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Organic farmers need crop cultivars that perform well in organic production systems, and several farmer-participatory plant breeding networks are beginning to meet that need. Breeding priorities for the organic sector include disease and pest resistance, weed competitiveness, nutrient and water use efficiency, rapid emergence and establishment, overall vigor, and resilience to drought and other weather extremes as well as market traits such as flavor and nutritional value. Cultivars that perform well in low-tillage organic production systems, partner effectively with beneficial soil microbes, utilize nutrients and moisture efficiently, require less cultivation for weed control, and generate extensive root systems and abundant above-ground residues while maintaining good yields can contribute directly to soil health. Today’s webinar will discuss recent advances in cultivar development for healthy soils and successful organic production.

Planting seedlings is an essential part of any reforestation plan but where should your seedlings come from? Concerns about survival, growth and adaptation to local growing conditions are historical considerations; however, climate change and the desire for new species in a warming climate has complicated the search for seedlings. Join us for a discussion on the considerations and approaches to sourcing and planting seedlings for your next reforestation project

We use soils to provide 98.8% of our food, but the bonds between soil health and human health extend far beyond what fills our plate. The science of public health, especially epidemiology, provides a framework for capturing the links between healthy soil and a range of direct and indirect health factors and outcomes, such as economic security and community vitality. Climate change is increasing the pressure on many of these factors, highlighting the need for deeper collaborations between soil and health scientists and communicators.

In this talk, Brenda Hoppe, environmental epidemiologist, climate resilience researcher and proud descendent of Wisconsin dairy farmers, discusses 1)  the state of knowledge around the soil health-human health nexus, 2)  the advantages of public health for soil science research and stewardship, 3) considerations of farmers and ag-based economies, and 4) opportunities for advancing cross-disciplinary research, public awareness campaigns, and climate resilience actions to save our soils and fortify public health.

Charlie Johnson shares how he and his family control weeds on 1,600 acres of organic corn and soybeans in Madison S.D using ecological strategies to control weeds without herbicides. Johnson explains how late planting, patience, diversity and a six year crop rotation all play a role in managing weeds on his farm. “There is no such thing as a weed-free organic field, and there’s no such thing as a weed-free farm,” says Johnson. But using alfalfa as a smother crop has largely eliminated Canada thistle, and planting later in the season has allowed him to control early flushes of weeds and to encourage quick emergence that helps corn and beans outcompete weeds. 

Charlie Johnson explains how he controls weeds in corn and soybean crops without the use of pesticides on his organic farm in Madison, S.D. Johnson relies largely on a six-year crop rotation and cultivation tools to control weeds while maintaining good soil health. Johnson illustrates how a custom rotation leverages diversity to manage weeds. 1,600 acres of corn, soybeans, oats and alfalfa are divided into six equal portions. Oats are planted as a nurse crop, followed by two years of alfalfa hay. Row crops follow, with a year of soybeans followed by corn and then a final year of soybeans. Cover crops, pre- and post- emergence tillage and manual field monitoring helps control weeds throughout the cycle. 

Farmers must manage water resources to provide sufficient yet not excessive moisture to their crops, and to protect surface and groundwater from nutrients and other contaminants. While the soil’s capacity to hold and provide moisture to crops is determined in part by soil texture and other inherent properties, organic soil health management practices can improve soil water relations, expand water holding capacity, and enhance crop resilience to drought and flood, which have become more intense as a result of climate change. This webinar will describe how soil health enhances water use efficiency and nutrient retention and will outline conservation strategies that organic farmers use to optimize stewardship of the water resource.

This Tech Talk highlights the economic and social implications of soil loss. From a farm level economic perspective, soil is an important input in agriculture production and productivity. Loss of soil is not only a concern for agriculture producers, as the movement of soil off of fields has downstream effects. In this session, participants will become familiar with the current approaches used to evaluate economic value of soil loss.  Additionally, they will become familiar with the evidence surrounding the costs and benefits of conservation practices that reduce soil loss. A better understanding of the economic values of soil loss provides insight on the role of conservation in farming practices and policy.