*CA-CoP* *CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE*
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USDA Blog » USDA Helps Landowners Manage for Soil Health, Buffer Drought
Effects
USDA Helps Landowners Manage for Soil Health, Buffer Drought Effects[1]
<http://blogs.usda.gov/2014/06/06/usda-helps-landowners-manage-for-soil-health-buffer-drought-effects/>
Posted by *Ciji Taylor, Natural Resources Conservation Service[2]*
<http://blogs.usda.gov/author/bweaver/>, on June 6, 2014 at 1:00 PM
[image: These two farms have the same soils, same crops and same
precipitation. The difference is that one farm uses many conservation
practices that help improve soil health helping it thrive through extreme
weather conditions. NRCS photo.]
These two farms have the same soils, same crops and same precipitation. The
difference is that one farm uses many conservation practices that help
improve soil health helping it thrive through extreme weather conditions.
NRCS photo.
Soil health is always important, but extreme weather in the last few years
has shown landowners just how important managing for it really is.
“The vital part of soil is topsoil, which unfortunately is also the part
most susceptible to the effects of weather. That’s what makes protecting it
so crucial,” said Doug Miller, soil health coordinator with USDA’s *Natural
Resources Conservation Service[3]* <http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/> (NRCS) in
Minnesota.
The top two components of topsoil are clay content and soil organic matter
that hold nutrients and water for plant use and growth.
“The amount of clay content is determined by glacier content left behind
and cannot be changed, but the percent of organic matter in topsoil can be
increased,” Miller said.
One percent of organic matter in the top six inches of soil can hold about
27,000 gallons of water per acre. Increasing organic matter increases the
holding capacity for water making your land more resilient to extreme
weather.
Even with drought in recent years, landowners benefited from improved soil
health.
“There were two farms separated by a road that had the same soils, same
crops and same precipitation. While one farm thrived through extreme
weather, the other one lost corn plants, soil and water. The variable here
was the management of the land,” Miller said.
Landowners are the managers of soil, so it’s important to use practices
that help protect and improve your soil, he added.
NRCS identified four principles that help improve *soil health[4]*
<http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/soils/health/>:
1. Keep soil covered as much as possible.
2. Use plant diversity to increase diversity in the soil.
3. Keep living roots in the soil as long as possible.
4. Disturb the soil as little as possible.
Managing for soil health can help increase productivity and profits,
decrease inputs and improve sustainability for farms and ranches.
“We need soil to be productive not just this year, but five years from now,
20 years from now, 60 years from now, and that starts with soil health,”
Miller said.
NRCS has more information on *drought resources[5]*
<http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detailfull/national/home/?cid=stelprdb1245689>
and *soil health[6]*
<http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/soils/health/>.
Also, complete *information on drought and disaster resources[7]*
<http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?navid=DISASTER_ASSISTANCE> is
available on the USDA website.
[image: These two farms have the same soils, same crops and same
precipitation. This farm has erosion issues which conservation practices
could address. NRCS photo.]
These two farms have the same soils, same crops and same precipitation.
This farm has erosion issues which conservation practices could address.
NRCS photo.
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