Soil Health Survey Shows Need for Continued Conservation Programs

A national survey of 30 farmers shows a favorable outcome and using soil health strategies. National Association of Conservation Districts Second Vice President, Bill Simshauser says that the survey was a multi-year collaborative project between the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Soil Health Institute, and NACD. He says that they wanted to assess the economics of soil health management systems. To learn more about the financial impacts of soil health practices and varying soil types, geographic locations and, cropping systems. Simshauser highlights key findings.

“Not only did these practices reduce expenses, but they also increased net farm income. So example they increase net farm income by $65 an acre on the average and 429 conventional farms, including $47 An acre for corn and $34. An acre for soybeans also found out that by implementing these practices soil health practices reduce production costs, such as fertilizer and pesticide inputs by $14 an acre for corn and $7 an acre for soybeans and then also found out that 42% of the farms in increased yield.”

Therefore he says it is important to make sure that conservation programs such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program are adequately funded in the 2023 Farm Bill.