrcs.usda.gov > Soils > Growing Resilience with Soil Health.Specialists with the USDA NRCS are respecting social distancing and are available by phone or email for answering questions. Please visit farmers.gov/service-center-locator to find the latest COVID19 operational status and a directory with your local office and employee contact information.

Please feel free to “like and share” on your favorite social media!

Initiated by the USDA NRCS with a Partnership Work Group.
Produced by the University of South Carolina in collaboration
with the USDA NRCS serving South Dakota.

The views and opinions of the farmer participants expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government, and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes.