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Global study reveals time running out for many soils, but conservation measures can help
Lancaster University via ScienceDaily
A major new international study has provided a first worldwide insight into how soil erosion may be affecting the longevity of our soils. The study, led by Lancaster University in collaboration with researchers from Chang'an University in China, and KU Leuven in Belgium, brought together soil erosion data from around the globe, spanning 255 locations across 38 countries on six continents.
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Study seeks to increase adoption of soil conservation techniques
Capital Journal
Farmers who make soil health a priority are more likely to rotate three or more crops and to graze livestock on cropland, according to a survey of producers in South Dakota, North Dakota and Nebraska. The survey examined why some agricultural producers prioritize soil health and how to encourage more producers to adopt these conservation practices, according to assistant professor Tong Wang of South Dakota State University's Ness School of Management and Economics.
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SHIPP: Soil conservation or emergency aid?
Farms.com
Canadian farmers once again envy the continued support their American counterparts receive, as a result of a proposed expansion of the Soil Health and Income Protection Plan (SHIPP). The program would fall under the Conservation and Reserve Program (CRP) which Ronald Reagan signed into law in 1985. Historically, the CRP pays farmers to remove environmentally sensitive land from production for 10 to 15 years. This move is intended to improve water quality, prevent soil erosion and protect wildlife. The potential expansion of the program from 50,000 acres in its 2018 pilot to five million acres came as part of a larger nation-wide economic recovery plan in mid May.
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Microplastics in farm soils: A growing concern
Environmental Health News
Mary Beth Kirkham hadn't studied microplastics when she was invited to co-edit a new book about microplastics in the environment—but something stood out to her about the existing research. "I had read in the literature that...cadmium and other toxic trace elements [are] increased when we have these particulate plastics in the soil. So, that was of concern to me," Kirkham, a plant physiologist and distinguished professor of agronomy at Kansas State University, told EHN. Kirkham's expertise is in water and plant relations and heavy metal uptake, so she decided to conduct her own research in which she cultivated wheat plants exposed to microplastics, cadmium, and both microplastics and cadmium.
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Reforestation can only partially restore tropical soils
University of Göttingen via Phys.org
Tropical forest soils play a crucial role in providing vital ecosystem functions. They provide nutrients for plants, store carbon and regulate greenhouse gases, as well as storing and filtering water, and protection against erosion. Scientists at the University of Göttingen and the University of Minnesota in the U.S. have investigated how the properties and ecosystem functions of tropical soils change when forests are cut down, and whether reforestation can reverse such soil degradation. The results of the study are published in the journal Nature Reviews Earth & Environment.
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Building a regenerative agricultural system
Successful Farming
Sustainability and regenerative ag are terms typically tied to the soil. But leaders at the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit are focusing on building a holistic regenerative system: from deploying capital and securing financial resiliency for stakeholders to ensuring the next generations will want to return to the family farm.
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New practices to improve water quality at work in Mercer County
Ohio Country Journal
Though it started with a focus on farms, ongoing efforts to improve water quality in Grand Lake St. Marys in Mercer County are now including additional practices to address the issue. "We have had a slew of efforts over the last 10 years in the Grand Lake St. Marys watershed. It started with a lot of agricultural efforts. We expanded manure storage on farms, we covered feedlots, we wrote nutrient management plans for all the farms in the watershed," said Theresa Dirksen, Mercer County Ag Solutions coordinator.
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The importance of a regenerative food system for sustainable agriculture
Red Green and Blue
To grow food, we need soil. Even with modern technology enabling systems like hydroponics to grow crops, humanity needs soil to produce enough food for the global population. Unfortunately, many modern farming techniques have destroyed soil or depleted it. One sobering report warns that all topsoil could be gone in the next 60 years if agriculture continues as normal.
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