Soil Health

General Guidelines for Winter Manure Applications

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 20:56:56 GMT

Winter weather arrived early here in the Midwest. Not only did it start early, but we also experienced large fluctuations in temperature and conditions. We saw subzero temperatures and accumulating snow before Thanksgiving, then temperatures in the 60s the week of Christmas. Winter weather can make manure applications very tricky. Each state and local government has regulations for winter manure application. General guidelines can help prevent runoff and nutrient loss, and protect water sources.

Create a Buffer

Most regulations on manure application aim to protect natural water sources. One simple way to help prevent runoff into streams, rivers, and lakes is to create barriers. Maintaining a buffer around surface water, tile inlets, and waterways has been shown to significantly reduce runoff. Research indicates that a 200-foot buffer can decrease nutrient runoff by 80% to 90%. Overall, runoff volume can be reduced by 35% to 90%.

Consider Crop or Residue Cover

Spreading on bare ground can lead to increased runoff. Using crop cover, either with cover crops or crop residue from fall harvest, can significantly reduce runoff. Crop residues or the presence of cover crops as the surface begins to thaw give manure nutrients something to adhere to. Research shows that cover crops can reduce runoff by 40% to 100%, depending on field, crop, and environmental conditions. Fields with less than 25% crop residue tend to have a higher risk of runoff. Low-yielding soybeans and fields used for corn silage often have less than 25% crop cover during winter months. Spreading on fields with cover crops, hay, or pastures would allow for more nutrient absorption.

Make Good Land Choices

Two major factors of land can significantly influence runoff and nutrient loss. The first is the slope of the ground. Avoid applying manure where the ground slopes exceed 15%. Slopes of less than 5% are ideal. The second consideration should be soil type and water-holding capacity. Soil with higher water-holding capacity will result in less runoff. Fine sandy, silty clay, and silt loam soils tend to have the best water retention.

Check the Forecast

If spreading on snow-covered or frozen ground is necessary, be aware of how weather impacts nutrient absorption. Avoid spreading manure before snowmelt or rainfall. Adding moisture to frozen ground will increase nutrient loss. The rate of snowmelt should also be considered. Slower snowmelts allow for increased soil absorption of manure nutrients. Therefore, checking future temperature and weather conditions is important to prevent runoff.

Winter manure spreading is often not recommended because it can lead to higher nutrient losses and harm water quality. Some states have even banned winter spreading. However, if storage capacity is limited and manure spreading is necessary, the guidelines above can help reduce nutrient loss.

What Manure Management System Works Best for You?

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 13:27:09 GMT

Dealing with manure is part of the daily grind on any dairy farm. It’s a crappy job, but when managed properly, manure can be an extremely valuable resource. Many farms now collect and store manure systematically, and a growing number are exploring composting, separation or digestion. But before jumping into any new system, Dr. Rebecca Larson, professor and Extension specialist at the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, says producers need to define their goals.

Start With Clear Goals
“Start by asking what you want to change,” she says. “Do you want to reduce hauling costs? Manage phosphorus? Reduce odor? That clarity is key.”

Larson emphasizes evaluating your current system from barn to field. Before considering upgrades, it’s important to understand how your system functions, where the bottlenecks are, and how manure moves through your operation.

“Even knowing how many truckloads you hauled last year, or where and when, can make a big difference,” she says. “That kind of information helps size a system, estimate cost and identify where improvements would matter most.”

She also recommends having a rough idea of your farm’s manure characteristics, such as consistency, water content and nutrient profile. These influence which technologies are feasible, how systems perform and what adjustments might be needed to get the most value.

“Some systems just don’t work if your manure is too dry or too liquid,” she adds. “That’s why I recommend drawing out a manure flow diagram. It helps you visualize the full system and your weak spots.”

Storage Matters
Well-designed storage gives farms flexibility to apply manure when conditions are best, not just when forced. That means better nutrient retention, less runoff and fewer weather-related headaches. Properly sized storage also supports labor efficiency, better planning and improved integration with advanced systems.

“Most people build storage because they’re required to,” Larson explains, “but it really gives you flexibility, especially during winter.”

Composting: Simple and Scalable
Composting is a popular option due to its simplicity and multiple benefits. Chryseis Modderman, Extension educator at the University of Minnesota, explains that high temperatures and aeration kill most pathogens, making composting an effective way to sanitize manure.

“A compost pile made of manure, bedding and other organic material can reach up to 150°F, sufficient to destroy most harmful microbes,” Modderman says. She recommends two heat cycles of at least 131°F, with aeration and uniform heat distribution, to fully break down the material into a stable, soil-like product.

Storing manure under anaerobic conditions can also reduce pathogens. “Though some bacteria can survive anaerobic conditions, most pathogens will be killed within 30 days,” Modderman notes.

Benefits of composting include reduced volume, odor and pathogen load.

“You can cut your manure volume nearly in half,” Larson adds. “It also kills weed seeds and creates a more stable product. Some farms market their finished compost, but this requires additional time and effort.”

Digestion: Powerful but Pricey
Anaerobic digesters break down manure without oxygen, producing methane that can be used for electricity, heat or renewable natural gas. Their popularity is rising as farms seek ways to generate energy, lower emissions and reduce odor. Daniel Ciolkosz of Penn State Extension notes that digesters also reduce the smell tied to land application, an increasing concern as more homes are built near farms.

“An anaerobic digester is an excellent addition to a manure management system for the reduction in near odorless effluent for spreading on fields,” Ciolkosz says.

The best digester depends on a farm’s manure system and location. Scraped, flushed or belt systems affect solids content entering the digester, which influences efficiency. In warm climates, covered lagoons are a lower-cost option. In colder regions, complete mix, plug flow or temperature phase digesters are more common due to better heating potential.

However, digesters come with a high price tag. Installation can run into the millions, especially when paired with gas upgrading or power generation equipment. Ongoing maintenance, oversight and permitting also add to the cost. These investments often require grants, partnerships or revenue from energy credits to make them viable.

Separation: Targeted Tools for Better Control
Separation systems are another tool producers should consider when evaluating long-term manure management strategies. These systems divide solids from liquids, helping reduce manure volume, improve nutrient management and enhance the efficiency of downstream processes like composting, bedding recovery or anaerobic digestion. They can also reduce storage needs and help tailor nutrient application to crop demands.

“From there, you can manage each stream differently,” Larson says. “It’s great for targeting nutrients, reducing hauling costs or recycling bedding.”

Screw presses are a common form of separation and cost about $100,000. Centrifuges are more effective for phosphorus but can cost up to $500,000 and require more maintenance. Multiple systems can also work in series.

“You might start with a screw press, then use an incline screen or centrifuge,” Larson adds.

Each nutrient separates differently. Particle size, solubility and system type affect how much nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium end up in the solid or liquid fraction.

“Ammonia stays in the liquid, phosphorus goes with the solids. If phosphorus is your goal, choose a system with high phosphorus efficiency,” she advises.

Separation also shifts nutrient ratios.

“Manure might start with a 3-to-1 nitrogen-to-phosphorus ratio. After separation, liquids might be 4-to-1, solids 1-to-1,” she says. “That allows for more targeted nutrient application.”

Many farms also reuse separated solids for bedding.

“And modeling shows separation systems may cut greenhouse gas emissions more than digesters,” she adds.

Advanced Options: Struvite, Biochar, Clean Water, and Pelleting
For producers looking to advance manure management, several emerging technologies go beyond basic separation. These tools help recover nutrients, reduce emissions and manage water, which is especially useful for large farms or those with limited land.

Struvite systems extract phosphorus as a dry, dense product that’s easier to transport and apply.
Biochar, made by pyrolyzing manure solids, holds water, stores carbon and can reduce harmful gases in digesters.
Clean water systems use advanced filtration to recover 50% to 65% of manure as potable water. “I’ve actually drunk the water, and it’s clean,” Larson adds. These systems are gaining traction even in water-rich areas.
Pelleting systems densify nutrients into transportable pellets, mostly seen on farms with 15,000+ cows.

Fit the System to Your Farm
Ultimately, effective manure management depends on clear goals and solid infrastructure. Taking time to evaluate your current system and choose the right tools can lead to better efficiency, fewer headaches and stronger returns over time.

“Manure processing can be fantastic, but only if it fits your goals, scale and management style,” Larson adds. “Sometimes the biggest gains come from small improvements. The more you understand your system, the smarter your decisions which benefit your farm, your finances and the environment.”

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Washington Grower Shares How To Scale Regenerative Farming

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 17:11:54 GMT

By Deborah Huso

Austin Allred’s family has been farming the Royal Slope region of Washington state between Seattle and Spokane for three generations. He and his two brothers, Derek and Tyson, farm a combined 6,000 acres. They grow potatoes, cherry and apple trees and produce honey, while also running 10,000 beef cattle and milking about 6,000 dairy cows. The family also recently added a worm farm and a beef processing facility.

Like many producers with combined operations, Royal Family Farms focuses on finding a purpose for every acre and every byproduct. In fact, the Allreds have been practicing regenerative farming before it really had its own term.

“My dad was no-tilling before it was billed as regenerative,” Allred explains. “He was doing it to reduce diesel usage. He was also very conscientious about planting woodstock in corners of fields.”

Allred and his siblings took the same approach as they expanded the farm operations.

“I accelerated and defined [what Dad was doing] and put some strategy to it,” Allred says, with the goals of building organic matter in the soil, sequestering carbon and cleaning wastewater.

Royal Family Farms

(Royal Family Farms)

Extended Crop Rotations and Grazing
Allred recognizes the kind of stress agricultural production can put on the land, hence the many inputs required in traditional farming. But Royal Family Farms has demonstrated that not only do regenerative practices work, but one can accomplish them at scale.

“Anytime you’re growing a crop that a human can digest, you’re going to put a lot of pressure on soil,” Allred says. “It’s really hard to do a total no-till strategy. You can’t plant weeds with your wheat.”

Allred says potatoes are the least regenerative crop the farm grows, but says they counteract it by working cattle into a long crop rotation for added soil fertilization.

“If 20% of the ground is in potatoes, that land doesn’t come back online for another six to seven years. And during those years, we do a lot of composting,” he says. “Other years we do cover cropping and planting multispecies crops to grow microbial activity.”

Allred grazes his beef cattle on the cover crops, which provides feed while simultaneously adding more soil amendments, such as nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P).

Upcycling Everything
Nothing goes to waste at Royal Family Farms. The Allreds work with all the processors who clean and box their apples and turn their potatoes into French fries to retrieve all of the products that don’t qualify for human consumption to be upcycled into protein, as Allred explains it, providing food for their cattle in the form of potato culls or damaged fruit or nutrient-rich compost for their fields. Meanwhile any wood chips produced when the Allreds retire a cherry or apple orchard is either turned into cattle bedding, used for the worm farm or processed into biochar, a carbon-rich byproduct.

The Allreds’ interest in biochar, a charcoal-like substance derived from organic waste, developed out of a desire to bring more carbon into agricultural systems. And for the past few months, Royal Family Farms has used four machines to burn wood chips into charcoal that, when mixed with compost, recharges carbon in the soil.

“As farmers, we are selling off carbon, whether it’s beef, milk or cherries,” Allred says. “Seventy to 80% of retired apple, cherry and pear trees in Washington were getting burned at the end of their effective life. Biochar was a way to bring in more carbon and upcycle and compost it.”

“We try to upcycle every byproduct into something of value,” Allred says. “Eventually it all becomes a soil amendment. It’s only a loss if we let that carbon into the air.”

Reusing Wastewater With Worms
Water is a critical part of any farming operation, and Royal Family Farms sought out a better way to
filter wastewater from their dairy operations and reuse it. What was their regenerative solution? Worms.

“We started investing in what is now the biggest worm farm in the world about eight years ago,” Allred says.

Working with a company called BioFiltro headquartered in Santiago, Chile, the Allreds’ worm farm includes eight acres of what looks like 5'-deep swimming pools. These pools are able to serve as the home for about 50 million worms at any one time.

“Wood chips make up the medium they live in, and that’s also the filter for the dirty water,” Allred explains. “The dairy is designed to flow to a low spot, where we have two 5,000-gallon vacuums that bring the wastewater to the worms.”

The worms digest the wastewater, removing heavy metals and other contaminants. The waste matter the worms produce is rich in microbials, and the Allreds take the worm castings and mix them with compost to produce nutrient-dense soil.

Royal Family Farms

(Royal Family Farms)

Eliminating Waste and Need for Inputs
Allred says engaging in regenerative practices large-scale required careful consideration of how everything could work together.

“We started integrating vegetable, fruit, protein and bees to get to the next generation of regeneration,” he explains. Allred points out that the digestive systems of cattle along with biochar create compost. “It’s all about upcycling ‘waste’ products.”

The result of instituting these practices is dramatically reduced reliance on inputs.

“This year we used no phosphorus and potassium and had equal to or greater yields without it,” Allred remarks. “And across the board, we have better quality.”

He adds the farm’s greatest payout is not having to input synthetics.

“The more natural systems we have in play, the more nutrients we keep in the loop, the less we have to go get inputs,” he says.

Allred acknowledges farmers can filter water through mechanical or chemical systems, but says natural systems are typically cheaper to implement.

“Natural investments are always going to have a long-term return on investment,” Allred says. “The problem is producers often don’t have the margin to always be investing in long-term ROI.”

Royal Family Farms’ regenerative farming practices offer payoffs 10 to 15 years out, Allred estimates.

“We’ve bridged that gap with carbon credits and vertically integrating to pick up those margins,” he says.

This year Royal Family Farms is starting to see its regenerative operations pay off in a big way.

“We purchased 90% less phosphorus and potassium [K] than we have in the past and significantly less nitrogen,” Allred says. “We’re working on nitrogen for the next five years because ruminants make P and K.”

“Regenerative farming starts to gobble up the biggest expenses any farm is going to pay — your fertilizer bill and your chemical bill,” he says. “On the cattle side, your feed bill is your biggest expense. Regenerative farming gives you higher-quality, local food.”

No one knows better than you that the future of your farm depends on balancing practices and profits that sustain your land, resources and family . The stakes are evolving based on weather patterns, technology, market demand and more. What actions are you taking to remain resilient?

Digging into Soil Health

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 22:14:48 GMT

One hundred years after the Dust Bowl blew away topsoil from nearly 200 million acres of American farmland, farmers and ranchers are slowly entering into a new relationship with the soils beneath their boots.

But is change happening quickly enough to make an impact on the future of our soil? Some experts are concerned.

Certainly the nomenclature “soil health” is more commonplace now across farm management plans and in everyday farm-gate conversations.

“In the early 2000s ‘soil health’ was a term hotly debated among scientists as a replacement for ‘soil quality’,” says Dr. Bianca Moebius-Clune, climate and soil health director of American Farmland Trust’s Climate and Soil Health Initiative.

More than 20 years later, Moebius-Clune says that “significant strides” have been made in normalizing the concept of soil health across the research and agricultural community.

But that normalization may not be translating to soil health practices on the ground fast enough.

“We need to scale up the drivers of adoption, because we don’t, as of yet, have a New Conventional Agriculture where soil health management systems are the new normal,” she says.

“Depending on which data we look at, no-till or reduced-till are in use on about half the acres at this point, and possibly still slowly growing, while cover crops increased from 10M acres in 2012 to about 15M acres in 2017 to about 18M acres in 2022 per the Ag Census, that’s 6% of today’s about 300M cropland acres,” she says.

“That’s progress, but not enough progress!”

(America’s Conservation Ag Movement)

Soil Health Principles

Moebius-Clune says that principles that promote healthy soil ecosystems are broadly applicable, but they need to be carefully adapted for success in a production system.

She points to four globally accepted principles that, together, can achieve an optimal soil health system:

- Maximize biodiversity
- Maximize living roots
- Maximize soil cover
- Minimize disturbance

Putting these into place on farms and ranches is to commit to stewarding what Moebius-Clune calls an “underground herd of livestock” or living organisms that contribute to a vibrant soil ecosystem and, therefore, high-functioning soils.

Beyond well-known practices like reduced tillage and cover cropping, those baseline principles can yield additional opportunities for farmers to invest in the health of their soil, including diversification of crop rotations, integrating livestock into cropping systems and precisely managing inputs. One innovative soil health tactic— biochar --has recently been included by USDA-NRCS through Soil Carbon Amendment Conservation Practice Standard 336, meaning financial and technical assistance is now available to help growers with implementation.

Soil Health Drivers

If the baseline principles are basic enough, why aren’t more farmers and ranchers jumping ahead in implementation?

Moebius-Clune says that adoption thus far has largely been driven by innovators, early adopters, researchers, NRCS and organizations like American Farmland Trust that have put time and effort into education, outreach and training. But, that work, she says, is not sufficient to take soil health adoption to the next level.

“We need to address the still significant social, financial and technical barriers to adoption,” she says.

American Farmland Trust is working in collaboration with partners across the value chain, including America’s Conservation Ag Movement , to break down those barriers through initiatives that develop farmer networks, science-and-practice grounded technical resources, decision-support tools and policy solutions to improve farmer access to resources.

Soil Health Benefits

Those soil health early adopters are seeing tangible benefits on farms and ranches, especially as climate extremes are becoming more prevalent.

“Healthier soils provide more resilience in extreme conditions,” says Moebius-Clune.

Moebius-Clune credits the “stable aggregates” of healthy soils for keeping pores open during periods of heavy rainfall events, allowing rainfall to infiltrate into the soil and store rather than washing topsoil downstream.

“This prepares systems to be more resilient during droughts when stored water in a deeper root zone remains available for longer,” she says, adding that diverse production systems are more likely to produce some crops that maintain yield when others fail.

The diversity of ecosystems in healthy soils can protect crops from pests and pathogens as well.

“There is even evidence in social science literature that farmers who manage for healthy soils may experience less stress and more inspiration, autonomy, confidence, freedom, flexibility and happiness,” she says.

Soil Health + Bottom Line

While soil health practices could lead to enhanced opportunities for farmers and ranchers looking to cash in on the carbon marketplace , Moebius-Clune cautions that there is still confusion and uncertainty holding many back.

But, even without that opportunity, American Farmland Trust has been putting soil health to the economic test by highlighting case studies where soil health penciled out in the bottom line.

“Our case studies show potential for return on investment through increased yields, decreased input costs, decreased long-term production system risk during extreme weather events and decreased maintenance needs and also quantify environmental benefits such as decreased erosion, nutrient and sediment pollution and increased carbon sequestration,” Moebius-Clune says.

“We know that farmers who successfully adopt these systems experience real economic returns on their soil health investments that can be quantified.”

America’s Conservation Ag Movement is a public/private collaborative that meets growers across the country where they are on their conservation journey and empowers their next step with technical assistance from USDA-NRCS and innovation solutions and resources from agriculture’s leading providers. Learn more at americasconservationagmovement.com .

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Getting the Most from Manure Application

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 16:15:41 GMT

Manure is a wonderful nutrient source for crops, and though it will not completely replace the need for commercial fertilizer, manure can save money by having to purchase less fertilizer. However, getting the most from manure applications can be complex. Soil needs, timing, crop needs, and application methods and rates can all impact how manure should be used as a fertilizer.

Soil Needs

Manure provides many nutrients for crops, including nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). When manure is readily available, balancing application for P use is the best economically because the crops use all nutrients. However, this will most likely lead to the need for commercial N.

Often, N is balanced before P and K because N needs are highest in corn. Balancing for N alone will lead to oversupplying the soil with P and K. Nitrogen exists in organic and inorganic forms. Organic N is not available to plants, while inorganic N is broken down and available to plants as ammonium and nitrate. Application methods can impact N availability.

Manure Application

Broadcasting (spreading with a spreader) or injecting manure both have their benefits. Spreading manure is cheaper and can be done much faster. However, spreading manure can lead to less N efficiency. Ammonium losses are higher in broadcasted manure because ammonium is converted to ammonia gas. Nitrogen availability ranges from 20 to 40% throughout the year. Availability increases to 50 to 55% when injected. Though injecting manure can lead to more N and reduce odor, injecting requires more time, horsepower, and fuel.

Application rates should meet the demand of the crop to be grown. Maximum lbs of plan-available N should range from 80 to 195 lbs per acre, depending on the prior plant harvested from the land. On the other hand, soybeans use approximately 3.5 lbs of N per bushel harvested, meaning manure application can be 210 lbs per acre with a 60 bu/acre soybean yield.

Environmental Stewardship

Each state has its own laws and regulations for manure application. Be sure to review your state’s Nutrient or Waste Management plans. Over-application of manure can impact soil and water health. Whether balancing application rates for P or N, applying over soil needs will likely not lead to greater crop yields. Test soil regularly to determine the proper soil nutrient needs.

No one knows better than you that the future of your farm depends on balancing practices and profits that sustain your land, resources and family. The stakes are evolving based on weather patterns, technology, market demand and more. What actions are you taking to remain resilient?

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5 Big Reasons to Soil Test This Fall Instead of Spring

Fri, 27 Sep 2024 03:35:13 GMT

The rustling of leaves and the crisp chill in the air are a clear indicator that fall has officially begun. With crops slowly coming in off the fields, now is a good time to start thinking about soil testing.

According to Brent Crain, extension agent for Michigan State University, there are several reasons why soil testing in fall might be preferable to testing in spring. One of those reasons is timing.

“There is more time available in the fall to collect soil samples and make fertilizer decisions compared to spring,” Crain says. “Based on the soil analysis, the fall season allows additional time to think about upcoming management decisions.”

Some of these decisions would likely include figuring out when to apply phosphorus and potassium fertilizer or determining if tillage would be beneficial.

More favorable weather conditions are another big reason fall soil testing is popular.

“It is often easier to get into the field after harvest in the fall,” Crain says. “Fields are often too wet in the spring and unpredictable weather conditions can force postponement or even abandonment of soil testing for that year.”

Soil acidity is an additional factor to consider, Crain adds.

“Fall offers the best opportunity to apply lime as it provides more time to neutralize soil acidity. The soil test results should indicate the soil pH and if lime is needed to rectify excess acidity,” he notes.

One item farmers don’t often think about when conducting soil tests is lab availability. Spring is one of the busiest times of year for soil testing laboratories, which can sometimes impact when farmers receive their results.

“Soil testing laboratories are less busy in fall,” Craine says. “Generally, soil testing laboratories are busier in spring, as a majority of farmers, gardeners and homeowners wait until spring to test their soil. Therefore, the turnaround time in the spring may be much longer. A longer wait for soil testing results may force delays in fertilizer timing.”

Lastly, fertilizer prices typically have a more favorable price tag during the fall months compared to spring.

“Based on the soil test results, fertilizer can be purchased prior to the end of the year. Fertilizer is often cheaper in the fall compared to spring when demand is high. Also, purchasing fertilizer prior to the end of the year could potentially have favorable tax implications,” Crain adds.

3 Questions to Consider About Carbon Programs

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 17:28:05 GMT

By Heather Gieseke

When it comes to carbon programs, most U.S. farmers are sitting on the sidelines.

Recent data shows farmer enrollment in the programs is less than 5%. Many are skeptical about climate change or don’t understand how carbon programs work. Others wonder if there’s really any value in them, and some are concerned that carbon programs will become government-mandated, although the U.S. market today is voluntary.

Yet, having worked in agriculture for my entire career and specializing in carbon the past few years, I know farmer awareness and curiosity about these initiatives is expanding dramatically.

Carbon programs pay farmers for carbon credits, which are then sold in the market to someone looking to offset their carbon footprint. In a carbon program, a farmer is required to implement specific practices, and the program should follow a protocol established with a carbon registry, such as the Climate Action Reserve.

If you’re considering enrolling in a carbon program, keep these points in mind:

1. Does it seem too good to be true?
Carbon programs are not a get-rich-quick scheme. If a program is promising you the world and you have to do nothing in return, you should probably ask more questions or consider other options.

2. Is the organization requiring you to purchase something in order to participate or paying you in a credit to purchase something?
Just because it’s a trusted brand from which you’ve purchased crop inputs or services in the past doesn’t mean it’s qualified to deliver on a legitimate carbon project. Most claims that applying specific products will improve carbon sequestration are not backed by legitimate or peer-reviewed research that verify creditable improvements.

3. Do you have enough information?
Ask some technical questions, even if you aren’t an expert. The salesperson’s responses should alert you right away if the program is legitimate and if they are truly knowledgeable in the carbon arena.
Here are a few to consider:

Are the credits issued through a registry?
How are the credits verified?
Who’s doing the verification?
How are the credits issued, sold and accounted for?
Who’s buying the credits? At what price?
How much does this company keep versus how much you, the farmer, receive?

Shop around if you’re interested in participating in a carbon program. Consider a few from both trusted and new players in the market. Just make sure you’re showing up with a learning mindset and a healthy level of skepticism in order to find the right one.

Heather Gieseke’s insights have helped position agribusinesses for both growth and sustainability — from risk management to carbon mitigation and emission reduction. A leader of Pinion’s sustainability practice, she champions sustainability for the farm, family and business.

Flip Your Soil: How Dairy Producers are Saving Money with Manure

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 19:33:10 GMT

U.S. dairy operations continue to make great strides when it comes to sustainability, but they’ve always used regenerative practices. For instance, this corn field was cut for silage. Now the cow manure will be recycled, put on this land to replenish crop nutrients and improve soil health dairies like Modak Dairy in South Dakota produce hundreds of thousands of gallons of manure annually and view it as a real value for their operation.

“We spend $50,000 a year on commercial fertilizer. The rest all goes through the cattle and comes back out as a byproduct, which is a good product for the land and everything else,” says Jim Moe, co-owner of Modak Dairy.

Moe says dairymen also promote soil health through increased biological activity and increased organic matter in the soil.

“To me, it makes the land more fertile and it holds moisture a lot better because of the fertility,” he adds.

At Cool-Lawn Farm in Virginia, dairy producer Ben Smith says they manage manure on every inch of their field as part of their nutrient management plans.

“We soil test every year or every other year depending on the field and the crop rotation,” Smith says. “We grid sample everything, even pasture and hay ground. We grid sample because we want to put those nutrients exactly where they need to be. And, furthermore, they’re expensive. So, we don’t want to just do a blanket application. We want to put them where they need to be. And when properly managed, manure also results in higher crop production.

We got land that’s further away that we can’t put the manure on. That’s 10, 12 miles away that we use commercial fertilizer on and we don’t get the yields and we don’t have the soil condition.”

Smith says dairy producers are the original up-cyclers, taking manure which was once considered a waste product and turning it into an asset.

“It is a valuable product because we can use it as a fertilizer, as bedding, as a product that can produce energy. That’s just three things off the top of my head that makes manure value added. The newest value comes from turning that manure into energy. We’re putting in a methane digester - that’s to come here in the next 12 to 24 months. But that will take all of our manure and local food waste and we’ll use that to make renewable natural gas,” he says.

In addition, dairy producers like Smith are improving soil health by integrating cover crops on nearly every acre.

“Everything behind corn we drill rye or triticale. Sometimes we’ll incorporate radishes, clover or turnips. We want everything to have a cover crop on it all winter long to prevent runoff, soil erosion and nutrient leaching,” Smith says.

Those cover crops can also be grazed which sequesters carbon and breaks down crop residue. And it’s through all of these regenerative practices that dairy operations can not only flip their soil, but be part of the solution to climate change.

The Latest Looming Shortage: Sulfur

Tue, 27 Sep 2022 13:43:13 GMT

In a strange twist of policy fate, global decarbonization may be stalled by ….global decarbonization. And in the mix, agriculture could become an unfortunate co-casualty.

The issue at hand: sulfur, which is used in the form of sulfuric acid in the production of phosphorus fertilizer. It also is employed in the extraction of rare metals from ores such as nickel and cobalt, which are used to manufacture the high-performance, lithium-ion batteries that power electric vehicles.

A recent study by the Institute of British Geographers and University of College London (UCL) examined the shift in sulfur supplies and the potential impact of sulfur shortages.

Currently, more than 80% of the global sulfur supply comes from the desulfurization of crude oil and natural gas. Sulfur has been removed from these fossil fuels for decades, to reduce sulfur dioxide gas emissions that cause acid rain.

But as the world moves away from fossil fuels, the ready supply of sulfur also is expected to wane – at the same time demand for it is predicted to go up. The British researchers estimated that by 2040, sulfuric acid demand will rise from 246 to 400 million metric tonnes annually. The predicted concurrent shortfall: between 100 and 320 million metric tonnes, or between 40 and 130% of current supplies, depending on how rapidly global decarbonization occurs.

The sulfur supply imbalance may be lessened by a dog-chases-tail scenario in which less available sulfur means fewer lithium-ion batteries can be made, which would perpetuate the employment of fossil fuels, which would continue to yield sulfur.

Still, it’s a complicated situation that the researchers say deserves immediate attention.

Lead author of the study, Mark Maslin, said global sulfur shortages have occurred before. But rather than brief supply chain blips, this situation is different in that it would be the result of a wholescale shift away from fossil fuel processing.

“What we’re predicting is that as supplies of this cheap, plentiful, and easily accessible form of sulfur dry up, demand may be met by a massive increase in direct mining of sulfur,” said Maslin.
“This, by contrast, will be dirty, toxic, destructive, and expensive.”

They suggested one way to ease the burden on agriculture would be to invest in technology to recycle phosphorus in wastewater and channel that supply to fertilizer production. Such production shifts need to be mobilized rapidly, they argue, to prevent a sulfur supply gap that could trap agriculture in a costly tug-of-war with battery manufacturing.

Simon Day, co-author of the study, said, “Our concern is that the dwindling supply could lead to a transition period when green tech outbids the fertilizer industry for the limited, more expensive sulfur supply, creating an issue with food production, particularly in developing countries.”

For more on nutrient management, read:

DHM How To: Resolve Soil Compaction Issues

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:07:42 GMT

We’d all like to think that we avoid soil compaction at all costs, but in reality it can be inevitable when the crop needs to go in or come out during wet planting and harvest seasons. It’s important, however, to know where soil compaction is a problem in your fields, and create a plan to rectify problem areas.

In this video, Dennis Frame, a former University of Wisconsin Extension specialist and current nutrient management consultant, offers advice on how to measure soil compaction in your fields and potential solutions.

DHM How To: Soil Test The Right Way

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:06:54 GMT

In order to know what nutrients are needed on your crop acres, you need to test your soils. But you can’t just drive out into the field and take a soil sample - you have to have a plan. Whenever you do your soil testing, Dennis Frame, a former University of Wisconsin Extension specialist and current nutrient management consultant, says you need to be consistent. In this video Frame offers advice on how to soil test the right way to get the best results.

DHM How To: Soil Test The Right Way

Thu, 12 Nov 2020 05:53:22 GMT