How are food producers stewarding soil and water quality to protect the environment? Food producers rely on healthy soil and water to produce a large variety of food products worldwide. To help maintain water quality and soil health, both conventional and subsistence farmers must adopt practices that increase biodiversity and organic matter in their soils. Soils high in organic matter hold more water, improving plant yield and water quality in local systems.
Healthy soils are ones that have high levels of microbes and support an ecosystem. Soil stores carbon and nutrients. The less the soil is disturbed (tilled), the healthier the soil system will be. However, dependent upon soil texture, growers may need to engage in some tillage in order to plant.
Resources on Nourish the Future
Texture differences and the characteristics of soils can be determined. See these links to learn about differences in soils. (Soil stability test lesson, Soil texture lesson, Soil your undies lesson)
Soil cover decreases soil erosion, while rotation of crops help to reduce populations of pests. (Soil nutrient testing lesson, Soil stability test lesson)
4R Nutrient Stewardship (right source, right rate, right time, right place) includes a set of techniques that agronomists and farmers employ when applying fertilizer. (Soil nutrient testing lesson, Chemical and physical testing lesson)
When nutrients are applied, the best practice is to apply fertilizer or manure two inches below the soil surface. (Soil nutrient testing lesson, Chemical and physical testing lesson)
Many farmers are using conservation wetlands and edge of field buffers to protect water quality. (Chemical and physical testing lesson)