Economics, the Environment, and Conservation Management Systems

Transcription

1 Economics, the Environment, and Conservation Management Systems Plus The 2017 South Dakota Cropping Systems Inventory Presented by Jeff Zimprich, NRCS State Conservationist at the Annual Agronomy Conference, SD Agribusiness Association Sioux Falls, SD December 13, 2017

2 The NRCS offers practical ideas and programs to private landowners and operators.

3 Conservation Technical Assistance Free Individualized With/without conservation programs

4 Conservation Programs Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)

5 Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) enhancements: Rangeland and Pastureland

6 Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP): A competitive advantage JP and Holly Heber

7 Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) enhancements: Cropland

8 South Dakota farmers and ranchers: Lead the U.S. in CSP by a country mile!

9 Conservation Programs Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

10 Conservation Programs for South Dakota Producers Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) Over a dozen programs in all

11 NRCS is part of a conservation partnership serving producers: Conservation Districts Conservation Groups State & Federal Agencies Ag Business and Producer Groups Wildlife Groups Universities Many others

12 South Dakota s $25.6 billion agriculture industry

13 Moving the Needle toward Healthier Soil Strategy for South Dakota Helping People Understand the Principles of Soil Health Conversations with agricultural interest groups, partners Demonstration Projects, Agreements/Grants, Timelapse photography of fields, NRCS Soil Health Information Center, Ideas.?

14 Moving the Needle for Healthier Soil, continued Address Research Needs, Misconceptions, etc. soil temperatures, managing residue, managing water infiltration too wet/dry, managing for weeds, economics, works for you, not me Merit or Myth Playlist 30+ clips to date on YouTube

15 Consider what tillage does to the biological organisms living in the soil and specifically, mycorrhizae, a special class of beneficial fungi that live in the soil.

16 The 2017 South Dakota Cropping Systems Inventory... Slight dip, but No-till still dominant... Healthy soils better in drought... Long term trend to less tillage... Farmers voice thoughts on soil health

17 No-Till Systems on Nearly Half the South Dakota cropland in 2017

18 No-Till Systems on Nearly Half the South Dakota cropland in 2017

19 Cropping Systems in South Dakota

20 No-till Dominates South Dakota Cropping Systems

21 30-Year Trend to No-Till

22 Strong Center for No-Till in 2017 Cropland Acres (%) by County In a No-Till Cropping System 0-25 % % % >76 %

23 No-Till System Trends by County Change in No-Till Cropping Systems from 2015 to 2017 Increase Decrease No Change

24 Percent Change in No-Till Systems 2004 to 2017 Trends by County Percent Change in No-Till from 2004 to 2017 >75 % % % 0-25 % % < -25%

25 Cover crop trends None Acres applied under EQIP or CSP in ,000 > 1,000 14,592

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27 And along came a drought! August 1, 2017 drought status. Red is 70% normal forage production, green is normal.

28 Residues Matter in Drought Cropland Acres (%) in County with a No-Till or Mulch Till Cropping System <25 % % % >74 %

29 Organic matter helps hold soil moisture Consider this: A one percent increase in organic matter in the top 6 inches of soil holds about 16,500 gallons more water per acre.

30 Healthy soils with good structure not only hold more water, they allow more water to infiltrate

31 The Truth about Tillage To get at one truth about tillage, test how fast water soaks into your soil

32 See if your results are the same as Lynn and Al s Lynn Boadwine Al Miron

33 A Simple Test 1) Pound an infiltration ring into the ground 2) Pour water into it 3) Time how long it takes the water to soak into the soil

34 Infiltration time (seconds) United States Department of Agriculture Water Infiltration Takes Longer with Tillage First inch of water, seconds to soak in Second inch of water, seconds to soak in 1633 Total water, seconds to soak in No-till corn with cover crop No-till corn, no cover crop Corn silage, with cover crop and fall tillage Corn silage, no cover crop & fall tillage Corn stover removed, fall deep rip, spring field cultivator

35 After Water Infiltration Tests Heavy tillage is my enemy. Tilling to make the soil act like a sponge is a fallacy tillage harms soil structure more than it helps. Lynn Boadwine

36 The Test Opened My Eyes Once you seal up pores in the soil with tillage, infiltration stops and runoff begins. Al Miron Earthworms thrive in no-till, and help water infiltrate into the soil profile.

37 No-till keeps the soil covered and limits soil disturbance that has a lot to do with water infiltration and soil structure Anthony Bly

38 Producer thoughts on healthy soils and resilience during the drought We thought we d have a total failure up until July, but our corn did exceptionally well. I believe you really need small grains in your rotation, with cover crops and no-till. Scott Kolousek

39 Producer thoughts on healthy soils and resilience during the drought I doubt we would have had any chance for a decent crop without no-till this year. Kevin Deiter

40 Producer thoughts on healthy soils and resilience during the drought We see that no-till minimizes your risk. In a rainy, wet year that turns hot in the summer, it saves bushels out there. Liz Sidgestad

41 Producer thoughts on healthy soils and resilience during the drought We were fighting nature too much. Now with no-till and cover crops we have flexibility in rotating native grasses. It s a lot less work, and we re beginning to build soil organic matter. Trevor Zantow

42 Producer thoughts on healthy soils and resilience during the drought I think because I give my pastures a lot of rest with rotational grazing, our pastures really showed well in the drought. Dennis Hoyle

43 Producer thoughts on healthy soils and resilience during the drought You need to be able to find a way to hold any excess moisture in the spring and carry it into the summer. We try to do that with no-till. John Shubek

44 Producer thoughts on healthy soils and resilience during the drought It was so hot here early, we didn t expect much for yields this year. But we ended up with a touch over average crop yields. Cover crops, diversified rotations, integrating livestock, and 24 years of no-till all played a part. Dan Forgey

45 115+ South Dakota Farmers & Ranchers Unique to South Dakota Networking / training sessions Feedback to NRCS Leadership Direct mail Mentor Program

46 Get more soil management information straight from producers and researchers online at: and meritormyth.com

47 Jeff Zimprich State Conservationist USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service South Dakota (605) THE USDA IS A EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PROVIDER, EMPLOYER AND LENDER