Field Notes
The Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy Podcast
University of Illinois Extension has created an Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction podcast. This podcast began in June and typically releases one episode a month. The first podcast, hosted by Todd E. Gleason, features discussion from Jonathon Copess, Dr. Laura Gentry, Jennifer Woodyard, and Haley Haverback on an introduction of why this podcast was created, what the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction...
Catalog of Soil Health Educational Resources
Soil plays a critical role in our lives - it provides nutrition in the food we eat; filters our water; cleans our air; provides habitat for wildlife and pollinators; sequesters carbon; and sustains the livelihoods of millions of farmers and ranchers worldwide who preserve and nurture this precious resource. The Soil Health Institute Communications and Education Action Team compiled the...
Understanding Budget Implications of Cover Crops
Farmers remain under pressure to adopt practices that will reduce nutrient losses from their fields and cover crops are considered the most effective in-field practice for reducing nitrogen and phosphorus losses (farmdoc daily, July 6, 2016; Illinois NLRS, 2015). As the benefits of adopting cover crop practices become better known and understood, including for nutrient loss reduction and soil health, adoption rates...
Planning Ahead… Strategic Residual Herbicide
Planning to plant covers this fall? Plan your residual herbicide strategy accordingly. The increased adoption of soil residual herbicides in soybeans to control herbicide resistant weeds could result in carryover into fall planted cover crops. If you plan to plant covers this fall and had to adjust your herbicide program this spring it is a good idea to recognize the...