Soil sampling - Articles - Page 2

A first in soil testing

Soil testing is largely considered a settled science, but it most certainly is not. Even still, there seems to be little appetite to fund the ongoing research that’s necessary to make sure that soil testing keeps pace with the demands of modern agriculture.

January 8, 2024

Dustin Sawyer

With funding from the USDA NRCS, ARS and NIFA, along with OCP North America, the soil fertility community has undertaken the immense task of finding and collecting the data that underpin the existing soil testing paradigm in the U.S.

Elevate your manure management to align with 2023’s input projections

The goal of nutrient management is to adequately supply soils and plants with the nutrients necessary to produce food, forage, fiber and cover while minimizing the transport of nutrients to ground and surface waters.

December 12, 2022

Nikki Wagner

Completing manure analysis at a certified lab might be more important than expected in 2023.

Fall signals time to revitalize soil health

Without the right below-ground environment and structure, soil can’t support maximum plant performance of today’s high-yielding crop genetics.

October 18, 2022

Greg Binford and Carl Bruice

Fall soil assessments and sampling can provide insights into soil health so growers can work with an expert to devise a plan that revitalizes the soil microbiome.

Spreading the wealth of dry manure with proven precision ROI

October 18, 2022

Jack Zemlicka

Adoption of advanced application technology is providing an economic alternative to costly commercial fertilizers, while also organically building soil biology.

When phosphorus makes you money

February 28, 2022

Thomas Kilcer

With the price/supply squeeze coming tighter during spring fertilizer purchases, farmers are looking for options that will still support high yields. It has been clear from looking at soil samples over the past 40 years that fields with regular manure applications are testing high to very high in phosphorus (P).

The biological risk of drought

July 9, 2021

Melissa A. Bravo

The grazing season was well underway in the southern U.S. when tornadic weather spawned in early May. Across the country, 14 states have declared worsening drought stages in the peak of calving season.

Getting Ready for Spring

April 21, 2021

Taking advantage of planning opportunities now will set your forage/grazing operation up for success come spring. Here is a list of things you can do now that will help ensure a successful growing and grazing season.

Only as good as the sample you submit

April 2, 2021

Valerie Tate

Soil fertility testing is a valuable tool to optimize forage production. Applying too much fertilizer is not an economically or environmentally sound practice, and inadequate fertility or improper soil pH can limit forage production.

Cultivating resilience with careful management

December 31, 2020

Martha Hoffman Kerestes

Management decisions such as spanning soil fertility economics, market risk management and selecting adapted breeding stock and forages can have wide-reaching impact on the resilience of a farm business.