Soil Health Programs and Policies ROB MYERS, PH.D. UNIVERSITY OF - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Soil Health Programs and Policies ROB MYERS, PH.D. UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AND NCR-SARE

Presentation Overview • Why soil health is gaining attention • Soil health programs and resources • Soil health policy at the federal and state level

A common message from farmers pursuing soil health Keeping living roots in the soil

NRCS

Cover Crop Adoption Rising on U.S. Farms

SARE/CTIC National Cover Crop Survey Percent yield improvement following cover crops Crop Year Corn Soybeans 2012 9.6% 11.6% 2013 3.1% 4.3% 2014 2.1% 4.2% 2015 1.9% 2.8% Data provided from farmers in the SARE/CTIC national cover crop survey. Differences are statistically significant based on analysis by Purdue University.

Lots of different cover crop species and varieties out there

Herbicide Resistant Weeds DO YOU HAVE HERBICIDE-RESISTANT WEEDS ON YOUR FARM? No 41% Yes 59% n=1,375

Cover Crops and Control of Resistant Weeds Do you see improved control of herbicide-resistant weeds after using cereal rye as a cover crop? Always No 25% 31% n=736 Sometimes 44%

Programs and Resources on Cover Crops and Soil Health • USDA-NIFA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) • NRCS Soil Health Division • Soil Health Partnership • Soil Health Institute • State programs

Professional Development Program Competitive grants Grants for ag professionals to train other ag educators Proposals due in April 2018; up to $75,000 per project for NCR- SARE Funds available in November 2018 State activities organized by SARE State Coordinators Workshops, webinars, mini-grants, travel scholarships funded by $55,000 in annual support from photo credit: Teresa Webb the NCR-SARE program

SARE Bulletins & Topic Briefs • • • • • • • • • •

Library of Cover Crop and Soil Health Images • • • • •

NRCS’ “Unlock the Secrets in the Soil” awareness & education campaign…

NRCS Soil Health Fact Sheets

Soil Health Partnership • Multi-year program through the National Corn Growers • Primary emphasis is on-farm research and demonstration on about 100 on-farm sites in Midwest • Farms have strip trials comparing conventional with soil-health practices such as cover crops • Field days around Midwest

SOIL HEALTH INSTITUTE - Core funding of $20 million over 10 years from Noble Foundation - Supporting soil health research, outreach, measurement, and policy efforts - President and CEO is Dr. Wayne Honeycutt

Soil Health Institute Online Resources “Feeding all the soil organisms below ground in one acre is like feeding two African elephants.” Jerry Hatfield, ARS Artwork & Animation: Chelsea Wright

Soil Health Policy – Federal and State

Some Key Players in Soil Health Policy • U.S. House and Senate Agriculture Committees – upcoming Farm Bill • AGREE Conservation and Crop Insurance Task Force • Soil Health Institute • Other farm, conservation, and environmental organizations • eg., The Nature Conservancy – ReThink Soil – Major Initiative • Food companies – General Mills - $2 million for soil health • State legislatures and state agencies

2014 Farm Bill Titles Potential relevance of soil health to each farm bill title • Title 1: Commodities. – possible relevance • Title 2: Conservation. – high relevance • Title 3: Trade. • Title 4: Nutrition. • Title 5: Credit. – possible relevance • Title 6: Rural Development. – possible relevance • Title 7: Research, Extension, and Related Matters. – high relevance • Title 8: Forestry. – possible relevance • Title 9: Energy. – possible relevance • Title 10: Specialty Crops & Horticulture. – possible relevance • Title 11: Crop Insurance. – high relevance • Title 12: Miscellaneous.

AGREE Conservation and Crop Insurance Task Force Cover Crops and Crop Insurance I no longer use crop insurance or considering doing so 9% It is my perception that I havent heard anyone other farmers have having crops insurance foregone crop insurance rules while using cover because of cover crop crops rules 70% 3% It is my perception that there are other farmers in my area who do not use cover crops because of potential problems n=1,160 with crop insurance 18%

Soil Health Institute Policy Action Team • Drawing attention to recommendations from other groups supporting soil health, such as efforts on crop insurance and USDA research • Review of current Farm Bill titles for where soil health can potentially fit in. • Developing some case studies related to soil health policy. • Exploring the possibility of building a database or clearinghouse for soil health related policies at federal, state, and local levels, also other countries.

State Soil Health Policies – Part 1 • Alabama – USDA RCPP project $1.9 million – mixed cover crops • California – Healthy Soils Initiative – multi-agency • Healthy Soil Action Plan • $7.5 million in annual funding • Indiana – Soil Conservation Board • Conservation Cropping Systems Initiative – state agency, farmers, Purdue University, Indiana Soil and Water Conservation Districts, etc. • Iowa - $27 million for soil and water, part for soil health • Missouri – multiple cover crops programs – about $10 million/year • Missouri Soil and Water program (DNR) - $4 million • Missouri NRCS EQIP - $4 million (also CSP funding) • Missouri Department of Agriculture RCPP - $2 million • Oklahoma – Conservation Commission has a Healthy Soils Program Some Examples From Informal State Agency Survey by Cindy Lair (CO)

State Soil Health Policies – Part 2 • Maryland – Long-term cover crop cost share program • Over half the corn and soybean acreage is in cover crops! • New “Maryland Health Soils Program” - bill HB 1063 • Passed 137-1 in House and 47-0 in Senate in spring of 2017 “Establishing the Maryland Healthy Soils Program to increase biological activity and carbon sequestration in the State's soils by promoting practices based on emerging soil science; requiring the Department of Agriculture to provide incentives, including research, education, technical assistance, and, subject to available funding, financial assistance, to farmers to implement farm management practices that contribute to healthy soils; requiring the Department to determine if the program could complement other agricultural programs; etc .”

State and Local Efforts, including SWCDs • State and local level soil health farmer chapters • Exhibits, workshops, tours

Stacking Conservation Practices

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