Podcasts about soil health partnership

This week's Open Mic guest is Meagan Kaiser, chair of the United Soybean Board. For more than 30 years, the soybean checkoff board has been investing farmer dollars to improve both opportunities and sustainability practices for soybean growers in the U.S. Kaiser says investments decades before in biodiesel and the food industry are now paying big dividends for growers, industry, the environment and consumers. Kaiser is just back from Rome and a meeting with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. She sees opportunity in the Farmers for Soil Health Partnership and praises the cooperation between USDA and agriculture groups to improve productivity and farmer contribution for a better environment.

In this final episode of The People of Soil Health podcast, host and SHP Senior Director John Mesko reflects on the legacy of Soil Health Partnership, the people who have made our work possible and how the organization’s impact will live on for many years to come.

In which we hear from good Big Show buddies and leading Iowa producers Chris Gaesser, Roger Zylstra and others about their groundbreaking work with the Soil Health Partnership and how you can get involved. PLUS you have to hear about the work Ben Gleason is doing with the Iowa Corn Growers Association in support of your operation AND the Three Big Things You Need to Know.

Nebraska Corn Growers Association President, Andy Jobman, discusses the conclusion of the Soil Health Partnership, and a new advisory group on sustainability and climate change as well as the President's 30x30 plan.

Welcome to Episode 71 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode, Elyssa McFarland of the Soil Health Partnership offers tips for improving your soil's health – to benefit the environment and your farm's bottom line. And Barb Ristau of the Iowa Farmers Market Association shares the unique value that Iowa's farmers markets contribute to their local communities. Resource mentioned in this episode: Nominate your worthy neighbor for Iowa's 2021 Conservation Farmer of the Year Award by May 1.

Host John Mesko is joined by his colleague and fellow leadership team member – SHP’s Field Development Director, Elyssa McFarland. The pair discuss the history of the Soil Health Partnership, SHP’s current focus, and the future goals and opportunities they see on the horizon. Episode Resources: Conservation's Impact on the Farm Bottom Line An update on the work and impact of SHP

In this edition, Kristin Poley, research manager for the Corn Marketing Program of Michigan and the Soil Health Partnership highlights collaboration between the two groups, research projects being done and how those help improve the sustainability of farming in Michigan. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Host John Mesko sits down with Illinois farmer Jason Lay to talk about his experience with conservation and soil health practices. Jason shares about the unique challenges and opportunities that come with farming near a population center, how and why he got involved with Soil Health Partnership’s on-farm research program, and the evolution he’s seen in how his landowners view soil health approaches on the ground he rents.

Cover crops are making a difference to improve soil health and water quality. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Jim Isermann, Illinois and Wisconsin field manager of the Soil Health Partnership, and Ken Rosenow, owner of Cedar Home Farms about the cover crop benefits, recommendations for beginners, challenges and more. Thanks to The Nature Conservancy of Wisconsin for sponsoring this podcast. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.

Clean Water Wednesday takes Andy to his alma mater, Kirkwood Community College, with the Iowa Corn Growers Association and Soil Health Partnership. It is also Wyffels Wednesday with Chris Eichhorn! And Nathan Fischer continues our Candidate Profile series, sitting down with 2nd Congressional District Democratic candidate Rita Hart.

Host, John Mesko, sits down with Darrick Steen to learn how Missouri Corn and Missouri Soybean support the organizations' farmer members – especially when it comes to soil health and environmental stewardship. Darrick shares how he went from growing up on a turkey farm to helping crop farmers achieve success, how the Missouri Strip Trial Program impacts nutrient management in the region, and why he values tag-teaming with the Soil Health Partnership.

Mike Jordan, a wheat farmer in Kansas, joined the Soil Health Partnership to gain access to expertise and see if he could make cover crops work on his farm after a few years of trying it on his own with only minimal success. After years of inconsistent success with cover crops, Mike is taking a new approach.  Episode show notes

As Lead Scientists for the Soil Health Partnership, Dr. Maria Bowman leads the scientific and data plan for the partnership. She recently published a business case that focuses on the economic benefits of wheat cover crop management practices when adopted at scale.  Visit SHP's collection of business cases. Episode show notes

This week on SOIL TALK Keith Byerly with the Soil Health Partnership is back with us to discuss more on Soil Health. Listen to Part 2 of this Series on what research is taking place for Soil Health.

This week on SOIL TALK, we bring in a special guest. Keith Byerly, with the Soil Health Partnership, is here to discuss the new things buzzing in the ag industry when it comes to Soil Health. Listen to this Part 1 Series to learn what research is taking place for Soil Health.

Friday on Adams on Agriculture Iowa RFA Ex. Dir. Monte Shaw discusses issues impacting the biofuels industry, John Mesko, Sr. Dir. for the Soil Health Partnership reviews 5 years of data on improving soil health, AFBF’s Scott Bennett gives an update on hemp production and Mike Steenhoek, Ex. Dir. of the Soy Transportation Coalition compares Congressional infrastructure proposals.

In the latest Down in the Weeds, Keith Byerly, field manager for the Soil Health Partnership, discusses the adaptive management systems evaluated by the partnership, and the measurements used to quantify the benefits of those soil health practices.

Greg Whitmore, who farms near Shelby, Nebraska, discusses takeaways from cover cropping and other soil health practices, and 6 years participating in the Soil Health Partnership.

Many farmers have heard the alarming statistic that we’re losing topsoil to erosion about 10 times faster than it can be replenished. We want to keep our soil healthy and intact so we can continue farming and be more resilient in the face of increased severe weather events. In this episode, Zach and Mitchell talk to Jim Isermann of the Soil Health Partnership, an initiative of the National Corn Growers Association. Jim tells the guys that building soil health takes time, but it’s something every farmer can improve, whether they’re starting with high quality or poor quality ground. Resources: Soil Health Partnership

McDonald’s customers increasingly expect the restaurant chain to share their values. “We have a responsibility in society,” says Townsend Bailey, McDonald’s sustainability director, adding that McDonald’s is committed to using its scale for good. In doing that, says Townsend, they have something in common with the Soil Health Partnership. “The Soil Health Partnership is doing a great job of bringing together people in collaboration,” says Bailey, “basing their work in real data as well and figuring out, ‘how do we support the people that are taking care of that soil.’”

Chad Bloom with Pheasants Forever believes in the mission of the Soil Health Partnership. “Pheasants Forever is an implementer,” explains Bloom, “and when all this science comes out, we can partner with the farmer to deliver habitat as a solution to [Soil Health Partnership] goals.” Pheasants Forever tries to deliver conservation goals as outlined by the farmer, according to Bloom, who says the organization is capitalizing on relationships with entities such as USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. “We don’t have an agenda out there,” said Bloom, “it’s simply taking the goals that these farmers have, applying a solution to them and putting it on the ground for their benefit.”

John and Joan Maxwell of Cinnamon Ridge Farm are the Soil Health Partnership Exceptional Educator Award winners. Through tours of their farm, at Donahue, Iowa, the Maxwells tell the agriculture story to everyone from local kindergarten students to international visitors. Since the first tour they conducted, hosting their daughter’s pre-school class, they’ve shared how a successful dairy and row crop farm can sustainably feed the growing population while caring for the land. “Any way we can connect with food and agriculture,” said John Maxwell, “we’re trying to do it.” Advocates for the Soil Health Partnership, the Maxwells have been featured in print, television and radio news stories.

The Nature Conservancy helped found and continues to be a major partner of the Soil Health Partnership for a variety of reasons. At the top is that it supports TNC’s vision of “a future world in which both nature and people thrive,” according to Pipa Elias, the soil health strategy manager for TNC. “Soil health is really beneficial for farmers,” said Elias. “We really wouldn’t be interested in it if it wasn’t beneficial for the farmers themselves.” In this episode, find out how recent research lends insight into bridging the gap between landowners, farmers, and soil.

Insights from data collected by the Soil Health Partnership (SHP) shows that cover crops do not result in a yield drag. “I think farmers are concerned that when they adopt a cover crop that they’re going to see a yield drag,” said Dr. Maria Bowman, lead scientist for the Soil Health Partnership, “and the fact that our data show that there is no statistically significant yield drag, I think, is really important.” Other early data indicate that farmers participating in SHP are measurably improving their soil organic matter during their first few years in the program.

“Getting healthy” is often near the top of the list of New Year’s Resolutions. There is an equal need for soil to be healthy. The new year is a great opportunity to set goals for getting your soil healthy, which can help with managing extreme weather, it can increase profitability and it can sequester carbon. Elyssa McFarland, the development director for the Soil Health Partnership, talks about how soil can benefit from following through on resolutions that result in healthy soil.

Everyone, no matter how old, enjoys a good toy for Christmas, but some toys can improve a farm operation from a sustainability standpoint as well as an economic standpoint. For John Stewart, a field manager in central Indiana for the Soil Health Partnership, the item topping his Christmas wish list is a drone. Drones, combined with powerful software, give growers ultimate flexibility in field monitoring and scouting, according to Stewart. “You can get instant feedback from your field,” said Stewart. “With some software these days you can view imagery right at the field edge within five to ten minutes of flying.” In this podcast, Stewart explains how to get started with drone flying, what they cost, how to get a license and what software to use.

The 2018 growing season featured everything from severe drought to significant flooding. That all happened within the Illinois and Missouri geography in which Abigail Peterson serves as a field manager for the Soil Health Partnership. “During the spring for the cover crop establishment there was great moisture in the ground,” said Peterson, “so we had some great cover crop growth during the spring and that’s when it really matters.” As the season progressed, Peterson observed dryer weather, where nutrient deficiency became more prevalent than pressure from pests like slugs. For their neighbor across the Mississippi River, however, farmers were soon concerned about the infrequency of rain. “Missouri was very dry across the board,” she said. Peterson points out, however, that farmers are part of the Soil Health Partnership for five OR MORE growing seasons, giving a more accurate picture of what cover crops can do. “Within those five years, that’s really what I’m looking for,” said Peterson. “Are these changes [resulting from cover crops] going to make a difference in the long run? You can really alleviate some of the that risk that comes with weather and pest control.”

It’s not enough that Jim Isermann is successful in getting producers to adopt conservation farming practices. He wants them to be aware of the impact those practices have on their farm and on their bottom line. Isermann, a field manager for the Soil Health Partnership, helps farmers understand practices such as no-till, cover crops and nutrient management. “We want to know what it does for the farm,” said Isermann, “and how it can improve things for them.” Learn more at soilhealthpartnership.org.

Dr. Shefali Mehta has been tapped as the new executive director of the Soil Health Partnership, a long-term data project that measures and quantifies the impact of farm management practices known to promote healthy soils. Let's meet her in this episode. Can-Am is introducing a new Defender Series Mossy Oak Hunting Edition HD10 model with improved features that includes an optional roof rack.

Today, DesignSafe Radio host Dan Zehner talks with Joe Fargione, science director with The Nature Conservancy. The largest non-governmental organization in the world, The Nature Conservancy is also one of the first land trusts. Fargione explains how, by purchasing land in need of protection, the group saves natural environments with a non-confrontational approach. The group is also active in protecting oceans and freshwater areas. As a researcher with TNC, Fargione focuses on zero-carbon energy release as a way to protect against global warming. He explains why preventing a two-degree temperature rise is so important. Fargione discusses the science behind research projects that keep carbon in the earth – for example protecting peat-based wetlands that, if drained, would emit carbon into the atmosphere. He and his diverse collaborators focus on natural methods of preventing climate change, often using remote sensing to analyze land characteristics and compare distributions, for example, of forests. He helps land owners and managers keep carbon emissions low. Tidal wetlands, he explains, are important to preserve because salt water, unlike encroaching freshwater, has no methane emissions. Similarly, for farmers, cover crops help keep carbon in the soil – and can also increase yields and retain nutrients. Fargione describes a successful project with the Soil Health Partnership and corn growers. Fargione says that efforts to retain carbon in the soil and water helps local environments, land owners and farmers, and helps keep global temperatures from rising. Follow TNC’s Cool Green Science blog for more stories about conservation science.