Nutrient runoff in the Mississippi River Basin has caused a hypoxic “dead” zone in the Gulf of Mexico. The Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy provides a framework for farmers to
Conservation planning is the primary tool the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) uses to help farmers manage and protect the nation’s soil, water, air, plant, animal, energy, and human
The UN Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) concluded in September 2021. It was a much-needed global initiative with high expectations of transforming the world food systems and addressing the growing threat
Agricultural nonpoint source pollution has been identified as a major cause of water quality impairments in the United States. Increased fertilizer use, while contributing to increased productivity, leads to pollution
A long fallow period in a winter wheat–fallow rotation (W-F) cropping system is meant to store soil water for the following crop, but loss of soil quality, low precipitation use-efficiency,
Cover crops can provide many benefits, but producers might be reluctant to adopt them if they perceive an increased risk of water stress for the cash crop. Therefore, to increase
The earlier over crops (CCs) are planted, the higher the probability of greater biomass accumulation in the fall, owing to a greater growing degree day accumulation. This is also true
Suitable cover crop species and reliable establishment methods need to be assessed to identify viable cover cropping strategies that provide environmental benefits while maintaining productivity in corn-soybean rotations. Successful establishment
Research has shown that unrestricted grazing of croplands can have detrimental effects on soil health, but it is suggested that moderate grazing of cover crops (CC) may increase the beneficial
Crop residue management can affect soil water dynamics. The retention of plant residues on the soil surface helps conserve soil water, maintain soil fertility, and provide other ecosystem services. Evidence
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