Earthworms in Agricultural Soils - Part One

Earthworms in Agricultural Soils - Part One

Tim Hammerich
Tim Hammerich
News Reporter
This is Tim Hammerich of the Ag Information Network with your Farm of the Future Report.

Farmers and environmentalists often disagree on how our natural resources should be utilized, but one thing both parties can agree on is the benefits of earthworms. For farmers, these earthworms are both a sign of high quality soil and a contributor to improved fertility and structure. Dr. Jan Willem van Groenigen is a soil scientist who specializes in earthworms.

Van Groenigen… “I think in the future we'll all rely more and more on recycling, on making agriculture more circular. On making sure that every waste product we have is being recycled. And earthworms are very, very important for that. They're very good in decomposing compounds that are not so easy to decompose.”

But decomposition is just the start. Scientists are learning more about earthworms’ contribution to nutrient availability.

Van Groenigen… “For nitrogen we know already for quite some time that they are good for providing nitrogen to crops. But this research that we're doing on phosphorus really has opened our eyes on how important they also are for the soil chemistry. And so I hope that we learn how to keep the earthworms in the soil. And that we will use them to our advantage much more than we used to in closing on nutrient cycles.”

Tune in tomorrow for more of the latest science on earthworms in agricultural systems.

Previous ReportUSDA Announces New Emergency Relief Program
Next ReportEarthworms in Agricultural Soils - Part Two