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Shop Talk Series Offers Opportunities to Learn from Farmers Across the Mississippi River Basin
The final Virtual Shop Talk in our series is TOMORROW, Wednesday, March 17th at 9am CST. It’s a free event that’s open to farmers across the Midwest and Mid-South who want to learn practical ideas from peers and experts to help them be successful and profitable with soil health and stewardship practices. In tomorrow's Shop Talk, four farmers from across the Mississippi River Basin will share about their operations and how they make practical decisions about stewardship on the farm in times of stress. Mississippi Producer, David Arant, will be joining the panel to share about his family's farm and how they incorporate stewardship into the operation. With farmer panelists from Wisconsin to Mississippi, there are sure to be experiences and ideas that resonate with you.
For more details visit the event website. Click below to register for the event!
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USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) released a new video on how sustainable agricultural requires a whole-farm approach. The video highlights the various strategies aimed at reducing inputs and improving input efficiencies and recycling to support sustainable production, the environment, and local communities.
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We have a few openings left for our Regenerative Agriculture Field Day, which will take place Saturday, March 27th from 9:30am to 2pm at High Hope Farm. This is an opportunity to see how regenerative or heritage practices are incorporated on the farm and take part in thoughtful discussion about how practices support production systems, the environment, and local communities. Registration is limited due to COVID-19: Register here!
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Partner Recognition:
We couldn't do our work without our supporters, collaborators, and friends. This month we'd like to recognize our friends and collaborators and thank the Mississippi Water Resources Research Institute for their continued partnership!
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Stay Connected: Upcoming Events
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Follow us on social media, visit our website, or email us!
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The latest conservation research & news
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Pesticide residues measured in organic and conventional soils, presence linked to impact on soil biology
A new article in Environmental Science and Technology, surveyed pesticide presence in 100 different fields, including those under organic and conventional management. The researchers documented pesticide presence in soils under both management schemes, while they also documented decreasing number of pesticides and decreasing pesticide concentrations with duration of organic management. The study also documented a significant negative relationship between the amount of pesticide residues and soil microbiology, including arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the soil. This research highlights the importance of different management practices on soil biology, and the long lasting impacts of pesticides along with other abiotic factors, such as pH, that should be considered alongside soil health goals. Read more>>>
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Study uses updated SPARROW models to describe nitrogen and phosphorus loading in Mississippi/Atchafalaya River Basin
New research published in the Journal of the American Water Resources Association utilized improved SPARROW models and updated input data from 2012 to describe nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) sources and delivery from throughout the Mississippi/Atchafalaya River Basin (MARB). The model results were similar to previous models (1992 and 2002), while the current model included higher resolution basin delineations. Model outputs showed N and P loads were highest from the Corn Belt region of the MARB and along the Mississippi River. Agricultural activities remained the most important N and P sources. The authors suggest that the research be used to prioritize targeted conservation efforts to reduce nutrient loading to the Gulf of Mexico. Read More>>>
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Emergent plants in lowland agricultural streams mitigate nitrogen pollution
Research out of Denmark which was recently published in the Journal of Environmental Management reinforces the existing body of knowledge that allowing emergent vegetation to establish in lowland agricultural streams (similar to agricultural drainage ditches) helps to capture nitrogen runoff from agricultural activities before it moves into larger streams, rivers, lakes, and eventually marine environments. The plant habitats have properties that help to remove nitrogen from drainage water, and back to the atmosphere through a process called denitrification. This research highlights the importance establishing emergent vegetation in agricultural drainages as a conservation practice to support the creation of aquatic habitat and to help mitigate downstream pollution. Read more>>>
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