CTIC is a clearinghouse for a wide range of information on conservation agriculture. Click on one of the themes below to browse our site, or look for a particular practice or place in the search bar.
Ag Consultant Resources
Bees and Pollinators
Buffer Strips
Community Organizing
Conservation Tillage
Conservation Practices—Adoption
Crop Residue Management (CRM) Survey
Drainage Water Management
Cover Crops
Cover Crop Survey
Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)
Demonstration Projects
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
Grazing and Rangeland
Hypoxia
Know Your Watershed
Leadership
Mississippi Rive ... more. |
A fact sheet written by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) research ecologist Clint Otto used data from the Bee Integrated program, led by the Honey Bee Health Coalition and implemented by CTIC, to help detail which flower species are preferred by bees in the Prairie Pothole region.
According to data from 244 sites in Minnesota and the Dakotas studied over five years, the top draws for both honey bees and native bee species include lacy phacelia, blue giant hyssop, stiff goldenrod, purple prairie clover, and wild bergamot.
"It's great to see so many of the species included in the Bee and Butterfly Habitat Fu ... more. |
... are currently working with Penton Media to determine whether any are a fit to run inCorn & Soybean Digest. Those decisions should be made within the next couple weeks, after which CTIC will share the remaining features with this project’s partners and publish them on our website.
Farmer-beekeeper pairs involved in the project collected their last samples of pollen bees collected from project sites in September. The pollen is in the lab for species identification which will offer insight into what portion of the bees’ diet was supplied by habitat this project established on participating farms. The DNA identification method used is new and developed partially through this project’s support. These pollen ID results are on track to be deliv ... more. |
... and are currently working with Penton Media to determine whether any are a fit to run in Corn & Soybean Digest. Those decisions should be made within the next couple weeks, after which CTIC will share the remaining features with this project's partners and publish them on our website.
Farmer-beekeeper pairs involved in the project collected their last samples of pollen bees collected from project sites in September. The pollen is in the lab for species identification which will offer insight into what portion of the bees' diet was supplied by habitat this project established on participating farms. The DNA identification method used is new and developed partially through this project's support. These pollen ID results are on track to be delivered later this ... more. |
... of this work will be a clearer picture of cover cropping’s role in improving productivity and sustainability on farms throughout the Midwest. Critically, it will assign real dollar figures to the potential for increased profitability in a system that utilizes cover crops.
The project will also investigate the capacity of marginal and cover cropped ground to function as habitat for honey bees. Five pairs of farmers and beekeepers will be established. The farmers will provide additional bee forage either by planting pollinator habitat in marginal areas or by adjusting their cover crop management to allow additional blooming. Beekeepers will place hives on the partnering farm and monitor colony health and productivity. These partnerships will provide a useful model of communication betw ... more. |
AUGUST 2022
Message From the Interim Executive Director
At the outset, I want to thank the Board for this opportunity to reprise this interim role. I’d also like to recognize Mike Komp for the successful term he had as our Executive Director over these past three years, during which CTIC experienced considerable growth in our reach and impact on our important mission.
I also need to say how much I am looking forward to seeing everyone at the upcoming combo 40th anniversaryand 15th Conservation in Action tour, this year in-person and in my adopted hometown of St. Louis. Although I moved back to my original home state of Washington during the pandemic (which was always my personal plan), I confess that my heart still re ... more. |
CONSERVATION IN ACTION TOUR BACK ON THE BUS!
In 2020 and 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic pushed our plans back for an in-person Conservation in Action Tour. But we rallied with virtual tours that blended pre-recorded and live content in conjunction with the American Society of Agronomy's Sustainable Agriculture Conference.
Check out our digital library for interviews, panel discussions and videos that bring you across the country, from mul ... more. |
The use of cover crops is steadily increasing throughout the United States. Many no-till farmers consider cover crops to be the next step in conservation agriculture.
Leaving the soil undisturbed and keeping something growing as many days as possible restores the natural cycles of the soils. Residues and roots create more organic matter in the soils. Increased organic matter serves as a food source to various soil organisms and increases the biological activity. Higher biological activity increases nutrient cycling and availability and also reduces nutrient loss due to run off. With all this ... more. |
The use of cover crops is steadily increasing throughout the United States. Many no-till farmers consider cover crops to be the next step in conservation agriculture.
Leaving the soil undisturbed and keeping something growing as many days as possible restores the natural cycles of the soils. Residues and roots create more organic matter in the soils. Increased organic matter serves as a food source to various soil organisms and increases the biological activity. Higher biological activity increases nutrient cycling and availability and also reduces nutrient loss due to run off. With all this ... more. |
The use of cover crops is steadily increasing throughout the United States. Many no-till farmers consider cover crops to be the next step in conservation agriculture.
Leaving the soil undisturbed and keeping something growing as many days as possible restores the natural cycles of the soils. Residues and roots create more organic matter in the soils. Increased organic matter serves as a food source to various soil organisms and increases the biological activity. Higher biological activity increases nutrient cycling and availability and also reduces nutrient loss due to run off. With all this ... more. |
