Nitrogen Smart: Manure Management

Livestock manures have been used as a crop fertilizer source for thousands of years. It continues to be a valuable source of crop nutrients, even with the advent of synthetic fertilizers. Because its nutrient content and availability can vary widely, it's important to develop a management plan that will optimize crop productivity while protecting water quality.

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Practical Conservation Tillage for Organic Cropping Systems

The National Organic Standards require certified organic producers to implement tillage and cultivation practices that “maintain or improve the physical, chemical, and biological condition of soil and minimize soil erosion.” While continuous no-till may be impractical for organic production of annual vegetable or field crops, innovative farmers and researchers have developed many tools and strategies to reduce tillage intensity and to minimize the adverse soil impacts of field operations in organic systems.

Tech Talk: Livestock Forage Balance Worksheet

In this Tech Talk Jeff Duchene, NRCS State Grazing Specialist, provides an overview of the Livestock Forage Balance Sheet available in Section IV of the eFOTG under the CPS 528 Prescribed Grazing Conservation Practice Standard. Jeff discusses how to develop the livestock and forage inventory portions of the forage balance worksheet. Jeff also reviews the equations used to develop the livestock/forage balance and how to use those calculations in the field.

Tech Talk Replay: Wildlife Habitat Planting (CPS 420)

Jeff Kalin, NRCS Wildlife Biologist, and Karin Jokela, Xerces Society Pollinator Planner and Partner Biologist, for an overview the new Wildlife Habitat Planting practice (CPS 420). In this session, we will discuss:

  • The rationale for a wildlife specific conservation practice standard
  • Key differences between Wildlife Habitat Planting (420) and Conservation Cover (327)
  • Wildlife WHEGs
  • Selecting the appropriate scenario
  • Implementation requirements
  • Plant selection to support wildlife