conservation policy for advancing soil health · conservation policy for advancing soil health...
TRANSCRIPT
Conservation Policy for Advancing Soil Health
David LammNational Soil Health Team, Leader
Presentation Charge
1. The advancement of soil health requires clear and unified national policy that articulates the mechanisms and incentives for implementing conservation systems that enhance soil health.
2. The synergy between various components of agriculture policies as stated in the Farm Bill is essential for insuring a balanced approach between economics and the application of conservation practices
SOIL HEALTH:
The continued capacity of a soil
to function as a vital, living
ecosystem that sustains plants,
animals, and humans.
Soil FunctionsNecessary for Food & Fiber
• Nutrient cycling• Water (infiltration & availability)• Filtering and Buffering• Physical Stability and Support• Habitat for Biodiversity
“Anything can have ‘quality,’ but only living things can have ‘health.’”
Dan DeSutter, Indiana
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”
George Santayana19th century philosopher
Historic Conservation Policy • Agricultural Adjustment Act (1933)
– Control surplus– Funded by tax that was ruled unconstitutional
• The Soil Conservation Act (1935)
– Established SCS– Made funds available for soil conservation
practices• Soil Conservations and Domestic
Allotment Act (1936 Farm Bill)
– Soil Conservation in the public interest– Agricultural Conservation Program
• Reduce commodity surplus• Replace 7 soil-depleting crops
Historic Conservation Policy
• Agricultural Act (1956)– Soil Bank– Erosion affected productivity
• Surplus common in the 1960’s– ACP funds 38% used for fertilizer
and lime– Lots of drainage
• Fence row to Fence row (1970’s) – US was going to feed the world– Impacted previous conservation
efforts
Historic Conservation Policy Common Theme
– Controlling commodity surplus – Infusing money into rural America– Controlling erosion
Change in the Wind – Water quality (1970’s)
• EPA established • Non-point source pollution
– No-till Farming
No Till Adoption• Early No-Till included
reference to cover crops
• No-Till in South America focus included Cover Crops
• No-Till in USA focused more on leaving crop residue
1985 Farm Bill• Linked farm bill program participation to conservation• HEL fields required to have a conservation plan• Most HEL plans included residue management
– Indiana ARS level planCorn – Soybean rotation40% -- 50% residue levels after planting
• Erosion was the primary resource concern
Unintended Consequences• Decoupled the need for cover crops to make No-Till
work– Focus was on managing residue– Only difference with conventional till was has seed was
placed in the ground• Non-HEL cropland was overlooked
– No erosion, No Problem– Reflected in NRCS staffing and progress reporting
• Adequately treated
Toledo Harbor Algae Problem
Too much “P” in the water
Graphs prepared by David Baker, Heidelberg University
Western Lake Erie Basin Soils
Flat, poorly drained, compacted, losing organic matter
Dysfunctional Soils with no erosion problem
Blount soil showing severe compaction
(very low infiltration = very high runoff)
Blount soil under continuous No Till showing good soil structure
(and good infiltration)
Move from Soil Erosion to Soil Function
• Soil Functions– Nutrient cycling– Water cycling– Filter and buffer– Stable soils– Habitat for soil micro organisms
Poor Soil Function causes offsite problems
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• What does Soil Health mean?
• Soil Health Key Indicators =
• Increasing organic matter• Improving aggregate stability• Increasing water infiltration• Increasing water-holding capacity • Improving nutrient cycling• Balancing and diversifying soil biology
• Recognize that Soil Health is a journey not a destination
Making Soil Health A Priority!
The difference is in how we view the soil. Is it a collection of sands, silts and clay?Is a living ecosystem that can be changed?
“We’re getting back to what we used to do!!”
* Individual resource concerns (SWAPA) * Isolated, not interactive* Addressing symptoms rather than the problem.
* Looks resource concerns in a more holistic manor* Gages the impact that one degraded resource might have on another.
Conservation Planning for Soil Health
RMS Planning Soil Health Planning
Conservation Planning for Soil Health
* Reactive* Deals with symptoms
• poor infiltration• excessive runoff• gully erosion
*Proactive*Focus on prevention
*Moving towards regeneration
RMS PlanningSoil Health Planning
Conservation Planning for Soil Health
*Emphasis was on “inherent” soil properties *Interpretation based on the general condition for a soil series.
*Emphasis on soil as a living ecosystem
*Improving soil function through proper management.
RMS PlanningSoil Health Planning
Conservation Planning for Soil Health
*Management strategies focused:*Chemical and physical properties*New ways to till the soil or apply nutrients.
*Focuses on soil has a habitat for soil biology
*Can be improved on large tracts of land.
RMS PlanningSoil Health Planning
Conservation Planning for Soil Health
Conservation plans based on a collection of individual practices that addressed identified resource concerns.
Based on applying practices and activities that address ALL Soil Health principles as a system to accelerate changes in soil health.
RMS Planning Soil Health Planning
Conservation Planning for Soil Health
*Controlling sheet and rill erosion to tolerable level
*Best accomplished by residue management practices
*Goes beyond controlling erosion *Seeks to regenerate soils as a living ecosystem.
RMS Planning Soil Health Planning
Conservation Planning for Soil Health
*Cover crops primarily single species
*Little consideration given for the benefits of planting multi-species mixes*Grazing of cover crops was not considered a beneficial activity
*Cover crops add diversity to a crop rotation *Increase diversity in soil microbial communities*Grazing beneficial
RMS Planning Soil Health Planning
Conservation Planning for Soil Health
Nutrient management is based on a crop nutrient budget, looking at soil test, crop needs and soil nutrient build up.
Nutrient management is based on improving nutrient cycling that includes a robust soil food web.
RMS PlanningSoil Health Planning
1. Reduced tillage, increased biomass with more rooting, higher diversity, surface
cover
6. More soil organic matter,
nutrients, and top soil built
8. Field
conditions are
more resilient and
consistent
3. Aggregates rebuild,
soil organic matter
increases
5. Infiltration increases,
erosion by wind and water
decreases
7. Less energy and tillage needed, more
water stored, better rooting, more nutrient
access, greater soil organism diversity,
less disease
9. Crop yields
increase, lower cost,
lower risk
2. Soil biology returns,
decreased erosion
4. Available water holding capacity
increases, reduced compaction from
rooting
Regenerative Systems for Healthy Soils
Modified by Dr. Dorn Cox from Building Soils for Better Crops
Division Director
National Communications &Partnership Liaison
National Soil HealthTeam Leader
Regional Team Leaders (4)
Regional Soil Health
Specialists (12)
National Soil Health Specialist
USDA-NRCS Soil Health Division
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National Soil Health Division Team
Barry Fisher
Jen
Moore-
Kucera
Dennis
Chessman
David
Lamm
Nathan
Lowder
Ray
Archuletta
Marlon
Winger
Rudy
Garcia
Doug
Peterson
Justin
MorrisStan Boltz
Z. Kabir
Candy
Thomas
Willie
Durham
Brandon
Smith
Paul
Salon
Bianca Moebius-
Clune
Diane
Stott
Jim
Hoorman
Adapting Soil Health Management Principles to
soils, regions, and cropping systems requires
broad collaboration!
Keep the soil covered.
Minimize soil disturbance.
Maximize diversity (plants, animals, amendments, inoculants…).
Maximize living roots.
Observation,
Adaptation
Soil Health
Management Systems
Implementation
Soil Health
Assessment
Soil Health Management
Planning
Soil health
training
Goals of the new
NRCS
Soil Health
Division
• Leverage Partners
• Ensure Scientific Basis
• Evaluate Economics
• Quantify Benefits
Within NRCS and externally (NACD, SARE, TNC, EDF, Soil Renaissance, ARS, NIFA, Hatch, Universities, Nonprofits …)
Soil Health Training
• 250 Training Events• 26,016 Participants
Soil Health Assessments
• Standard soil nutrient test – Only gives us P, K & trace
elements– Some test give OM– No N unless requested– Doesn’t tell us anything
about ALL soil functions
Why Test for Soil Biology?
• Indicator of Soil Functions
– Nutrient cycling
– Water regulating
• Measure of impact of management activity
– Soil is habitat for microbes
• Soil is a living biological ecosystem– Not the sum of the physical and chemical components
Resource Concerns and Microbial Role
Compaction Water infiltration Water storage Water quality Erosion risk Plant growth Aeration Temperature Nutrient availability
Soil Health Testing in the Lab
• PLFA (Phospholipid fatty acids)• Earthfort (Soil Foodweb)• Cornell Soil Health Assessment• Solvita CO2 Burst Test• Haney Test (ARS developed)
In-field soil assessment what to look at:
Look at:• Residue• Soil Surface• Soil Profile• Plant Roots
Utilize all your senses:•Sight•Smell•Touch•Taste????
Limitations:• Does not provide
quantifiable, absolute values related to soil health,
• Not designed to compare one field to another
With management history• It can provide an indication
of the relative soil health • Can be useful for
monitoring changes in soil health over time
• Help lead a discussion
Soil Health Management Planning
• Manage more by Disturbing Soil Less• Use Plant Diversity to Increase Diversity
in the Soil• Grow Living Roots Throughout the year• Keep the Soil Covered as Much as
Possible• Include practices and/or activities that
address all soil health principles
NRCS Conservation Practice Standard
• 161 different practice standards– 97 CED has lead– 21 ESD Agronomist has lead
• 13 Erosion primary resource concern• 4 Residue Management
– 9 ESD Grazing Specialist has lead• Limited number of practices to choose from• Soil Health requires more than controlling erosion
Core Soil Health Conservation Practices
Cover Crop (340)
Conservation Crop Rotation (328) Must Do!!!
Synergistic Practices• Practice that increase soil
health enhancement when applied in conjunction with a core practice
– Nutrient Management (590)– Pest Management (595)
As Applicable
• Practices that address resource concerns that may not occur on all fields
• Site specific– Irrigation water management– Buffer practices
Best Accepted New Technology• Conservation activities that might not be in
an NRCS conservation practice standard• Improve soil health
• Controlled traffic pattern
• Precision application of nutrients and pesticides
• Use of floatation tires
NRCS Resource Concerns
• An expected degradation of Soil, Water, Plant, or Animal resource base– To an extent that the sustainability or intended use is
impaired• This drives the NRCS Conservation Planning
Process• Used in various Financial Assistance Programs
Soil Health Degradation RC(Draft)
• Organic Matter Depletion• Compaction• Inadequate Habitat and food for soil organisms• Poor Aggregate Stability• Concentration of Salts and/or other contaminants
Implementing Soil Health Management Systems Using EQIP
• NRCS Support through EQIP– Ranking Questions– Inclusion of Soil Health Practices
National EQIP
2013-2016
Practice Acreage Funds Obligated
Conservation Crop
Rotation 807,105 $52,586,927
Residue Management, 1,753,450 $27,416,797
Cover Crop 5,520,661 $252,685,267
Nutrient Management 3,645,025 $69,583,005
Pest Management 798,306 $10,334,971
Total 12,524,548 $412,606,967
Iowa EQIP
2013-2016
Practice Acreage Funds Obligated
Conservation Crop
Rotation 5,207 $ 597,073
Residue
Management, 113,421 $ 1,755,282
Cover Crop 355,645 $ 16,282,787
Nutrient
Management 99,127 $ 1,789,091
Pest Management 3,879 $ 109,448
Total 577,279 $ 20,533,680
• National ranking questions• State level Screening
– Permanent Ground Cover– Management of cover crops– Use of reduced tillage systems– Compaction problems
• Variety of CSP Enhancements• Soil Health Bundles
Implementing Soil Health Management Systems Using CSP
Implementing Soil HealthManagement Systems
• Soil Health is a Journey• Requires ALL ag partners • Need to look beyond erosion to Soil Functions• Need to get the science right• This is being driven by Farmers/Ranchers
Soil Health Vision• Increase the number of producers
operating with Soil Health Management Systems which…
• Will lead to continental-scale, systematic improvements in water, air, and wildlife, while enhancing agricultural productivity – and sustainability.