Farmers who make soil health a priority are more likely to rotate three or more crops and to graze livestock on cropland, according to a survey of producers in South Dakota, North Dakota and Nebraska. The survey examined why some agricultural producers prioritize soil health and how to encourage more producers to adopt these conservation practices, according to assistant professor Tong Wang of South Dakota State University’s Ness School of Management and Economics. Read more in this article from Newswise.

This video from Iowa Learning Farms discusses the many functions of cover crops, how cover crops help growers better utilize time and resources, the main categories of cover crops, and much more.

The grants are designed to help partners implement and evaluate innovative approaches that have demonstrated conservation benefits on farmland. These conservation practices are sorely needed on Alabama farms for several reasons, said Rishi Prasad, assistant professor and Alabama Extension specialist in the Department of Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences and leader of the research project. Read more in this article from Southeast AgNet.

Farmers aren't immune to changing weather patterns affecting the Midwest. That's why those who are adopting conservation practices hope other farmers follow suit. Read more in this article from Public News Service.

Advanced conservation practices are used on more than 50 percent of farmland across the nation. Conrad, MT, wheat farmer Ken Johnson explained how he works to reduce erosion on their family farm. Read more in this article from the Sidney Herald.

Al Schafbuch said Iowa farmers are moving too slowly in adopting conservation practices that would help improve the quality of the state's rivers, streams and lakes. With only about 7% of Iowa farmland planted in cover crops, "it will take 100 years to get this done," Schafbuch said. "We can't wait 100 years."

Passage of a unique concept that got Congressional consideration during the writing of the 2018 Farm Bill could put more dollars in the pockets of no-tillers. It’s an idea that farmers who use no-till, cover crops and conservation-minded crop rotations to protect the soil should be rewarded with an equivalent of auto insurance’s “good driver discount” when it comes to paying crop insurance premiums.