The National Crop Residue Management (CRM) Survey is the only survey in the U.S. to measure at the county level the type of tillage used by crop. Tillage methods tracked are: no-till, mulch-till, reduced-till, and conventional tillage. Click here to see the tillage definitions.
Available Data
Data is available online from 1989 to 2008. Some of the data can be accessed without a password (unsecured data) ... more. |
... System (OpTIS)
The Operational Tillage Information System (OpTIS) has been developed by Regrow, TNC, and CTIC as a method for the automated use of remote sensing (satellite-based) data to monitor conservation practices in agricultural systems, including various forms of reduced tillage and the planting of winter cover crops.
Crop Residue Management Survey Data
Since 1982, CTIC's National Crop Residue Management Survey (CRM) has been the only survey in the U.S. designed to measure and track the type of tillage used by crop at the county level through direct observation of field conditions by on-the-ground experts at mile or half-mile intervals. Funding for the full national survey ended in 2004, though some states have continued to submit their own data since then. A searchable database is available here.
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... testing and promotion of OpTIS. Dr. David Gustafson, OpTIS project director for CTIC, points out that the trove of tillage system data is a natural update to CTIC's role as the go-to source for information on tillage practices and crop residue management.
"Starting in the 1980s, CTIC served as host for the National Crop Residue Management Survey database, which compiled residue management transect data collected by USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service personnel and conservation district staff in most states," says Gustafson. "That data for 1989 through 2004 are still available on our website, and still provide useful perspective for researchers studying the environmental impacts of conservation adoption. With OpTIS, we a ... more. |
The National Crop Residue Management Survey is a valuable tool that can be used to measure adoption of important soil-saving practices, demonstrate energy cost savings and monitor efforts to improve the environment. The Survey has been compiled and tracked by CTIC since 1982 and is the only survey in the U.S. to measure and track the type of tillage used by crop at the county level. Tillage methods tracked include no-till, ridge-till, redu ... more. |
... funded by a 2008 Conservation Innovation Grant, promotes the use of cover crops to ease farmers’ transition to use of continuous no-till. Continuous no-till (CNT) has been around long enough that there is little doubt among experts of its many advantages. Despite the proven economic and environmental benefits of CNT, some farmers remain hesitant to fully adopt the system. In 2004, the National Crop Residue Management survey indicated that only 22.6 percent of farmers were no-tilling. Attempting CNT without proper technical knowledge may cause a disastrous first year and taint opinions toward the practice. Potential economic risks and yield losses during the first five years also can cause farmers to resist CNT. However, if farmers can maintain a CNT system for three consecutive years, the risks begin to fade. Incorp ... more. |
For More Information Contact:
Callie North, CTIC (north@ctic.org); (317) 450-9137
Rob Myers, University of Missouri (myersrob@missouri.edu); 573-882-1547 or
Bethany Shively, ASTA (bshively@betterseed.org); (703) 837-8140 x332
NEW COVER CROP SURVEY DATA CHALLENGES ASSUMPTIONS
National survey finds incentive payments boost cover crops, while 9 in 10 farmers intend to stick with cover crops after payments end
(August 8, 2023)—A new national cover crop survey report released today challenges assumptions on the role of incentive payments in cover crop adoption. Incentives play a key role in getti ... more. |
... smith@ctic.org (812) 661-2407
Kaitlin Crawford, ASTA kcrawford@betterseed.org (571) 431-7331
NATIONAL FARMER SURVEY DOCUMENTS A WIDE RANGE OF COVER CROP BENEFITS AS ACREAGE CONTINUES TO EXPAND
Despite the crippling rainfall that significantly delayed planting across much of the country in 2019, more than 90% of farmers participating in a national cover crop survey reported that cover crops allowed them to plant earlier or at the same time as non-cover-cropped fields. Among those who ... more. |
Despite the crippling rainfall that significantly delayed planting across much of the country in 2019, more than 90% of farmers participating in a national cover crop survey reported that cover crops allowed them to plant earlier or at the same time as non-cover-cropped fields. Among those who had "planted green," seeding cash crops into growing cover crops, 54% said the practice helped them plant earlier than on other fields.
Those findings were among several new insights from the 2019-2020 National Cover Crop Survey, conduct ... more. |
Crop Residue Management (CRM)
A year-round system beginning with the selection of crops that produce sufficient quantities of residue and may include the use of cover crops after low residue producing crops. CRM includes all field operations that affect residue amounts, orientation and distribution throughout the period requiring protection. Site-specific residue cover amounts needed are usually e ... more. |
Leaving last year's crop residue on the soil surface by limiting tillage. Includes no-till, mulch-till and ridge till.
How it works
Leaving last year's crop residue on the surface before and during planting operations provides cover for the soil at a critical time of the year. The residue is left on the surface by reducing tillage operations and turning the soil less. Pieces of crop residue shield soil partic ... more. |
... Callie North, CTIC (north@ctic.org); (317) 450-9137 or
Steve Werblow, (steve@stevewerblow.com); (541) 951-4212 or
Rob Myers, University of Missouri (myersrob@missouri.edu); 573-882-1547 or
Bethany Shively, ASTA (bshively@betterseed.org); (703) 837-8140 x332
CALLING ALL FARMERS: SHARE YOUR VIEWS ON COVER CROPS IN NATIONAL SURVEY BY SARE, CTIC AND ASTA
A national survey launched today to gather insight from farmers who plant cover crops, as well as farmers who don't. Farmers are encouraged to access the National Cover Crop Survey online atbit.ly/CoverCrop23. The anonymous survey typically takes 10 to 15 minutes to complete. Your insight will help guide research, communications, se ... more. |
... planning and implementation, and research and technology transfer will define our success.
The United States Department of Agriculture recently accepted proposals for the Mississippi River Basin Initiative grants program, an effort to focus $320 million, over the next four years, for nutrient best management practices in priority watersheds of the Mississippi River Basin.
The International Fertilizer Industry Association, the International Plant Nutrition Institute and The Fertilizer Institute promote the 4 R stewardship concept: efficient nutrient management depends on applying nutrients from the Right source, at the Right time, in the Right place, and at the Right rate. The concept emphasizes managing all aspects of nutrient application, rather than just one piece. CTIC, Ag ... more. |
SHARE YOUR INSIGHT IN SARE/CTIC/ASTA COVER CROP SURVEY
Farmer insights are now being sought for the sixth nationwide cover crop survey by USDA's SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education) program, the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) and the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA).
The online questionnaire is now open at https://bit.ly/CCSurvey2020.
The survey takes about 10 to 15 minutes to co ... more. |
... "Adding the perspective of the experts who advise farmers and gaining insight into the distribution channels for cover crop seed will expand the seed industry's ability to provide professionally produced seed by species, characteristics and volumes to meet market demand."
Online Now
Trusted advisors canclick here to take the 2024 CTIC/SARE/ASTA National Cover Crop Surveythrough Oct 31, 2024.
Reports from previous CTIC/SARE/ASTA cover crop surveys are online atbit.ly/CoverCropSurveys.
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... Crop Survey
Click here to open the report on insights from 795 farmers representing 49 states, including commodity crop, horticulture and livestock producers. The 2022-2023 survey introduced new questions on integrating livestock into cover crop systems, as well as growing cover crops for seed and participating in soil carbon programs.
Findings in the seventh National Cover Crop Survey from CTIC, USDA-NIFA's Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program and the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) yielded new perspectives on planting green and challenged commonly held notions linking land ownership to cover crop adoption. In fact, slightly more cover crop users than non-users reported renting all of their farmland (14% of users vs. 10% of ... more. |
... 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 spring and are expexted to provide the greatest indicator of our success providing cost-effective on-farm pollinator habitat.
National Water Quality Initiative:
CTIC is currently working with USDA's Natural Recources Conservation Service (NRCS) on a project in support of the National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI). This project is identifying successful watershed management activities that engage landowners, farmers, and the broader public to protect water quality. Insights developed through this project will inform futu ... more. |
Stuttgart, AR August 2017
CTIC brought together farmers; researchers from USDA-Agricultural Research Service, University of Arkansas and Arkansas State University; and conservationists from USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission for a deep dive into how crop consultants can help their clients benefit from conservation practices.
Discussions ranged from the agronomic and water-management benefits of conservation systems—including precision irrigation, tailwater management, reduced tillage and cover crops, among others—to cost-share programs that can have direct benefits to farmers' bottom lines.
We also visited the Dabbs Farm out ... more. |
... After completing a successful pilot year in 2017, Bee Integrated is on track to enroll additional farmer-beekeeper pairs this spring. The project’s first year yielded valuable insight into what it takes to integrate individual best practices into a practical system for working farms and beekeeping operations. Contact Mike Smith at smith@ctic.org for more information.
National Water Quality Initiative:
CTIC is currently working with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) on a project in support of the National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI). This project is identifying successful watershed management activities that engage landowners, farmers, and the broader public to protect water quality. Insights developed through this project will inform futu ... more. |
... system of best practices to improve pollinator health outcomes. After completing a successful pilot year in 2017, Bee Integrated is on track to enroll additional farmer-beekeeper pairs this spring. The project’s first year yielded valuable insight into what it takes to integrate individual best practices into a practical system for working farms and beekeeping operations.
National Water Quality Initiative:
CTIC is currently working with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) on a project in support of the National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI). This project is identifying successful watershed management activities that engage landowners, farmers, and the broader public to protect water quality. Insights developed through this project will inform futu ... more. |
... 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 spring and are expected to provide the greatest indicator of our success providing cost-effective on-farm pollinator habitat.
National Water Quality Initiative:
CTIC is currently working with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) on a project in support of the National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI). This project is identifying successful watershed management activities that engage landowners, farmers, and the broader public to protect water quality. Insights developed through this project will inform futu ... more. |
Conservation Agriculture Carbon Offset Consultation participants gather outside the Purdue University Beck Agricultural Center.
International Meeting Spotlights Conservation Agriculture's Role in Mitigating Climate Change
Supported by science and spurred by emerging markets, more than 80 participants in an international workshop on carbon sequestration called on world policymakers to focus research and create fair-priced carbon offset markets that would pay farmers to adopt conservation agriculture pract ... more. |
... system of best practices to improve pollinator health outcomes. After completing a successful pilot year in 2017, Bee Integrated is on track to enroll additional farmer-beekeeper pairs this spring. The project’s first year yielded valuable insight into what it takes to integrate individual best practices into a practical system for working farms and beekeeping operations.
National Water Quality Initiative:
CTIC is currently working with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) on a project in support of the National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI). This project is identifying successful watershed management activities that engage landowners, farmers, and the broader public to protect water quality. Insights developed through this project will inform futu ... more. |
The residue left on the field and the soil structure improved with a no-till cropping system may also give producers an advantage in this cold, wet harvest season.
Photo courtesy of CTIC
Lessening the Pain
For farmers choosing no-till, this fall’s wet harvest
has been a bit less painful
By Christy Couch Lee
What a year it’s been. It began with a cold, wet planting season. N ... more. |
Productive soil builds the foundation for any successful cropland. The higher soil quality, the better it performs. Whether producing organic matter, cycling nutrients, filtering water or other critical functions, soil quality is a key ingredient in the Core 4 Conservation recipe for enhancing soil and water resources, improving farm profitability and working toward a brighter future.
“Soil quality is the capacity of a specific soil to function, ... more. |
... water in the Midwest could represent the next great step forward in agriculture, with benefits that reach from conserving subsoil moisture on individual tile-drained fields to reducing nutrient loading all the way down in the Gulf of Mexico. Control structures with movable weirs, or "stop logs," allow growers to hold water in their soil or release it depending on the needs of their crop, their fieldwork schedule and the environment.
"The first step was to drain the land so it was farmable," notes Don Pitts, state water and air quality specialist with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Champaign, Ill. "Now it's time to manage that drainage."
Pitts points out that most tile systems are designed ... more. |
With expectations of continued travel restrictions late into 2021, CTIC is currently planning the Conservation in Action tour, which is likely to include recorded, live remote and in-person elements. We are working closely with the Alliance of Crop, Soil and Environmental Science Societies (ACSESS) to continue linking the tour with the Sustainable Agriculture Conference as we did last year. Meanwhile, we are finding ways to include expanded content and insight from farmers, conservation specialists, policy makers and more.
For the past 14 years, the CTIC Conservation in Action Tour has been a highlight of the summer calen ... more. |
Crop Rotation
Crop Rotation is changing the crops grown in a field, from year to year.
How it works
Crops are changed year by year in a planned sequence. Crop rotation is a common practice on sloping soils because of its potential for soil saving. Rotation also reduces fertilizer needs, because alfalfa and other legumes replace some of the nitrogen corn and other grain crops ... more. |
... soil clumps) making it easier for plants to establish roots. Improved soil tilth also can minimize compaction. Of course, compaction is also reduced by reducing trips across the field.
5. Increases organic matter
The latest research shows the more soil is tilled, the more carbon is released to the air and the less carbon is available to build organic matter for future crops. In fact, carbon accounts for about half of organic matter.
6. Traps soil moisture to improve water availability
Keeping crop residue on the surface traps water in the soil by providing shade. The shade reduces water evaporation. In addition, residue acts as tiny dams slowing runoff and increasing the opportunity for water to soak into the soil. Another way infiltration inc ... more. |
Hi -
Thank you to the nearly 2,000 farmers who have already responded to the 2020 SARE/CTIC/ASTA Cover Crop Survey. The survey will close on Monday, April 13th. We plan post a report describing results at www.ctic.org by early July.
If you haven't already, please share your insight on cover crops, atbit.ly/CCSurvey2020. Your answers on previous surveys have helped scientists, conservation farming partners, crop consultants, policymakers and others understand how cover crops ... more. |
... into "planting green" into living cover crops, using cover crops for weed control, and the impact of cover crops on cash crop planting dates during the wet spring of 2019. This year's survey included strings of questions for both commodity/row crop growers and producers of horticulture crops.
On Wednesday, August 19 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern/9:00 a.m. Central, the data and 2020 National Cover Crop Survey report will be introduced to the press in a presentation and Q&A session. Click here to register for the press conference.
The survey was created and funded by the USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE), Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) and American Seed Trade Association (ASTA). Representatives of all three groups will participate in ... more. |
Sustainable Agriculture Resaerch and Education (SARE) program and CTIC conducted a national survey of farmers to learn more about their use of cover crops. More than 1,900 farmers completed the survey, which was a follow-up to a smaller survey in 2012-2013 (see below). Results show a yield boost from the use of cover crops in corn and soybeans, data on the costs of seed and establishment, the challenges and benefits farmers expect from cover crops and insight into how farmers learn to m ... more. |
Sustainable Agriculture Resaerch and Education (SARE) program and CTIC conducted a national survey of farmers to learn more about their use of cover crops. More than 1,900 farmers completed the survey, which was a follow-up to a smaller survey in 2012-2013 (see below). Results show a yield boost from the use of cover crops in corn and soybeans, data on the costs of seed and establishment, the challenges and benefits farmers expect from cover crops and insight into how farmers learn to m ... more. |
... 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 River Basin Initiative (MRBI)
No-Till
National Aquatic Resource Survey (NARS)
National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI)
Nutrient Management
Operational Tillage Assessment System (OpTIS)
Pasture
Ridge Till
Soil Health
Strip Till
Tours
Training
Water Quality
Watershed Groups Watershed Implementation and Innovation Network (WIIN)
Weed Management
Wetlands
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... program and CTIC conducted the first cover crop user survey. More than 750 farmers from across the U.S. completed the survey, representing hundreds of thousands of acres of cover crops and drawing on cover cropping experience that goes back as far as 1948. The 2012 crop year was a challenging one in which to study yield impacts – much of the U.S. was impacted by drought, which pushed national per-acre corn production estimates down by 43.7 bushels, or 26.3%, and reduced soybean production by 8.1%, or 4.0 bushels per acre, based on early-season predictions from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service. However, even in those conditions – or perhaps because of them – the survey revealed a positive impact of cover crops on yield. The results of the 2012-20 ... more. |
Our members renew again and again; they realize the many important benefits, directly and indirectly, of CTIC's work.
They earn national recognition, and show the public their commitment to agricultural conservation. Many members partner on our projects, supporting CTIC with technical information and assistance.
View our current CTIC members by selecting from the tabs below.
Corporate Members Institutional Members Individual Members
Gold Corporate Member
Bayer CropScience
www.bayercrops ... more. |
Aquatic Resource Monitoring Technical Training Workshops for States, Tribes and Other Stakeholders
An agreement between EPA and CTIC to provideleadership and technical support to successfully plan, organize, coordinate, evaluate and share information from State and Tribal Aquatic Resource Monitoring Technical Training Workshops that will occur between 2016 to 2020.
Nationals:
National 2016:
Tampa, FL- May 2-6, 2016
The NARS National Workshop was held in Tampa, FloridaMay 2-6, 2016. CTIC worked with EPA to develop breakout sessions to cover NARS materials.
CTIC awarded 45 travel scholarships for state and tribal participants to attend. A total of 52 people attended the conference.
A conference summary and a summary of evaluations are available belo ... more. |
... and with proper management won’t inhibit yields on various crop production systems, including no-till and organic farming.
At a recent Cover Crops Workshop in Jefferson, Iowa, dozens gathered to discuss and learn more about the many benefits and varieties of cover crops, and ways to successfully plant and manage them.
Research by the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment (NLAE) shows cover crops planted in the fall between harvest and planting of spring crops help reduce soil erosion, limit nitrogen leaching, suppress weeds, increase soil organic matter and improve overall soil quality. Small grain cover crops increase surface cover, anchor corn and soybean residues, and increase water infiltration. Several cover cro ... more. |
Cover crop Survey
Click here to read the insight from nearly 1,200 commodity and horticultural crop farmers from across the country on why they do—or don't—use cover crops. Among the highlights of this year's survey results include data on the performance of cover crops during the extremely wet 2019 planting season, including effects on planting date and prevent plant claims, as w ... more. |
The History of NARS
The National Aquatic Resource Surveys (NARS) program is an EPA and State/Tribal effort to survey the condition of the nation’s waters.
Initiated in 2005, these statistically-based surveys have begun to provide EPA, States, Tribes and others partners with information to provide nationally consistent reports on the condition of the nation’s waters, to identify national and regional water quality ... more. |
Crop Nutrient Management Facts
What is it?
It is a system of crop production with little, if any, tillage. It increases the residue from the crop that
remains in the field after harvest through planting. This results in increased natural recycling of crop residues.
Used on 38% (109 million acres) of all U.S. cropland (293 million planted acres).
Goal is 50% (146 million acres) ... more. |
... soil, better drainage, and timelier planting haven't sold you.
For more information…
Check out Dan Gillespie's comparison of three-pass, two-pass and no-till farming at www.notill.org/news_releases/fuel_prices.pdf . A no-till listserv links the No-Till Cadre – a team of university and NRCS no-till experts from around Nebraska – with farmers, crop advisors, agribusiness people and other folks interested in exploring the ins and outs of no-till. To get on the email list, join the listserv by sending an email to listserv@unl.edu and typing SUBSCRIBE NO-TILL {your name} in the message (not the subject line).
Despite skyrocketing corn prices, rising bean prices, lower time and fuel inputs, ... more. |
... program and CTIC conducted the first cover crop user survey. More than 750 farmers from across the U.S. completed the survey, representing hundreds of thousands of acres of cover crops and drawing on cover cropping experience that goes back as far as 1948. The 2012 crop year was a challenging one in which to study yield impacts – much of the U.S. was impacted by drought, which pushed national per-acre corn production estimates down by 43.7 bushels, or 26.3%, and reduced soybean production by 8.1%, or 4.0 bushels per acre, based on early-season predictions from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service. However, even in those conditions – or perhaps because of them – the survey revealed a positive impact of cover crops on yield.
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A partnership of organizations including Conservation Technology Information Center, the Indiana Soybean Alliance, and The Fertilizer Institute measured adoption of conservation practices on Indiana farms.The survey revealed reasons farm operators and landownersdo not adopt conservation practices. Building onthe success of the recentnational Best Management Practices (BMPs) Survey, thissurvey recorded the conservation efforts of Indiana farmers and identified how to assist farmers in choosing appropriate and profitable conservation practices.
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... not discharge or don’t propose to discharge water from their operations.
EPA's New CAFO Rule Changes "Duty to Apply"
for NPDES Permit
By Steve Werblow
A new rule for confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) requires only operations that discharge or “propose to discharge” water from their facilities to apply for National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits. However, according to Allison Wiedeman of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), applying for the NPDES permit – which all CAFOs were formerly required to do – remains the least risky way for CAFO operators to make sure they don’t run afoul of clean water regulations.
“We’re understanding mo ... more. |
Josh Lloyd tries to do "what Mother Nature does" on his farm near Clay Center, Kansas. That means a no-till system combined with the planting of a polyculture of cover crops -- turnips, radishes and canola -- in rotation with his sorghum and wheat acres.
Caldwell, Jeff. 2009. The great crop rotation cover-up. Agriculture Online.
Using Cover_crops SAG 08 09
This is a literature review of cover crop benefits from Dabney et al. 2001 and Dabney 1996.
Oilseed_Radish
Oilseed radish is a unique cover crop that farmers are planting ... more. |
... effectively communicate how agriculture is actively addressing water quality concerns.
Helping farmers and members of the supply chain document how they are sustainably providing commodities to downstream partners and how farming more sustainably can have a positive impact on the farmer’s bottom line.
Working with partners to implement a remote sensing project that can help to estimate crop residue amounts and cover crop acreage using satellite photos and publically available data.This is the next generation of our traditional Crop Residue Management (CRM) survey.
Working with beekeepers and farmers to improve pollinator habitat options and overall pollinator health by using best practices on the farms and in the hives.
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... effectively communicate how agriculture is actively addressing water quality concerns.
Helping farmers and members of the supply chain document how they are sustainably providing commodities to downstream partners and how farming more sustainably can have a positive impact on the farmer’s bottom line.
Working with partners to implement a remote sensing project that can help to estimate crop residue amounts and cover crop acreage using satellite photos and publically available data. This is the next generation of our traditional Crop Residue Management (CRM) survey.
Working with beekeepers and farmers to improve pollinator habitat options and overall pollinator health by using best practices on the farms and in the hives.
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April marks the launch of the first data set from the Operational Tillage Information System (OpTIS), which combines satellite sensing technology with sophisticated modeling to map the adoption of conservation practices on the landscape.
The 21st century heir to CTIC's long-time Crop Residue Management (CRM) Survey, OpTIS will provide comprehensive maps of crop residue management practices and cover crops down to the HUC8 scale. Annual maps and data—with the capability of tracking practices longitudinally over time—will be invaluable to researchers analyzing carbon sequestration, soil erosion, water quality and soil health.
Policy makers can use OpTIS data ... more. |
Conservation Tillage Facts
What is it?
It is a system of crop production with little, if any, tillage. It increases the residue from the crop that remains
in the field after harvest through planting. This results in increased natural recycling of crop residues.
Used on 38% (109 million acres) of all U.S. cropland (293 million planted acres).
Goal is 50% (146 million acres) of the planted cropland in the U.S. by 2004.
Where is ... more. |
... when it’s farmed by environmental stewards like Paul “Butch” Schroeder of Coon Rapids.
Paul “Butch” Schroeder farms with his brother, David, in four west central Iowa counties: Carroll, Guthrie, Audubon and Green.
Photo courtesy of Jason Johnson
Schroeder reluctantly admits that he and his brother, David, own, rent and custom farm about 3,000 cropland acres in four counties: Carroll, Guthrie, Audubon and Greene. Each farm ranges from 60 to 400 acres. Schroeder doesn’t hesitate, though, when talking about ways he and his brother work to conserve the land.
The Schroeder brothers no-till about 60 percent of their cropland, and only lightly disk some poorly draining bottomland and flatland. Butch Schroeder says reducing soil erosio ... more. |
... EPA
Experts Dispute Study That Relates No-Till to Algae Problem
Rachel Doctor
Last spring, a study conducted by Hiedelberg College's water lab in Tiffin, Ohio, reported that no-till farming was contributing to the dissolved phosphorus that enters the water supply and causes an accumulation of algae in Lake Erie.
According to Norm Widman, national agronomist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), no-till systems are not the reason for this dissolved phosphorus, but several things have caused a “perfect storm” for this phosphorus runoff.
”Most phosphorus runoff is caused by the timing and methods of application of phosphorus,” Widman says. “Too much application in the summer and fall with ... more. |
Herb and Aaron Steffen manage a 900-acre grain farm in southern Livingston and northern McLean counties. They hosted a demonstration and two nutrient use efficiency (NUE) trials.
The Steffens plant corn continuously on two-thirds of the acres and rotate planting of corn and soybeans on the rest of the land. Their minimum tillage practices leave at least 30% of the previous crops’ residue on the soil surface. This residue decreases soil erosion and feeds nutrients back to the soil.
They apply nitrogen after the corn plants emerge, when nutrient needs are the greatest. This minimizes nitrogen lost to air and water.
To maximize efficiency, farmers must select the right nutrient source. A controlled-release nitrogen source such as Koch Agronomic Service’s ... more. |
Herb and Aaron Steffen manage a 900-acre grain farm in southern Livingston and northern McLean counties. They hosted a demonstration and two nutrient use efficiency (NUE) trials.
The Steffens plant corn continuously on two-thirds of the acres and rotate planting of corn and soybeans on the rest of the land. Their minimum tillage practices leave at least 30% of the previous crops’ residue on the soil surface. This residue decreases soil erosion and feeds nutrients back to the soil.
They apply nitrogen after the corn plants emerge, when nutrient needs are the greatest. This minimizes nitrogen lost to air and water.
To maximize efficiency, farmers must select the right nutrient source. A controlled-release nitrogen source such as Koch Agronomic Service ... more. |
Click here to view the full report of the fifth annual cover crop survey. A big thank you to the USDA's Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program (SARE) and the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA), with help from Penton Media through their Corn and Soybean Digest publication. For results from previous years, please see below.
The fifth annual cover crop survey by the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program and the Co ... more. |
A close-growing crop that temporarily protects the soil when crop residues are not adequate.
How it works
Crops including cereal rye, oats, clover, hairy vetch, and winter wheat are planted to temporarily protect the ground from wind and water erosion during times when cropland isn't adequately protected against soil erosion.
How it helps
Cover crops keep ground covered, add organic matter to the ... more. |
... image" option. All images are 300 dpi resolution minimum. Please feel free to use these photos and graphics for publication. Mention of source is appreciated.
Close look at old corn stalks left standing from past harvest. The standing stalks helped catch additional snow over the winter to provide more moisture for the newly emerging (green) soybean plants. The stalks and other crop residue will slowly decompose to help nourish the new plants.
Size: 1000 x 668 pixels (297k)
Source: CTIC
New corn plants growing among crop residues left from a previous harvest. Crop residues reduce runoff from farm fields to improve water quality.
Size: 1000 x 672 pixels (447k)
Source: CTIC
Standing stalks of corn (in the fo ... more. |
A survey of more than 1,200 farmers across the country revealed that cover crops boosted corn yields last year by a mean of 3.66 bushels per acre (2.1%) and increased soybeans by an average of 2.19 bushels per acre (4.2%)—the third year in a row a yield increase following cover crops was recorded by the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) Cover Crop Survey. Read the full report.
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A survey of more than 1,200 farmers across the country revealed that cover crops boosted corn yields last year by a mean of 3.66 bushels per acre (2.1%) and increased soybeans by an average of 2.19 bushels per acre (4.2%)—the third year in a row a yield increase following cover crops was recorded by the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) Cover Crop Survey.
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... easier for farmers through better water management.
“Producers live in a risky world,” says Agri Drain President Charlie Schafer. “This is one way to help put them in the driver’s seat.”
With Manual Water Level Control Structures, producers manage water in the soil profile according to weather conditions and needs of the crop and the environment.
Photo courtesy of Agri Drain
Agri Drain designs and manufactures products – such as Water Level Control Structures and Smart Drainage Systems – to help land improvement contractors and producers create more productive surface and subsurface water management systems.
Manual and Automatic Water Level Control Structures provide the ability to ... more. |
... Manure du jour episodes available with the 2010 Season II additions, and six more planned for the remainder of 2010, the webinar series has significantly enhanced access to the research and application of best management practices – both core and innovative – that are essential to working lands conservation.
Modeled in the spirit of the outstanding webcasts sponsored by the National Livestock and Poultry Environmental Learning Center, Penn State tailored its webinar series for Pennsylvania’s practitioners who work on the front line in support of conservation on working lands including the conservation districts, Pennsylvania’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, agricultural consultants, environmental and agricultural non-governmental organizations, state age ... more. |
In 2010, CTIC received a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to fund the "Aquatic Resource Monitoring Technical Training Workshops for States, Tribes and Other Stakeholders" project. Over the next three years, CTIC will provide the leadership and technical support to conduct seven aquatic resource-specific workshops and two national conferences covering all aquatics resource types. These workshops and conferences will enhance the collaboration, communication, coordination and technology transfer among over 800 professional attendees. Using a national network of conservation and agricultural leaders, CTIC will assist EPA, states and tribes in strengthening partnerships with agricultural communities to address nonpoint source ... more. |
Insight from 2,020 farmers from across the country found that the planted acreage of cover crops continued its steady rise - reaching an average of 298 acres per farm in 2015 and projected to grow to a mean of 339 acres in 2016. Those figures are more than double the acreage survey participants said they planted in 2011.
After cover crops, corn yields rose an average 3.4 bushels per acre, or 1.9 percent, after cover crops, and soybean yields increased 1.5 bushels per acre, or 2.8 percent ... more. |
Insight from 2,020 farmers from across the country found that the planted acreage of cover crops continued its steady rise - reaching an average of 298 acres per farm in 2015 and projected to grow to a mean of 339 acres in 2016. Those figures are more than double the acreage survey participants said they planted in 2011.
After cover crops, corn yields rose an average 3.4 bushels per acre, or 1.9 percent, after cover crops, and soybean yields increased 1.5 bushels per acre, or 2.8 percent ... more. |
... in the watershed.
A groundbreaking study by Purdue University researchers on the leadership techniques that contributed to the success of the project. Theextension bulletin by Sarah P. Church and Linda Stalker Prokopy was augmented by a pair of videos—with links here and here—on YouTube.
Trials of perennial bioenergy crops, conducted in conjunction with the Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Michigan. The study explored the role of perennial bioenergy crops as rotation options for local farmers, nutrient removal by the alternative crops, and the use of the perennials in holistic management of the agricultural landscape.
Demonstrations of key conservation practices and products, illustrating concepts such as nutrient use efficiency and the proper app ... more. |
... Aging, and Co-contamination with Gull Feces
Jeff Soller
Speaker Bio
Mr. Jeffrey Soller is the Principal Scientist at Soller Environmental, LLC. He conducts microbial risk assessments, evaluates, interprets, and communicates water quality issues, and specializes in working at the interface of risk-based science and environmental policy. Mr. Soller has been a visiting scientist with the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research in New Zealand, and a Risk Policy Fellow with the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He holds degrees from Carnegie Mellon University and the University of California, at Berkeley, His work is widely cited in the peer reviewed literature.
Video Length - 11:30
MERA – an Integrated, Transdisciplinary Study o ... more. |
... adoption, assess environmental outcomes, and track the impacts of policy.”
CTIC, TNC and Regrow will continue their OpTIS webinar series this spring. Details will be available at ctic.org in coming weeks.
# # #
The Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) is a national non-profit that brings together farmers, policy makers, regulators, academic researchers, agribusiness leaders, conservation group personnel, farm media and others. CTIC connects, champions and informs its members, partners and the general public in support of sustainable agricultural systems and technologies that are productive, profitable and preserve natural resources. CTIC is supported in par ... more. |
CTIC would like your feedback on this page. Take Survey
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Spying on Residue
Remote Sensing of Crop Residue Cover and Soil Tillage Intensity
Remote Sensing the Spacial Distribution of Crop Residues
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... and validated at the farm-field scale, the privacy of individual producers is fully protected by distributing only spatially-aggregated results – at the county and watershed (8-digit HUC) scale.
CTIC has been the primary source of this type of conservation practice monitoring data for nearly 30 years. In partnership with USDA and many others, the CTIC curates and distributes the National Crop Residue Management (CRM) Survey, collected using validated transect methods – annually in most states from 1989 through 2004, and again in 2006 and 2008. OpTIS fills critical gaps on recent trends in conservation tillage practices, as well as tracking the adoption of winter cover crops.
The data available using OpTIS are critically important for multiple public- and private-sector s ... more. |
Introduction
CTIC has partnered since 2010with Regrow and The Nature Conservancy on the development, testing and application of the Operational Tillage Information System (OpTIS), an automated system to map tillage, residue cover, winter cover, and soil health practices using remote sensing data. The latest version of the OpTIS data are available below for Croplands. With this latest update (April 2024), the partners are now also releasing analogous data for Grasslands. All pages include charts and maps to further enhance identification of trends and opportunities to promote the adoption of conservation practices. As with previous releases, all data are undergoing various forms of peer review and may be updated in the future.
Data Provider: Regrow&nb ... more. |
... at the Individual Silver level
* Ad space in two issues of Partners magazine ($600 value)
* Recognition at two CTIC event during your annual membership term
* Two complimentary registrations to CTIC’s Conservation In Action Tour
* Recognition on CTIC’s Website
* One-year subscription to Partners magazine and Member Mail e-newsletter
* Access to Crop Residue Management Survey data from 1989 to 2004 through CTIC Website
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In April, CTIC hosted the 2022 National Aquatic Resources Survey (NARS) National Workshop, a three-day event featuring speakers from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, state environmental agencies, and partners from tribes and other entities. Dozens of presentations and breakout sessions are available free on CTIC's website.
NARS is acollaborative program between EPA, states and tribes designed to assess t ... more. |
What's a Crop Nutrient Management plan?
A Crop Nutrient Management plan is a tool to increase the efficiency of all the nutrient sources your crop uses while reducing production and environmental risk, ultimately, increasing profit.
10 KEY COMPONENTS
Ag experts agree that there are ten fundamental components of a Crop Nutrient Management Plan. Each component is critical to hel ... more. |
... grass for forage in the spring, then plant corn again.
“It’s usually winter Italian ryegrass or cereal rye,” said Lenssen. “They grow well over the winter, take manure in the spring, and they’re good feed.”
The Lenssens are not alone in their concern about water quality issues, said Dr. Steve Paulsen of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory in Corvallis, Oregon. Paulsen works on EPA’s National Aquatic Resource Survey (NARS), which assesses the quality of U.S. streams, rivers, lakes, wetlands and coastal waters.
Paulsen noted that the 2016 NARS report shows 45 percent of America’s rivers and streams contain excess nutrients; in the Pacific Northwest, 31 percent of th ... more. |
A big thank you to the USDA's Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program (SARE) and the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA), with help from Penton Media through their Corn and Soybean Digest publication. For results from previous years, please see below.
The fifth annual cover crop survey by the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program and the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) draws on the insight of 2,102 farmers—88 percentof whom reported using cover crops and 12 percent who identified themselves as non-users—from across the U.S. Cereal rye remained the top choice of farmers for cover cropping, followed by oats and ra ... more. |
Make a difference! Take our SARE/CTIC Cover Crop Survey and share your thoughts on cover crops. You’ll help guide cover crop research, and be eligible for a $100 gift card drawing!
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CTIC celebrates International Year of Soils at 2015 Commodity Classic. Visit CTIC at Commodity Classic booth 918, where Karen Scanlon, CTIC executive director, and Chad Watts, CTIC project director, will discuss:
Our multi-state project to document the agronomic and economic benefits of cover crops.
The 2015 Conservation in Action Tour in Minnesota, which will feature innovative partnership ... more. |
The 2013-2014 CTIC and SARE national survey of farmers has documented a yield boost from the use of cover crops in corn and soybeans, as well as a wide variety of other benefits.
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In a 1-hour webinar available on-demand through CTIC's website, Dr. Roderick Rejesus of North Carolina State University described how he used OpTIS data to explore whether crop insurance programs discourage growers from planting cover crops.
The webinar, recorded live on April 29, is part of a six-webinar series coordinated by CTIC over the next two years. The April program also features Soren Rundquist of Regrow Ag and CTIC's Dave Gustafson describing updates in the algorithm and coverage area of OpTIS.
The Operational Tillage Information ... more. |
Keep nutrients in the Right Place, where crops can use them.
A soil test showed a relatively low phosphorus level, so we selected a demonstration of Mosaic’s Micro-Essentials (MESZ) applied as a side-dress (plant nutrients placed on or in the soil near the roots of a growing crop) treatment to provide an additional boost in available phosphorus.
MESZ allows uniform nutrient ... more. |
Keep nutrients in the Right Place, where crops can use them.
A soil test showed a relatively low phosphorus level, so we selected a demonstration of Mosaic’s Micro-Essentials (MESZ) applied as a side-dress (plant nutrients placed on or in the soil near the roots of a growing crop) treatment to provide an additional boost in available phosphorus.
MESZ allows uniform nutrient distribution and provides essential nutrients crops need ... more. |
Links to the National Surveys
The National Aquatic Resource Surveys
The National Wetland Condition Assessment
The National Coastal Condition Assessment
The National Lakes Assessment
The National Rivers and Streams Assessment
Aquatic Resource Monitoring, EPA ORD
Aquatic Resource Monitoring, EPA ORD
This Web site provides information on monitoring of aquatic resources in the US, primarily focused ... more. |
... according to N levels, to measure the impacts of these practices on water quality. During the growing season and winter months, we will monitor water flowing from tile outlets at a farm site in close proximity (7 miles) to Indian Creek watershed.
We placed a monitoring station at each of the three demonstration field's tile outlets. Data will be collected on: fertilizer N applied, crop yield, nutrient content of harvested crop and N supply in soil prior to fertilizer application.
Map of the sample collection sites at Wing, Ill.
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From the cover crops of the Hmong American Farmers Association farm near Hastings to Northfield farmer Dave Legvold’s saturated buffers and the impeccable dairy and manure handling system at Burfeind Dairy Farm near Goodhue, participants in the Conservation Technology Information Center’s (CTIC) eighth annual Conservation in Action Tour got a first-hand look at systems that protect water quality, build s ... more. |
... are a lot of variables in calculating the value of manure. Some are chemical, some are biological, and some are regulatory. All require careful consideration.
What’s valuable about it?
One of the challenges of setting a value on manure is considering whether all of its contents are actually delivering a benefit. Manure is only valuable if it causes a crop response, notes Jon Rauch, Extension program director for The Ohio State University’s Environmental Management program.
Part of predicting crop response is recognizing which nutrient(s) are boosting yields. Commercial fertilizer can be tailored to match crop needs, in proportion, for each nutrient in a single application. Manure, on the other hand, tends to be relatively high ... more. |
This national workshop will bring together EPA, State, Tribal and other partners working on water monitoring issues across waterbody types to discuss and share information on the national aquatic resource surveys and their relationship to other state/tribal programs, provide technical training and tools so that States, Tribes and other partners can build their capacity to implement aquatic resource surveys at ... more. |
This national workshop will bring together EPA, State, Tribal and other partners working on water monitoring issues across waterbody types to discuss and share information on the national aquatic resource surveys and their relationship to other state/tribal programs, provide technical training and tools so that States, Tribes and other partners can build their capacity to implement aquatic resource surveys at ... more. |
Mike Beard and his family have built a national reputation as top managers of feed, water and manure on their 15,000-head hog operation in Indiana.
Photo courtesy of Steve Werblow
Integrated Manure Management: Good Neighbors, Good Business
by Steve Werblow
There aren’t many 15,000-head hog operations that open their doors to ... more. |
... as we celebrate our 40th anniversary and hostour annual tour.
https://ctic.org/Membership/Membership_Info
YOUR MEMBERSHIP IN CTIC SUPPORTS:
• Innovations in tracking the adoption of conservation on the ground...from field-level validation to online surveys to remote sensing
• Demonstrations of conservation systems
• Education on everything from cover crop establishment to cutting-edge tools and models
• Training for farmers, CCAs and retail agronomists, conservation agency staff, federal staffers and more
• Ongoing dialogues with policymakers and regulators
•Innovations like the new PLUS-UP stimulus program and the Conservation Validation Network
• And much more!
Get involved with CTIC...as a member, as ... more. |
Strips of grass or legumes in a contoured field, which help trap sediment and nutrients. Similar to stripcropping, but with narrower grass or
legume strips.
How it works
A series of grass strips are placed across the slope on a contour. The alternating strips of grass or other permanent vegetation slow runoff flow, trap sediment from the crop strips above, and increase water infiltration. Because the buffer strip is established on the contour, runoff flows evenly across the entire surface of ... more. |
Top 10 Management Tips
10.
Soil Management: Providing sufficient amounts of crop residue on the soil surface improves organic matter of the soil. Soil testing and applying proper amounts of fertilizer and micronutrients provides for optimum growing environment.
9.
Cultural Practices: The pest’s environment is disrupted by rotating crops, and timely harvesting of crops. Planting cover crops can suppress weed pressure and provide nitrogen and better soil tilth. ... more. |
... Today, we can use the web to deliver documents, videos, data—anything people could want to know about conservation systems. It's the perfect time for us to create a new site and put people in touch with our treasure trove of information."
# # #
The Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) is a national public-private partnership that includes farmers, policy makers, regulators, academic researchers, agribusiness leaders, conservation group personnel, farm media and others. CTIC's mission is to champion, promote and provide information on technologies and sustainable agricultural systems that conserve and enhance soil, water, air and wildlife resources and are productive and profitable. CTIC ... more. |
... workshops and trainings around the world. CTIC works closely with federal and state agencies, conservation districts, and non-profits to ensure effective two-way communication. Current training programs include technical workshops for EPA staff and partners as well as sessions for crop consultants and other farm advisors.
NARS Technical Training Workshops
Working with US EPA on its National Aquatic Resource Survey (NARS) program, CTIC provides leadership and technical support for State and Tribal Aquatic Resource Monitoring Technical Training Workshops, including 2 national programs and up to 10 aquatic-resource-specific trainings, between 2016 and 2020. The workshops enhance collaboration and communication among more than 800 attendees.
Click here for information about the next ... more. |
2023 NARS National Conference
April 24-28th, 2023
CTICis cordinating theNational Aquatic Resource Surveys (NARS) National Workshop under a Cooperative Agreement with EPA’s NARS program.
NARS is acollaborative program between EPA, states and tribes designed to assess the quality of the nation's coastal waters, lakes and reservoirs, rivers and streams, and ... more. |
On April 24-28th, 2023,CTICis cordinating theNational Aquatic Resource Surveys (NARS) National Workshop under a Cooperative Agreement with EPA’s NARS program.
NARS is acollaborative program between EPA, states and tribes designed to assess the quality of the nation's coastal waters, lakes and reservoirs, rivers and streams, and wetlands using a statistical survey design. The workshop coveredtopics relevant to all four wa ... more. |
National Aquatic Resource Surveys Workshop
April 5-7, 2022
Agenda for the NARS National Workshop, HERE
On April 5-7th, 2022 CTICcoordinated theNational Aquatic Resource Surveys (NARS) National Workshop under a Cooperative Agreement with EPA’s NARS program.
NARS is acollaborative program between EPA, states and tribes designed to assess the qu ... more. |
CTIC WRAPS UP ISDA BLUE CREEK PROJECT WITH INTERACTIVE TRAINING
Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) staff learned how to enroll farmers into Field to Market's FieldPrint Calculator and help growers in the Blue Creek Watershed Project put the tool to use in measuring the environmental impacts of commodity crop production and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
CTIC staff—including Sue Tull, Hans Kok and Callie Cleveland—organized and hosted a virtual, two-hour training session on September 29 on the grower sustainability tools used in the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) Blue Creek project. Though the group would have loved to have the training in field and h ... more. |
Click here to take the survey online for a chance to win a $100 gift card! Whether you plant them now, used to plant them or never tried… your insight is important. Your opinions will help guide policy, research and education on cover crops nationwide..
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... also include presentations from Jamie Johnson, a farmer from Frankfort, South Dakota and district director for the South Dakota Soybean Association, as well as CTIC Soil Health Specialists. This will be a webinar series, future webinars in this series will focus on specific aspects of cover crops in the region. Register for the webinar here.
FSH is a collaboration between the National Corn Growers Association, the National Pork Board and the United Soybean Board. It is also supported by DTN, the American Soybean Association, National Association of Conservation Districts, the Soil Health Institute, The Sustainability Consortium, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, University of Missouri Center for Regenerative and the National Center for Appropriate Technology’s ATTRA ... more. |
Conservation Technology Information Center Announces Creation of Cover Crop Coaches Program and Hires Dan Coffman as Minnesota Soil Health Specialist
WEST LAFAYETTE, NOVEMBER 16, 2023- Thanks to a generous grant from General Mills, a global food company deeply committed to regenerative agriculture, the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) is excited to announce the creation of their farmer-led Cover Crop Coaches program.
T ... more. |
The objectives of the National Aquatic Resource Surveys (NARS) Workshop and Training Sessions were to bring together EPA, State, Tribal and other partners working on water monitoring issues across waterbody types to:
Discuss and share information on the national aquatic resource surveys and their relationship to other state/tribal programs.
Provide technical training and tools so that States, Tribes and other partners ... more. |
... farmers who are creating win-win situations on their farms by using the right product, applying it at the right rate, at the right time and in the right place — and saving money."
Current economic conditions combined with rising costs of fertilizers are causing farmers to closely reexamine what, when and how they apply nutrients. But beyond individual economic concerns are national and global concerns about agriculture's contribution to the Gulf of Mexico's oxygen-poor hypoxic zone. An overabundance of chemical nutrients is blamed for the zone's oxygen-depleting overgrowth of marine plant life, which impacts fish and other aquatic life.
Despite their distance from the Gulf of Mexico, farming operations all along the Mississippi River are seen as contributo ... more. |
2010 NLA Workshop
November 1-2, 2010
Oklahoma City, OK
Draft Agenda
November 1, 2010
1:00 - 1:30 pm
2012 NLA overview,Amina Pollard, EPA
Each indicator group will have two hours to present their analysis of potential indicators for the 2012 lakes survey and discuss their thoughts with the steering committee.
1:30 - 3:30 pm
Water Quality Indicators
3:30 - 5:30 pm
Physical Habitat Indicators
November 2, 2010
9:00 - 11:00 am
Biological Indicators
11:00 - 12:30 pm
Lunch (on own)
12:30 - 2:30 pm
Recreational Indicators
2:30 - 4:00 pm
... more. |
Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) and the Howard G. Buffett Foundation want to learn more about producer cropping decisions. We invite producers to spend a few minutes answering two short surveys about their agricultural operations. Participants could win one of several prizes, including two $100 gift cards. You can double your chances of winning by completing both surveys.
Please click here to take Cropping Decisions Survey #1
Please click here to take Cropping Decisions Survey ... more. |
... By the end of July, the same data will be available for the entire Corn Belt—an area extending from eastern Ohio to eastern Kansas and Nebraska, and from the Missouri Bootheel to the Red River Valley of North Dakota.
OpTIS, developed by Applied GeoSolutions (AGS), analyzes remotely sensed images of the landscape, automatically identifying and quantifying the proportion of cropland that is managed with various types of conservation tillage practices and winter cover crops each year. AGS, the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) have spearheaded the development, testing and application of OpTIS.
“In the past, we have relied on data from cost share programs to measure conservation practice adoption, but we know most ... more. |
... of farming are changing," she notes. "Historically underserved producers make up approximately 40 percent of all U.S. farms and the largest proportion are the beginning farmers. According to the USDA Agricultural Research Service, we are seeing an increase in the number of farmers under 35 years old, and they are more likely to be farmers of color or indigenous farmers, compared to the national farm average.
"Due to limited resources, historically underserved farmers and ranchers often operate on more environmentally sensitive land, closer to impaired water bodies," she adds.
Mentees have the flexibility to engage in one-on-one mentoring, use the panel of mentors as an on-call "think tank," and participate in webinars and virtual field days. ... more. |
... USDA, NASA, Bayer, Corteva, Enterprise, Ecosystem Services Market Consortium, Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research, Howard G. Buffet Foundation, John Deere, Monsanto, The Mosaic Company, The Nature Conservancy, Simplot, Soil Health Partnership, Syngenta, Walmart Foundation, and Walton Family Foundation.
On 27-Sep-2023, CTIC, TNC and Regrow Ag hosted 'OpTIS 4.0: New National Baseline Data for Climate Smart Ag' a webinar covering the new OpTIS 4.0 data. Watch the webinar below:
Data Release Date: September, 2023
Data Provider: RegrowLicense
How to Use theOpTIS Visualization Tool
What is OpTIS?
Want to learn more?
Visit our OpTIS information page.
Learn More
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Weed & Pest Management (IPM) Facts
What is it?
It's a comprehensive approach to fine tuning on-farm management of harmful weeds and pests. Today we have improved methods for control of weeds, insects and diseases. Management strategies that allow for better control, with minimum risk to the environment. Resistant plants, cultural controls, soil amendments, beneficial insects, natural enemies, barriers, ... more. |
Steve Robinson, President, National Association of Conservation Districts
Photo courtesy of NACD.
National Association of Conservation Districts
By Steve Robinson, President
Dear fellow conservationists,
Greetings on behalf of the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) and our member conservation districts! NACD is the nonprofit organization that repres ... more. |
Planting grass and legumes to reduce soil erosion and improve production.
How it works
Drill or broadcast adapted grass or legumes into a low-producing pasture or a steep, eroding cropland field.
How it helps
Heavy grass cover slows water flow, reducing soil erosion.
Good pastures protect water quality by filtering runoff water and increasing infiltration.
Lush pastures give cover and habitat for wildlife.
As plants recycle and roots die, organic matter in the soil is improved.
Planning ahead
Are selected species suited to your soil types?
Have you chose ... more. |
Select the Right Time for nitrogen application.
Apply the Right Rate of fertilizer to meet crop needs.
Costs of inputs make it important to provide enough N so the crop is never deficient. For greatest efficiency, N should be applied close to the time it will be used by the crop.
This demonstration compares 3 different application times:
Fall Application
Spring Application
Split Application---½ applied in Fall and ½ applied in Spring
A second demonstration ... more. |
Select the Right Time for nitrogen application.
Apply the Right Rate of fertilizer to meet crop needs.
Costs of inputs make it important to provide enough N so the crop is never deficient. For greatest efficiency, N should be applied close to the time it will be used by the crop.
This demonstration compares 3 different application times:
Fall Application
Spring Application
Split Application---½ applied in Fall ... more. |
... Retailers Association (ARA) advocates, influences, educates and provides services to support its members in their quest to maintain a profitable business environment, adapt to a changing world and preserve their freedom to operate.
American Soybean Association
www.soygrowers.com
The American Soybean Association (ASA) represents U.S. soybean farmers on domestic and international policy issues important to the soybean industry. ASA has 26 affiliated state associations representing 30 soybean-producing states and more than 500,000 soybean farmers.
International Certified Crop Adviser Program
www.certifiedcropadviser.org
The Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) and Certified Professional Agronomist (CPAg) programs of the American Society of Agronomy are the bench ... more. |
... schools and homes.”
Deere also connects with other members of the agricultural sector through a collaborative effort called Field to Market: The Keystone Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, which addresses how to meet the needs of a growing world population through sustainable agricultural practices.
This group’s Environmental Indicators Report, which evaluated national-scale metrics over the past 20 years, indicates production agriculture has made improvements in sustainable production.
And, the Fieldprint Calculator helps growers confidentially assess the efficiency of their operations and analyze the sustainability of their practices.
“We are trying to take the initiative to define sustainability from an industry perspective, in relation to su ... more. |
... goes beyond talking about what agriculture is doing to protect the environment. It is a public way of showing that agriculture is taking responsibility to build on the environmentally sound management practices already used on the farm. This will be done by tracking the quality of the systems used by farmers and reporting the tangible results to the public through the CTIC newsletter and other national publications, national and local events and informative materials distributed across the country.
Who is behind it?
The effort is led by a unique public-private, agriculture-based partnership that includes many farmer-led organizations, agricultural businesses, government agencies and universities.
Who is coordinating it?
It's coordinated by the Conservation Technology Informa ... more. |
... Approaches for Decentralized Systems
Management Program Elements and Implementation Options Entities Involved in Managing Wastewater Systems TWIST: The Wastewater Information System Tool
View the December 7th presentations, Khalid Alvi and Juli Beth Hinds
Questions & Answers
Links Mentioned in the Presentation:
EPA's Voluntary National Guidelines for the Management of Decentralized (Onsite and Cluster) Wastewater Systems
TWIST (The Wastewater Information System Tool)
December 14th: Integrated Water Resource Management
Current Challenges in Water Resource Management Sustainability & the New Paradigm for Managing Water Resources Case Studies on Integrated Water Resource Management
... more. |
... farmers in North Dakota establish their habitat," said Mike Smith, CTIC's Bee Integrated project manager.
Building on a successful 3-year pilot program in North Dakota, the Bee Integrated Demonstration Project stands as a model for beekeepers and farmers in other states to coordinate on best practices in pollinator habitat, varroa mite management, and crop pest management that can help improve colony health.
Data from six beekeeper/farmer-landowner pairs demonstrated that implementing the best management practices together resulted in:
Larger honey bee colonies
More pollen diversity in bees' diets
More managed and native bees observed foraging in established habitat
Practical insights from farmers and beekeepers ... more. |
Hosted by CTIC
OpTIS 4.0:
New National Baseline Data
for Climate Smart Ag
September 27, 2023
Description: Featured speakers:
Allison Thomson (Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research)
Rob Manes (The Nature Conservancy)
Soren Rundquist (Regrow Ag)
Debbie Reed (Ecosystem Services Market Consortium)
Dave Gustafson (Conservation Technology Information Center)
OpTIS 3.0:
Unlocking Water
Q ... more. |
Apply gypsum to your fields to balance soil structure, Improve nutrient uptake, and yield heartier, healthier crops
There are thousands of agricultural products that claim to increase yields—from the latest hybrids to implements and electronic gadgetry. As a grower, you do everything it takes to maximize output with the least amount of input costs. But as input prices continue to increase, and margins become increasingly thinner, many growers are getting back to basic ... more. |
Using cover crops and continuous no-till together in a conservation system over time maximizes soil health and may lead to yield increases and other benefits.
Photo courtesy of CTIC
Using Cover Crops to Facilitate the Transition to Continuous No-Till
Why this project?
Using cover crops and continuous no-till tog ... more. |
... regions.
Climate change policy discussions at the federal, state and regional levels have increased awareness of fertilizer’s contributions to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, as well as the agricultural opportunities that exist to reduce them.
As discussed in Fertilizer Nitrogen BMPs to Limit Losses that Contribute to Global Warming, authored by the International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI), properly balanced plant nutrition through BMPs, such as the 4R nutrient stewardship system, will maximize the capture of carbon dioxide through crop photosynthesis and carbon sequestration, while reducing nitrous oxide emissions – a potent GHG.
The 4R nutrient stewardship system will only gain importance as farmers continue to adopt BMPs and ... more. |
... and potassium fertilization, water management, and weed and insect control for dry-seeded, delayed flood rice in Southeast Missouri. At both locations four pre-plant nitrogen rates (35, 70, 105, and 140 lbs nitrogen/acre) were compared to an untreated area. No additional nitrogen was applied. At both locations the following products were compared: urea, urea + Agrotain® (Agrotain, International, St Louis, Mo.), urea + NSN (NutriSphere-N™, Specialty Fertilizer Products, Belton, Mo.), and urea + Upgrade. At each location the nitrogen fertilizers will be applied seven days prior to flood establishment. At season’s end, researchers harvested each rice plot and measured the resulting yield.
Dunn also discussed how producers could maximize yields and minimize fertilizer cost ... more. |
ADMC received a Conservation Innovation Grant in 2006 to promote and characterize the unique technology of drainage water management (DWM) – the practice of managing water table depths to reduce nutrient transport from tiles during the fallow season or to reduce water deficit stress during the growing season. Considering that no such guidance currently exists, this innovative multi-state project is developing a set of regional recommendations that are necessary to facilitate and encourage the widespread adoption of DWM. ... more. |
Welcome to CTIC's Farmers for Soil Health Program
At the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC), we are proud partners in the Farmers for Soil Health program, a collaborative effort initiated by the National Corn Growers Association, United Soybean Board, and the National Pork Board. Our mission is to drive positive change in agriculture, one field at a time.
About Farmers for Soil Health
Farmers for Soil Health (FSH) is a farmer-driven sustainability program designed to enhance soil health and promote the adoption of cover crops. With a bold vision of expanding cover crops to 30 million acres ... more. |
... (EIB-50) 29 pp, March 2009
In recent years, structural changes in the hog sector, including increased farm size and regional shifts in production, have altered manure management practices. Also, changes to the Clean Water Act, State regulations, and increasing local conflicts over air quality issues, including odor, have influenced manure management decisions. This study uses data from two national surveys of hog farmers to examine how hog manure management practices vary with the scale of production and how these practices evolved between 1998 and 2004. Included are the effects of structural changes, recent policies on manure management technologies and practices, the use of nutrient management plans, and manure application rates. The findings suggest that larger hog operations are alterin ... more. |
... it from enlarging the harmful algal blooms (HABs) that plague Lake Erie.
DRP also feeds plants, so every pound of DRP that leaves a field is depriving the crop of vital nutrients. By piloting PLUS-UP, we demonstrated that no-till and cover crops can significantly reduce the off-farm movement of DRP into surface waters. Judy Smith and Dr. Laura Johnson at Heidelberg University's National Water Quality Research Center demonstrated with their models that slope and soil type dramatically impact DRP loss from a field—a vital insight that can help us target DRP credits and BMP (best management practice) efforts where they can do the most good.
Through PLUS-UP, we also demonstrated that a phosphorus trading program with supply chain support—in the case of our p ... more. |
Know Your Watershed is a coordinated national effort to encourage the formation of local, voluntary watershed partnerships and help assure that these partnerships successfully attain their goals. The initiative is sponsored by more than 70 diverse National Partners representing private and public corporations, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. Each National Partner agrees to provide financial and/or in-kind support. The nati ... 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 ... more. |
OpTIS 2.1—FEATURING 2020 DATA—WILL BE ONLINE FREE BY YEAR-END
A new year's worth of remote sensing data on tillage and winter cover crops from the Operational Tillage Information System (OpTIS) will be available by the end of December, expanding the dataset that extends back to 2005 across the Corn Belt.
A powerful, intuitive visualization tool on the CTIC website allows visitors to explore trends in tillage and cover crop adoption through maps and charts while manipulating geography, date range and crop rotation. OpTIS data ... 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 ... more. |
Explore The Data
Croplands
Remote sensing-derived, CONUS-wide cropland data for mapping tillage, residue cover, winter cover, and soil health practices. Data are currently available for the years 2015 through 2021.
The available data include the level of adoption of cover crops and conservation tillage practices, as well as soil and GHG outcomes based on the use of this practice-adoption data as input to the DND ... more. |
Adoption of Climate-Smart Agricultural Practices
Data are available for the adoption of cover crops and conservation tillage. Remote-sensing derived, CONUS-wide cropland data for the adoption of two important conservation practices (cover crops and reduced tillage).
Data are currently available for the years 2015-2021. All data are available at the watershed (HUC8) and Crop Reporting District (CRD) geographic scales.
Explore the Climate-Smart Data Applications
Cover Cr ... more. |
... is a powerful resource for grabbing a snapshot of land use practices or delving into trends.
Check it out
Become a Member
By becoming a member of CTIC, you'll be connected to a world of people from government, academia, agribusiness, the supply chain, and the farm who are committed to practical, productive conservation farming systems.
Join Today
2022-2023 National Cover Crop Survey Report
Findings in the seventh National Cover Crop Survey from CTIC, USDA-NIFA's Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program and the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) yielded new perspectives on planting green and challenged commonly held notions linking land ownership to cover crop adoption. Learn more here.
Learn More
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... that the three priority resource concerns with the greatest potential for beneficial results are:
1. Soil Quality
2. Economics
3. Water Resources
Soil Quality Concerns
The general soil quality condition indicates a declining trend in soil organic matter content. This indicator is the reason the Southern Plains Agricultural Resources Coalition chose soil quality concern on cropland as the primary resource concern. This decline is largely due to the tillage practices and lack of crop rotations employed over the last 40 or 50 years. Soil organic matter levels are characteristically below 0.5% on cropland and continue to trend downward. This is well below the 3.5 to 4.5% present before tillage was introduced to this area.
Among other things, tillage practices on crop ... more. |
... to guide it from a small informal group to an influential network of over 400 members representing 60 agencies. Jay’s efforts to establish citizen science, innovation project competitions, and voluntary partnerships help EPA, State, Tribal and local environmental agencies prepare for the challenges of a rapidly-changing world. Previous positions at EPA include Director of the National Center for Environmental Innovation and Deputy Associate Administrator for Policy, Economics and Innovation in the EPA Administrator’s Office.
Video Length - 11:42
Citizen and Community Evolvement to Make a More Swimmable California
Erick Burres
Speaker Bio
Erick Burres is a Senior Environmental Scientist Specialist with California’s State Wate ... more. |
Oat, rye, and an oat-rye mixture were overseeded into soybean in August to determine the shoot dry matter and residue cover produced by these cover crops and their effect on subsequent soybean and corn yield.
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;Calibri" ,"sans-serif";times="" new="" roman";times="" roman";"="">Oat and rye overseeded into soybean as fall cover crops in the upper Midwest.
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Equip Your Combine to Chop and Evenly Spread Residue..more
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... group of Conservation In Action Tour participants listens to a discussion at one of the Beck's Hybrids seed company's greenhouses.
Photo Courtesy of Purity Mason
Side-by-side demonstration models at Rulon Enterprises show how ground water appears in a conventional tilled field (left) versus a no-till field (right) with residue on the soil surface.
Photo Courtesy of Purity Mason
At Lamb Farms, drywall scrap from construction projects is ground into gypsum and spread on fields as a soil amendment.
Photo courtesy of Randall Reeder
Participants in the Conservation In Action Tour view a auto reset slurry injector at Bea ... more. |
Contour Strip- cropping
Crop rotation and contouring combined in equal-width strips of corn or soybeans planted on the contour and alternated with strips of oats, grass or legumes.
How it works
Crops are arranged so that a strip of meadow or small grain is alternated with a strip of row crop. Not more than half a field can be planted to row crops. Meadow slows runoff, increases infiltration, traps sediment ... more. |
... Russ Evans
In the rain-fed region of the inland Pacific Northwest (PNW) – especially the dryer, low rainfall regions that rely on summer fallow – the regular calls for Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) signup were met with enthusiasm by local landowners who had land that qualified as highly erodible, endangered species habitat, or otherwise unsuitable for annual crop production. This enthusiasm resulted in many counties with more than the legislated limit of 25 percent of their cropland acres consigned to CRP contracts.
This was manageable enough, as contracts expired annually and were replaced by either new contracts or renewals. However, in order to comply with new limits established in the 2008 Farm Bill, it all changed. A significant number of these ... more. |
... Action Tour has been postponed to 2021. We will instead host a virtual event in collaboration with the American Society of Agronomy's Sustainable Agronomy Conference on August 20, 2020.
Session #5: Environmental Benefits of Sustainable Agronomy—Stewardship in Action
10:05 AM-10:20 AM (Recorded)
Topic: Making Conservation Stick: Perspectives from a Family Farm and Certified Crop Adviser
Speakers: Vollmer-Sanders Family, Grains and Greens and Vollmer Farms and Certified Crop Adviser
10:20 AM-10:35 AM (Live)
Topic: Panel Discussion and Question and Answer Period
Moderator: Steve Werblow, Conservation Technology Information Center
Panelists: Vollmer-Sanders Family, Grains and Greens and Vollmer Farms and Certified Crop Adviser
Pleas ... more. |
... that drain into Lake Erie. Even better, signing a one-year PLUS-UP contract will not disqualify participants from other programs (like H2Ohio) within the watershed. Farmers who are participating in the Bayer Carbon Program can double their payment by signing up for the CTIC program and implementing the same practices.
Dissolved Reactive Phosphorus
Laura Johnson, director of the National Center for Water Quality Research at Heidelberg University, points out that while particulate phosphorus has been most widely studied, dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) is the form that is immediately available to algae—and crops. That makes it the most important form of phosphorus to keep on the farm and out of surface waters.
“What we've been learning over time, e ... more. |
... a unique opportunity not only to see conservation practices at work in real-world conditions, but to share that experience with people you ordinarily wouldn't have an opportunity to bring together," notes Peyton Harper of The Fertilizer Institute, a board member of CTIC and co-chair of the tour planning committee. "You can find yourself sitting with the marketing manager of a multinational agrichemical company, a farmer, a university professor and an EPA official talking about what you're seeing on the ground. It's a remarkable experience."
Tim Palmer, an Iowa farmer who serves as president of the National Association of Conservation Districts and co-chair of CTIC's tour planning committee, adds, "I've made friends on these tours that I still ... more. |
... be able to run the model five to 20 years out.”
The benefits can be significant for participants in any water quality trading program across the country, Fox says.
“It’s potentially a cost-effective and ecologically effective way to reduce discharges into water,” she says. “For farmers, the credit is the benefit. They can look at it as another cash crop.”
CTIC addresses the Wabash River Watershed
In July 2009, CTIC launched a three-year project to address the potential for water quality trading in the Wabash River Watershed, which begins in western Ohio, flows through Indiana and ends in Illinois, where it meets the Ohio River.
CTIC Project Director Christa Martin-Jones says the Wabash River Watershed was chosen because it is ... more. |
... be able to run the model five to 20 years out.”
The benefits can be significant for participants in any water quality trading program across the country, Fox says.
“It’s potentially a cost-effective and ecologically effective way to reduce discharges into water,” she says. “For farmers, the credit is the benefit. They can look at it as another cash crop.”
CTIC addresses the Wabash River Watershed
In July 2009, CTIC launched a three-year project to address the potential for water quality trading in the Wabash River Watershed, which begins in western Ohio, flows through Indiana and ends in Illinois, where it meets the Ohio River.
CTIC Project Director Christa Martin-Jones says the Wabash River Watershed was chosen bec ... more. |
... Society of Agronomy and Soil Science Society of America
Target Audience
In addition to the memberships of project partners, CTIC will design the workshops with the following groups in mind:
Agricultural retailers
Certified Crop Advisors (CCAs)
Land Improvement Contractors of America (LICA)
Members of Agricultural Drainage Management Coalition (ADMC)
National Alliance of Independent Crop Consultants (NAICC)
NRCS Technical Service Providers (TSPs)
Soil and Water Conservation District staff and engineers
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... Audience
In addition to the memberships of project partners, CTIC will design the workshops with the following groups in mind:
Agricultural retailers
Certified Crop Advisors (CCAs)
Land Improvement Contractors of America (LICA)
Members of Agricultural Drainage Management Coalition (ADMC)
National Alliance of Independent Crop Consultants (NAICC)
NRCS Technical Service Providers (TSPs)
Soil and Water Conservation District staff and engineers
About the Project
Through a collaborative agreement with the US EPA, CTIC will provide leadership and technical support to successfully plan, organize, coordinate, evaluate and share information from five workshops held between 2 ... more. |
Practical Conservation Planning in the Field
August 22-23, 2017
Stuttgart Public Library
Stuttgard, Arkansas
Ph: 870-673-1966
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
Professional ag consultants will learn what they need to provide one more service to the farmers they advise. Recognizing where a conservation practice would be a good fit, and charting a course for putting it into use, is a real value to their clients. Not ev ... more. |
The efficient use of nutrients within farming operations is receiving a great deal of attention for several reasons. Today, producers look more carefully at what, when and how they apply fertilizer, primarily because of the increased cost of fertilizer and other inputs as well as the general economic downturn. Additionally, agriculture is the focus of much attention-nationally as well as locally-because farming activities have been linked to the Gulf of Mexico Hypoxic Zone. Not many people understand the complex problem of the hypoxic zone, and individual farmers, expecially those in the upper Midwest, feel little connection to the distant Gulf of Mexico.
Project Director: Karen Scanlon
Email: scanlon@conservationinformation.org
Telephone: 765 ... more. |
... joining us from out of town, the Hilton St. Louis Frontenac is holding a CTIC room block at the special rate of $138 per night. Click here to book your room.
Sponsors of this year's Conservation in Action Tour include:
Ruby Sponsors: Syngenta, The Mosaic Company, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
Diamond Sponsor: John Deere, Indigo Ag
Platinum Sponsor: National Corn Growers Association, The Nature Conservancy, Field to Market, Anonymous
Gold Sponsor: Regrow Ag
Silver Sponsors: Nutrien, Case IH
Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Contact Crystal Hatfield for details at hatfield@ctic.org.
4R Nutrient Stewardship Training Workshop, August 23, Maumee, Ohio
Join us Tuesday, August 23 for a fre ... more. |
... Blanch
Speaker Bio
Anicet R. Blanch is Full Professor of Microbiology at the University of Barcelona. His research in Water and Environmental Microbiology is focused on the development of selective and specific methods for the detection of bacteria, on Microbial Source Tracking and on the use of bacteriophages as viral indicators in water, food and sludge. He is participating in national and EU-projects since 1988. He has also expertise on innovation and knowledge management and has been participating as member of technical panels in standardisation agencies (AENOR/CEN/ISO). He is member of the Directive Board of the Water Research Institute at the University of Barcelona, and trustee of the Technology Transfer Foundation of the University of Barcelona.
Video Length - 10:0 ... more. |
CTIC News
New CTIC Board of Directors Announced
CTIC elected its 2010-2011 Board of Directors at the 2010 CTIC Winter Board Meeting, held Feb. 3 in Orlando, Fla. Serving as 2010-2011 officers: Timothy J. Healey, Agrotain International, Chair; Harold Reetz, Foundation for Agronomic Research, First Vice Chair; Charlie Schafer, Agri Drain Corporation, Second Vice Chair; Rex Martin, Syngenta America, Treasurer; Karen Scanlon, CTIC, Secretary; Chris Foster, John Deere, Past Chair. Serving as 2010-2011 directors: Neil E. Caskey, Osborn & Barr Communications; Larry Clemens, The Nature Conservancy; Dave Gustafson, Monsanto; Bill H ... more. |
CTIC Institutional Bronze Member, the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC), has been the voice of America's farmer cooperatives since 1929. The members are regional and national farmer cooperatives, which are in turn comprised of nearly 3,000 local farmer cooperatives across the country. To learn more about the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, visit www.ncfc.org
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Know Your Watershed is a coordinated national effort to encourage the formation of local, voluntary watershed partnerships and help assure that these partnerships successfully attain their goals. The initiative is sponsored by more than 70 diverse National Partners representing private and public corporations, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. Each National Partner agrees to provide financial and/or in-kind support. The nati ... more. |
The Hula Family of Renwood Farms, winners of multiple National Corn Yield Contests, proves that profitability and conservation go hand in hand.
See their operation up close on CTIC's Conservation In Action Tour 2010.
Photo courtesy of Colonial SWCD
Conservation In Action Tour 2010
Register Today for August 3 Event
Sponsor CTIC's Marquee Event, the Conser ... more. |
... to everyone who attended from near and far and who helped support the tour.
We continued to provide technical and educational support across the country through workshops and meetings that brought together farmers, researchers, regulators and policymakers.
We continued to curate information and track trends in conservation agriculture through projects and surveys, such as our annual cover crop survey and our Let's Do the Math: Economic, Agronomic and Environmental Benefits of Cover Crops project.
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... to everyone who attended from near and far and who helped support the tour.
We continued to provide technical and educational support across the country through workshops and meetings that brought together farmers, researchers, regulators and policymakers.
We continued to curate information and track trends in conservation agriculture through projects and surveys, such as our annual cover crop survey and our Let's Do the Math: Economic, Agronomic and Environmental Benefits of Cover Crops project.
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... interviews and a survey to learn from farmers about their willingness to adopt offset-eligible practices. Those interested in learning more about the adoption of conservation tillage systems were provided with a sheet comparing conservation tillage systems and resources for further information. In addition, CTIC can provide interested farms with information about conservation tillage and related management practices that make conservation systems successful, including referral to a local tillage expert in their area.
For More Information
Click here to view helpful resources concerning conservation tillage systems.
View references of Understanding Conservation Tillage Systems.
Contact Karen Scanlon at Tel: (765) 494-9555 or Email: scanlon@ctic.org
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... with previous releases, alldataare undergoing various forms of peer review and maybe updated in the future. If you see a region that is "grayed-out," that means there were insufficient data available for the DNDC model to be run. Please click on the "Learn More" button for more details.
Join us on September 27 at 12pm EDT forOpTIS 4.0: New National Baseline Data for Climate Smart Ag Webinar
Data Release Date: September, 2023
Data Provider: RegrowLicense
What is DNDC?
Want to learn more about the Denitrification-Decomposition (DNDC) model? Visit our information page.
Learn More
Want to learn how to use the online tool? Click to learn more about it.
... more. |
... profitable, common sense conservation for landowners.
* Reduced risk of tractor rollover due to set back of steep ditch or creek.
* Take advantage of incentives. provided to establish buffers from local, state, and federal programs.
* Establishment of natural vegetation.
Types of buffers:
Contour buffer strips – narrow bands of vegetation established across the slope of a crop field and alternated down the slope with strips of crops.
Field border – strips of vegetation planted at the edge of fields, that are can be used for turn areas or travel lanes for machinery.
Filter strips – strips of grass or other vegetation used to slow water runoff from a field. These intercept or trap sediment, nutrients, pesticides and other pollutants before they reach a ... more. |
A highly qualified crop consultant (watershed coordinator) has been identified in each watershed to provide one on one technical support to the producers who participate in this program. These people will meet with producers and help them make important decisions to ensure a successful transition to using a cover crop and conservation tillage system.
... more. |
... issue of Partners. (Click here for article.)
A popular topic today is excess nutrients in the environment. From the Gulf of Mexico to the Chesapeake Bay, the Great Lakes to the Pacific Northwest, policymakers look to agriculture to improve water quality and help reduce nutrients in ground and surface water.
Many conventional nitrogen application methods apply fertilizer in advance of crop needs. The delay between nitrogen application and crop uptake increases the chance for environmental losses through leaching, volatilization, and denitrification.
* Leaching: the movement of plant nutrients in the soil solution below the root zone. This occurs most frequently in coarse-textured, cracked or sandy soils, during higher levels of precipitation or irrigation, with excessively app ... more. |
WinMax is a computer program developed at Purdue University to calculate and compare economic returns on crop production.
From 1991-1998, WinMax and its earlier DOS version were used to manage data for the national Farming for Maximum Efficiency program (The MAX®) sponsored byCTICand Successful Farming magazine.
WinMax manages crop input data, calculates crop fertilizer recommendations, generates production cost and nutrient management worksheets, and allows sets of custom input costs to be created and used in all calculations.
Various management options, such as tillage, pest contro ... more. |
... project's website, http://www.upstreamheroes.org, includes information on all three initiatives, as well as CTIC's Upstream Heroes campaign, sponsored by The Nature Conservancy and Terra Industries.
Project Participants
Local, state, and federal conservation and agriculturalagencies, farm organizations, agribusiness, agricultural producers, certified crop consultants
Activites
CTIC and a broad coalition of ag interests in the Missouri Bootheel bring workshops and field days on the latest nutrient management tools to ag producers. Programs include a corn stalk testing program free to producers.
Partners in Minnesota reached consensus that the best approach would be to form a broad coalition of interested groups. The diverse coalit ... more. |
Target Audience
In addition to the memberships of project partners, CTIC will design the workshops with the following groups in mind:
- Agricultural retailers
- Certified Crop Advisors (CCAs)
- Land Improvement Contractors of America (LICA)
- Members of Agricultural Drainage Management Coalition (ADMC)
- National Alliance of Independent Crop Consultants (NAICC)
- NRCS Technical Service Providers (TSPs)
- Soil and Water Conservation District staff and engineers
Through a collaborative agreement with the US EPA, CTIC will provide leadership and technical support to successfully plan, organize, coordinate, evaluate and share information from five workshops held between 2015 and 2020.
& ... more. |
... sense than trucking it. But the farmer says, ‘I can’t afford to bury four miles of pipe to get rid of my manure.’ And right now, the benefits are not going to be for the farmers in the area, but for other entities.”
The biggest challenge: funding
There’s quite a bit of funding available to build anaerobic digesters, notes Gene DeMichele, director of the National Biosolids Project for the Water Environment Federation in Alexandria, Va. The problem is that the funds are targeted toward small, farm-scale projects, he says, missing the boat on more efficient community opportunities.
“You can’t continue to give small amounts of money to each farmer and expect to get a sustainable manure management plan - it just doesn’t work that way ... more. |
... and help us navigate the ever-evolving landscape of conservation technology and agriculture. Learn more about our accomplished Board of Directors and their contributions to advancing sustainable practices, promoting innovation, and making a positive impact on our environment.
Adam Herges - Chair
The Mosaic Company
Tim Palmer- Vice Chair
National Association of Conservation Districts
Kellis Moss- Treasurer
Ducks Unlimited, Inc.
Mark Schmidt- Past Chair
North Carolina State University
Hunter Carpenter
Agricultural Retailers Association
Patricia Rice
BASF
Brooks Coetzee
Corteva Agriscience
Katie Stump
CropLife ... more. |
... IH
Cotton Incorporated
CropLife America
David Muth
Dr. E.J. Dunphy
Eco Agro Resources
Field to Market
Grassland Oregon
Illinois Corn Growers Association
Indiana Corn Marketing Council
Indiana Soybean Alliance
Innovation Center for U.S.Dairy
Iowa Farm Bureau Federation
IPNI
James Lake
John Deere
Joseph Glassmeyer
Land Pro LLC
Larry Heatherly
Michael Adsit
Monsanto
National Association of Conservation Districts
National Corn Growers Association
National Council of Farmer Cooperatives
No-Till Farmer
Scott Fritz
Soil & Water Conservation Society
Steve Bruere
The Fertilizer Institute
The Nature Conservancy
Timothy Healey
Truax Company, Inc.
To renew, please email Crystal Hatfield at hatfield@ctic.org or call 765-494-9555.
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CTIC Institutional Member, the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD), is the nonprofit organization that represents America’s 3,000 conservation districts and the 17,000 men and women who serve on their governing boards. Conservation districts are local units of government established under state law to carry out natural resource management programs at the local level. Districts work with millions of cooperating l ... more. |
... Farmer, Prairie Farmer and more stopped by to visit and learn more about our current projects as well as our upcoming anniversary celebration.
CTIC members also exhibiting at InfoExpo proudly joined in celebrating our 30th year by displaying the CTIC logo at their booth.
Thanks, Members!
Many visitors to CTIC's booth completed a short survey for a chance to win a Kindle Fire and to take home a gift bag full of goodies. Our special edition note cards - featuring conservation photos from reknown ag photojournalist Harlen Persinger - were a big hit!
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CTIC took a party theme to the 67th International Annual Conference of the Soil and Water Conservation Society, titled "Choosing Conservation: Considering Ecology, Economics and Ethics," held July 22-25 in Fort Worth, Texas. Our exhibit stood out with balloons and festive gift bags to celebrate our 30 years of service to agriculture.
Karen Scanlon, CTIC executive director, and Chad Watt ... more. |
... grow the food the world needs.
INSTITUTIONAL
The Fertilizer Institute, Gold Institutional Member, sponsors our 30th Anniversary, Tier 1 of Indian Creek as well as a tile monitoring station, the Conservation in Action Tour since 2009, the 2008 Commodity Classic 2008 giveaway and the Nutrient BMP survey. TFI is the leading voice in the fertilizer industry, representing the public policy, communication and statistical needs of producers, manufacturers, retailers and transporters of fertilizer.
INDIVIDUAL
Joe Glassmeyer
We thank individual member Joe Glassmeyer for his long-standing membership and participation in ... more. |
Keep nutrients in the Right Place, where crops can use them.
The farmer uses real-time kinematic precision guidance to apply N fertilizer in fall or early spring in a closely-controlled location relative to where the seed will be sown.
Strip-till conservation systems use minimal tillage. They combine soil drying and warming benefits of conventional tillage and soil-protecting advantages of no-till by disturbing only the portion o ... more. |
Keep nutrients in the Right Place, where crops can use them.
The farmer uses real-time kinematic precision guidance to apply N fertilizer in fall or early spring in a closely-controlled location relative to where the
seed will be sown.
Strip-till conservation systems use minimal tillage. They combine soil drying and warming benefits of conventional tillage and soil-protecting advantages of no-till ... more. |
... Showcase and Conference in Des Moines, Iowa, featuring Mike Naig (IDALS), Jason Gomes (North Iowa Agronomy Partners), Greg Wandrey (The Nature Conservancy/4Rs Plus), Robert Mier (USDA-NRCS), Keegan Kult (Ag Drainage Management Coalition) and Tim Recker (Iowa Land Improvement Contractors Association).
Welcome: Mike Naig, IDALS
Mike Naig, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, greets crop consultants at CTIC's Ag Consultants Training workshop in Des Moines, Iowa, on March 13, 2019. Naig urged success in voluntary conservation practices to achieve the goals set out in the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy and called for a "culture of conservation" among farmers and consultants.
Making Conservation Pay
Jason Gomes, CCA, of North Iowa Agronomy Consul ... more. |
Economic and Environmental Benefits
Profit.
Managing to maximize return on your cropping investment (ROI) requires the perfect combination of science, technology, art, and luck. Some factors, like the weather, still require a bit of luck. Thankfully, science and technology continue to make strides, reducing the impact of uncontrollable factors like the weather and markets. This reduces the risk inherent in farming. By using a plan to analyze the crop nutrient management portion o ... more. |
2016 Conservation in Action Tour
This tour showcased the diversity of crops in Idaho's Treasure Valley —- more than 180 crops ranging from potatoes to dairy products to trout.. Farmers, crop consultants, agribusiness professionals, state and federal agency representatives, and conservation group leaders visited four farms to see conservation agriculture and innovative conservation systems up-close.
What We Learned:
Stop #1 - Dix ... more. |
Weed & Pest Management (IPM) Benefits
Increases Profits
Inputs such as mechanical cultivation, pesticides, fertilizers and tillage costs money. By using best management practices to apply these inputs when they are actually needed, growers can reduce costs. Weed and pest management can help schedule required controls at the right time to maximize the benefits of the practice. Weed and pest management can improv ... more. |
Ag Consultant Training in Systems that Protect Water Quality National Aquatic Resources Workshop National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI) Operational Tillage Information System (OpTIS) Cover Crop Surveys
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Today there are thousands of Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) nationally that require an National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)permit. Producers and their technical service providers need specialized informationand assistance with new technologies to resolve livestock waste management issues and address water quality concerns.
Collaborative watershed effortsfocused on managing livestock waste need resourcesto help inform ... more. |
... as described in EcoCommerce 101: The Emergence of an Invisible Hand to Sustain the Bio-Economy.
The ecoccommerce process is significant, because it is more than a compilation or organization of ecoservice markets. It also provides the framework to build an ecological intelligence system, allowing the public arena of commerce to define sustainability.
Jerry Hatfield, Director, National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment, wrote in the EcoCommerce 101: The Emergence of an Invisible Hand to Sustain the Bio-Economy foreword, "… this [intellectual framework] is a unique feature because what has been lacking in the discussions of ecosystems or their monetary value has been a framework from which the value could be evaluated.”
He also says EcoCom ... more. |
... illnesses, including harmful algal blooms, through enhanced surveillance and reporting, increased education and outreach, and interagency collaboration with a variety of stakeholders. Dr. Peters received her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Michigan State University in 2006 and her Master in Public Health from the University of Minnesota in 2013.
Video Length - 12:19
National Aquatic Resource Surveys (NARS): Findings and Applications on Algal Toxins and Pathogens
Sarah Lehmann
Speaker Bio
Sarah Lehmann serves as Team Leader for the National Aquatic Resource Surveys in U.S. EPA’s Monitoring Branch. In this role, she provides leadership for each of the national surveys including lakes, rivers and streams, coastal waters, and wetlands. Prior to this, Sar ... more. |
... geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing, he most recently served as Technical Program Manager for Agricultural Technology at the Noble Research Institute. The role included collaborating with academic researchers, government agencies, farm groups, consumer products companies and others.
His work experience with Noble Research Institute and with a contractor for the National Parks Service includes hands-on natural resource condition assessments in national parks and rangeland as well as program development and coalition building around agricultural technology.
Komp, who holds master's degrees in geographic information science and business administration, says the information CTIC gathers and shares is increasingly vital not just within agriculture, b ... more. |
... geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing, he most recently served as Technical Program Manager for Agricultural Technology at the Noble Research Institute. The role included collaborating with academic researchers, government agencies, farm groups, consumer products companies and others.
His work experience with Noble Research Institute and with a contractor for the National Parks Service includes hands-on natural resource condition assessments in national parks and rangeland as well as program development and coalition building around agricultural technology.
Komp, who holds master's degrees in geographic information science and business administration, says the information CTIC gathers and shares is increasingly vital not just within agriculture, b ... more. |
CTIC has worked closely with U.S. EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds (OWOW) to organize a national, invitation-only NARS (National Aquatic Resource Surveys) meeting for 125 water quality professionals. Participants from federal, state and tribal agencies, as well as contract partners, will attend.
The NARS meeting, held in Denver March 25-29 in conjunction with the National Water Quality Monitoring Conference, will explore the direction of EPA's NARS protocols and data analysi ... more. |
CTIC Institutional Member, the National Pork Board, has a mission to provide the scientific support for identifying and addressing issues affecting the health, safety and quality of the pork industry’s animals, products or people. Broad areas of responsibility include pork quality, environment, food safety, swine health, animal welfare and producer health and safety. To learn more about the National Pork Board, visit www.po ... more. |
CTIC Institutional Member, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), is the largest trade organization in the United States representing corn growers. Since its inception the NCGA has successfully represented corn growers, throughout the entire corn industry, the U.S. government, and consumers and throughout the world. To learn more about the National Corn Growers Association, visit www.ncga.com.
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CTIC Institutional Bronze Member, the National Farmers Union, was founded in 1902 in Point, Texas, to help the family farmer address profitability issues and monopolistic practices. NFU has been working since 1902 to protect and enhance the economic well-being and quality of life for family farmers, ranchers and rural communities through advocating grassroots-driven policy positions adopted by its membership. To learn more about t ... more. |
... structure that allows members to receive additional value and recognition for their support of comprehensive conservation and sustainable agricultural systems. With additional membership dues above the basic level in each membership category, members achieve medal status of Gold, Silver or Bronze. The additional support provided by our Medal Members enables CTIC to enhance our regional and national projects, to explore new partnership opportunities and to bring national recognition to public and private efforts to advance conservation agriculture.
CTIC is proud to recognize the 2010 Medal Members on this page, at CTIC regional and national events, at CTIC Board of Directors meetings and in other ways. To learn more about CTIC membership and medal levels, click here.
GOLD ... more. |
... Medal Membership allows members to receive added value and recognition for their support of comprehensive conservation and sustainable agricultural systems. With additional membership dues above the basic level in each membership category, members achieve medal status of Gold, Silver or Bronze. The support provided by Medal Members enables CTIC to enhance regional and national projects, to explore new partnership opportunities and to gain national recognition.
CTIC recognizes Medal Members through Partners magazine, at CTIC regional and national events, at CTIC Board of Directors meetings and elsewhere. To learn more about CTIC membership and medal levels, click here.
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... structure that allows members to receive additional value and recognition for their support of comprehensive conservation and sustainable agricultural systems. With additional membership dues above the basic level in each membership category, members achieve medal status of Gold, Silver or Bronze. The additional support provided by our Medal Members enables CTIC to enhance our regional and national projects, to explore new partnership opportunities and to bring national recognition to public and private efforts to advance conservation agriculture.
CTIC is proud to recognize the 2009 Medal Members on this page, at CTIC regional and national events, at CTIC Board of Directors meetings and in other ways. To learn more about CTIC membership and medal levels, click here.
GOLD Corporate
... more. |
... Industries Inc.
CTIC is excited to introduce Terra Industries Inc., as a new Premier Corporate Member.
Headquartered in Sioux City, Iowa, Terra serves agriculture by providing farmers with nitrogen products that replenish the soil and are essential to plant growth. In fact, the company is the leading international producer of nitrogen products for agricultural, industrial and environmental markets. Terra owns and operates nitrogen manufacturing facilities in six North American locations and own 50 percent interest in joint ventures in the United Kingdom and The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
Terra takes pride in protecting the land, air and water and having superior customer relations in th ... more. |
Meet Our Cover Crop Coaches
Soil health and the biological interactions that cause crops to flourish – or not – is complex and often fraught with contradictions. Add cover crops into the mix and it gets even more confusing. How great would it be to know a farmer who has been growing cover crops for years and is willing to answer questions and offer real-life insights into how cover crops impact other ... more. |
CTIC Presents: Farmers for Soil Health webinars
Termination and Management of Cover Crops
in the North Central States
February 6, 2024
Description: Featured speakers:
Colin Geppert, a farmer in South Dakota
Dr. Erin Silva of University of Wisconsin
Myron Sylling, a farmer in Minnesota
Join the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) and Farmers for Soil Health on Tuesday, February 6 at 10:00 am CST for a free webinar on cover cropping in Wisconsin, ... more. |
... differences in nitrogen rates and yields with different urea application times.
Spring timing gave the best return to nitrogen dollars spent. Fall had the worst return and lowest yield. 2011 weather patterns favored spring application... Read more.
Nitrogen Application Timing
Select the Right Time for nitrogen application. Apply the Right Rate of fertilizer to meet crop needs.
Costs of inputs make it important to provide enough N so the crop is never... Read more.
Phosphorus Sidedress with MicroEssentials®
A soil test of the field showed a relatively low phosphorus level, so we demonstrated The Mosaic Company's MicroEssentials applied as a side-dress (plant nutrients placed on or in the soil near the roots of a growing crop t ... more. |
... lower economic return on nitrogen, due to nitrogen losses
Fall timing had lowest yield
Split timing was better than fall but not as good as spring application
We encourage other farmers in the watershed to adopt this approach to collecting information critical to making fully informed nitrogen management decisions.
*International Plant Nutrition Institute designed the Crop Nutrient Response Tool to assist interpretation and record-keeping for on-farm field crop trials involving multiple rates of any added nutrient. It provides the an estimate of optimum rate for a single-year response - the most economic rate (MERN) at which it is profitable to apply a purchased nutrient - from limited data. It can also estimate several b ... more. |
... of the Forest Park Visitors Center with a celebration of CTIC's four decades of bringing people together around conservation farming systems. Among our speakers that evening were Rod Snyder and Bruno Piggott of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Scott Herndon of Field to Market, Liz Hunt of Syngenta, former CTIC board chairs Tim Healy and Rex Martin, Tim Palmer of the CTIC board and National Association of Conservation Districts, Dr. Laura Johnson of Heidelberg University and Jeff Seale of Regrow Ag.
We also launched the CTIC Hall of Fame by inducting three charter members: founder and long-time board member Dick Foell, former CTIC natural resources specialist Dan Towery, and former CTIC executive director Karen Scanlon.
On September 13, we got back on the bus after ... more. |
... section of CTIC’s Online Store.
Better Soil, Better Yields is a guidebook to improving soil organic matter and infiltration with continuous no-till.
Facilitating Conservation Farming Practices and Enhancing Environmental Sustainability with Agricultural Biotechnology explores environmental benefits of conservation tillage, facilitated significantly by biotechnology crops.
A Review of BMPs for Managing Crop Nutrients and Conservation Tillage to Improve Water Quality reviews research on nutrient best management practices (BMPs) for nitrogen and phosphorus, with emphasis on integrating BMPs with conservation tillage.
CTIC leads initiatives to promote and encourage adoption of conservation systems. Click here to learn more about CTIC Initiatives ... more. |
Research & Technology Briefs
U.S. Commerce Department establishes NOAA Climate Service
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has launched the NOAA Climate Service at www.climate.gov.
Individuals and decision-makers across widely diverse sectors – from agriculture to energy to transportation – increasingly rely on NOAA for information about climate change. To meet these requests, the NOAA Climate Service office has been established to bring together the ag ... more. |
... and help us learn how farmers can support pollinator health without sacrificing profitability.
This project is funded by a Conservation Innovation Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service and by several partnering organizations. Partners include: Bayer CropScience, Corn & Soybean Digest, CropLife Foundation, Dupont Pioneer, Monsanto, National Corn Growers Association, The Nature Conservancy, Purdue University, and Syngenta.
Join Our Cover Crops Mailing List
Sign up below to receive updates on CTIC cover crop projects and events, including the CIG project "Economic, Agronomic and Environmental Benefits of Cover Crops."
Mailing List Sign Up Form
CTIC’s Cover Crops Project
Are you interested in bein ... more. |
... producers who attended workshops to help the write a plan and succesfully incorporate these practices into their operations.
CTIC will facilitate social support networks through an email list serve. Regular posts will address cover crop and conservation tillage topics, provide seasonal tips, answer questions and facilitate dialogue.
Fifteen participating producers will attend the National No-Till Conference in 2013 to network with and learn from other producers who use cover crops.
Producer experience with cover crops and conservation tillage shared through the web site and published articles will offer support and information for producers contemplating adoption of the practices.
For More Information
Contact Chad Watts, CTIC Project Director, at Tel: (5 ... more. |
FromSioux Falls, South Dakota, we'll travel to innovative farms that showcase the best practices in conservation agriculture.
May 6, 2025: Optional Workshops, Banquet
May 7, 2025: Conservation in Action Tour, Closing Reception
More information coming soon!
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News Source: Focus on Nutrient Management (PDF, 764 KB)
38 Nutrient Management Initiative Sites Established in 2009
Soil Fertility Research Program Approved by Legislature
Mining Soil Fertility Can Be Costly!
How do I Determine My Nitrogen Rate?
Nutrient Management and USDA-NRCS Conservation Programs
Fall Nitrogen Best Management Practices and Soil Temperature Network Pilot Proj
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... for Climate Smart Commodities program.
The overall project is being led by the Wolfe’s Neck Center for Agriculture and the Environment, which was awarded up to $35 million by USDA to conduct this new partnership pilot. Through their global collaborative, Open Technology Ecosystem for Agricultural Management (OpenTEAM), Wolfe’s Neck Center will lead an alliance of over 60 national and regional buyers, funders, and organizations to launch and support climate-smart agricultural pilot projects on farms and ranches in the Northeast, Mountain West, and California.
The CSA Connector is an app being developed by CTIC and its partners to play a key role in the program by connecting all of the relevant participants in the emerging climate smart commodity marketplace&md ... more. |
... for Climate Smart Commodities program.
The overall project is being led by the Wolfe’s Neck Center for Agriculture and the Environment, which was awarded up to $35 million by USDA to conduct this new partnership pilot. Through their global collaborative, Open Technology Ecosystem for Agricultural Management (OpenTEAM), Wolfe’s Neck Center will lead an alliance of over 60 national and regional buyers, funders, and organizations to launch and support climate-smart agricultural pilot projects on farms and ranches in the Northeast, Mountain West, and California.
The CSA Connector is an app being developed by CTIC and its partners to play a key role in the program by connecting all of the relevant participants in the emerging climate smart commodity marketplace&md ... more. |
... to provide incentives for ethanol producers to follow proper management and use appropriate conservation practices.
To view ESA's position statement on biofuel sustainability, visit: www.esa.org/pao/policyStatements/Statements/biofuel.php
EPA Promotes Safe Drinking Water with New Brochure
A new brochure from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) made its debut at the National FFA Convention in late October. The brochure is intended to provide access to key information on best agricultural practices to protect sources of drinking water. The target audience is high school ag science students, their advisors and instructors, as well as a broader agriculture audience. The brochure is accompanied by a Web site, www.fieldtofaucet.org .
The brochure also has an inser ... more. |
Watershed Management Starter Kit
This complete kit includes seven guides (Getting to Know Your Watershed, Building Local Partnerships, Putting Together a Watershed Management Plan, Managing Conflict, Leading and Communicating, and two others), a 13-minute dvd video (Partnerships for Watersheds), companion brochure and an application to the National Watershed Network. In other words, it includes everything you need to get started!
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... can implement the four Rs and substantially reduce the amount of N fertilizer escaping fields, a clear financial loss, and detrimental to water quality.
Enjoy lunch with the morning tour or supper with the evening tour. Organizers will offer an optional trip to Kilgus Dairy, an award-winning conservation dairy, Spence Farm, which grows food for Chicago chefs, and Argonne National Laboratory’s experimental bioenergy site.
Livingston County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) will host the tour with support from Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC), Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IL EPA), Agrium Advanced Technologies, Agrotain, The Fertilizer Institute, Monsanto, Mosaic, Illinois Corn Marketing Board, Agri Drain Corporation, Case I ... more. |
... Center's Conservation in Action Tour
Join us on an unforgettable tour of South Dakota!
May 6-7, 2025
Sioux Falls
Start your 2025 growing season off right by exploring conservation agriculture in the Great Plains! The 18th Annual Conservation in Action Tour is showcasing South Dakota. It’s a unique planting season tour that will focus on soil health, biodiversity, crop production, and innovation.
Register Today!
Interested in sponsoring? Download the prospectusor contact Ryan Heiniger at heiniger@ctic.org
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Welcome to CTIC's
Farmers for Soil Health Program
At the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC), we are proud partners in the Farmers for Soil Health Program, a collaborative effort initiated by the National Corn Growers Association, United Soybean Board, and the National Pork Board. Our mission is to drive positive change in agriculture, one field at a time.
About Farmers for Soil Health
Farmers for Soil Health (FSH) is a farmer-driven sustainability program designed to enhance soil health and promote the adoption of cover crops. With a bold vision of expanding cover crops to 30 million acres ... more. |
Remote-sensing derived, CONUS-wide cropland data for the adoption of two important conservation practices (cover crops and reduced tillage), as well as soil and GHG outcomes based on the use of these practice-adoption data as input to the DNDC model.
Data are currently available for the years 2015-2021. All data are available at the watershed (HUC8) and Crop Reporting District (CRD) geographic scales.
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Great Lakes Cover Crop Initiative The Great Lakes Cover Crop Initiative (GLCCI) is a regional effort to establish 15 thousand acres of cover crops in the Lake Michigan, Lake Erie and Lake Huron watersheds in three years.
This goal will be accomplished through extensive outreach through field days, workshops and other conservation events. In addition to the outreach events, GLCCI coordinators are working ... more. |
No Tillage: The relationship between no tillage, crop residues, plants and soil nutrition
In his second book on no-till farming, Chilean farmer Carlos Crovetto has delved into the inner workings of the soil and meticulously explained the relationship between no-till, crop residues, soil nutrition and crop production.
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Research & Technology Briefs
By Rachel Doctor
Midwest Cover Crops Council Web Site Introduced
Midwestern farmers wanting to learn more about cover crops now have a central information source where they can easily find practical ways to use them.
The Midwest Cover Crops Council (MCCC) recently introduced a Web site as an educational tool to help expand the knowledge compiled since the group's formation two years ago to farmers and others in ag ... more. |
... USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, demonstrated the ability of no-tilled soils to drastically reduce erosion by water and retain soluble phosphorus.
The Blue Creek Conservation Area (BCCA) provided a historical setting for supper. Now a city-owned park, BCCA was once home to Native American tribes and later the Toledo House of Corrections. AgRobotics, AGROTAIN International, John Deere, The Mosaic Company, The Andersons and Specialty Fertilizer Products participated in the tour’s Conservation Technology Expo and talked one-on-one with tour attendees about their products that support conservation agriculture.
The day ended with comments by U.S. Representative Marcy Kaptur, who shared her love of the area and her commitment to conservation of the Maumee R ... more. |
... one of which is ensuring environmental stewardship for responsible land and natural resource use.
Photo courtesy of CTIC
Leading the way
Mosaic Company is a pioneer of progression in agricultural sustainability
By Christy Couch Lee
Just five years ago, the Mosaic Company launched as the second-largest crop nutrition firm, when Cargill Crop Nutrition and IMC Global Inc, joined forces. Today, this company is a leader in providing phosphate and potash for worldwide agriculture.
Mosaic takes pride in its efforts to increase sustainability, and these efforts have recently been highlighted in the Mosaic 2009 Sustainability Report. In addition, Mosaic has taken the bold step of becoming the first CTI ... more. |
... and precision application of inputs. They will also describe their 220-acre AGvocacy Learning Farm project.
New Century FS Melbourne Service Center. Facility manager Dan Hart and his team will open their state-of-the-art plant for a look at commercial-scale management of fertilizer, seed treatments and other inputs. The FS team will also provide an exploration of the role of Certified Crop Advisors in implementing conservation and production goals.
LICA Demonstration Farm, Melbourne. The tour will visit the 80-acre home of a wide range of constructed conservation systems for an up-close look at many in-field and edge-of-field practices that protect water quality and build healthy soils.
Tesdell Century Farm, Slater. This fifth-generation farm is home to an installation of ... more. |
Applying the correct amount, form, and timing of plant nutrients for optimum yield and minimum impact on water quality.
How it works
After taking a soil test, setting realistic yield goals, and taking credit for contributions from previous years' crops and manure applications, crop nutrient needs are determined. Nutrients are then applied at the proper time by the proper application method. Nutrient sources include animal manure, biosolids, and commercial fertilizers. These steps reduce the potential for nutrients to go unused and wash or infiltrate into water supplies.
How it helps
Sound nutrient management reduces input costs ... more. |
... a part of this informative and noteworthy event. The tour, sponsored by Specialty Fertilizer Products (SFP), showcases successful farmers who have mastered innovative conservation practices in their profitable operations.
Starkey Farms Partnership , Brownsburg, Indiana
• 8 years of continuous no-till
• Gradually incorporated 200 acres of annual ryegrass as cover crop
• Gypsum added as a soil amendment to improve soil structure and infiltration
• Tile Nitrogen outflow monitored by a local university because the farm is within a watershed that supplies drinking water to nearby Indianapolis
Lamb Farms , Lebanon, Indiana
• 84% of corn and soybeans are no-till or strip-till
• RTK systems used to apply and manage nutrients
&bul ... more. |
... in the agriculture industry, such as growers, agricultural retailers, members of the media, agricultural and conservation organization representatives, federal and state agency representatives, students and researchers.
Tour high points:
Constructed wetland known as a stormwater treatment area that helps decrease the amount of nutrients in water running off of crop fields
Best Management Practices that agricultural producers can use to keep soil and inputs on their fields
Wooden boxes posted around fields as homes for owls
Sugarcane planting and harvesting
A beautiful view of the sunset over Lake Okeechobee
What you had to say about the tour:
“See ... more. |
Manure Management Planner (MMP) is a Windows-based computer program developed at Purdue University that is used to create manure management plans for crop and animal feeding operations. The user enters information about the operation's fields, crops, storage, animals, and application equipment. MMP helps the user allocate manure (where, when and how much) on a monthly basis for the length of the plan. Purdue's MMP currently supports 34 states. more
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... willing to use cover crops and conservation tillage to ensure the best possible results for these producers.
Social
Farmers will receive regular communications via an email list serve and a comprehensive project web site which will provide useful information from project partners and other farmers. Producers will also be encouraged to participate in additional activities such as the National No till Conference and local conservation agriculture events.
For more information visit the project page or contact Angie Williams at Williams@ctic.org.
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CTIC, in conjunction with U.S. EPA and the Agricultural Drainage Management Coalition (ADMC), will be hosting a Drainage Water Management Certification webinar on July 7, 2022. The webinar will be a 6-hour interactive online training and certification course on planning drainage water management systems.
A total of 5 CEUs will be available for CCAs and PEs. Partial CEUs will be available for completion of session 1, 2, or 3. Upon successful completion of the ... more. |
Nutrient Management Plan Resources
Minnesota’s Nonpoint Source Management Program Plan 2008, Chapter 9
MPCA Phosphorus Strategy
MDA Field Scale Water Quality Demonstrations (Hwy 90 & Red Top Demo site
Nutrient Management Initiative
Southern MN Nutrient Management Resources
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... a user friendly Visual Basic (VB) interface to create a customized spreadsheet-based model in Microsoft (MS) Excel. It computes watershed surface runoff, nutrient loads, including nitrogen, phosphorus, and 5-day biological oxygen demand (BOD 5), and sediment delivery based on various land uses and management practices. The pollutant sources include major nonpoint sources such as cropland, pastureland, farm animals, feedlots, urban runoff, and failing septic systems.
Click here to register.
To download a brochure with agenda and "mail in" registration form click here.
Lodging:
The Place Casino is the closest hotel. Workshop participants are encouraged to stay there. For more information visit their w ... more. |
Animal manure management is a significant challenge for many small dairy farms. One manure management system in limited use is a bedded pack. A bedded pack management system (BPMS) is defined here as a covered barnyard and feeding area that holds a variety of dairy cattle, storing their manure through the accumulation of an unturned bedding of dry material for later use as a nutrient amendment.
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... identify gaps in research and adoption; develop strategies, networks and funding to address those gaps; and ensure beneficial impact of those investments to agriculture, the environment and society.
About the Soil Health Partnership
The Soil Health Partnership is a farmer-led initiative that fosters transformation in agriculture through improved soil health. Administered by the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), the partnership has more than 220 working farms enrolled in 16 states. SHP’s mission is to utilize science and data to partner with farmers who are adopting conservation agricultural practices that improve the economic and environmental sustainability of the farm. For more information, visithttps://soilhealthpartnership.org.
About the Soil ... more. |
... identify gaps in research and adoption; develop strategies, networks and funding to address those gaps; and ensure beneficial impact of those investments to agriculture, the environment and society.
About the Soil Health Partnership
The Soil Health Partnership is a farmer-led initiative that fosters transformation in agriculture through improved soil health. Administered by the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), the partnership has more than 220 working farms enrolled in 16 states. SHP’s mission is to utilize science and data to partner with farmers who are adopting conservation agricultural practices that improve the economic and environmental sustainability of the farm. For more information, visithttps://soilhealthpartnership.org.
About the Soil ... more. |
CTIClinks private businesses, non-profit organizations, associations, and local, state, regional, and federal government agencies to address their common conservation agriculture issues. Our coalition-led initiatives range from small watershed projects to national events and conferences. With strength, wisdom, and knowledge in numbers, CTIC’s coalitions work to disseminate information on new technologies and tools, to ensure conservation agriculture works on the ground.
The Conservation Agriculture Systems Alliance (CASA)unites voluntary producer organizations across North America that share similar missions and goals, encounter similar chal ... more. |
... The company is a leader in crop protection, and ranks third in the high-value commercial seeds market. Sales in 2006 were approximately $8.1 billion. Syngenta employs around 19,500 people in over 90 countries.
INSTITUTIONAL
CropLife America, Gold Institutional Member, is the national trade organization representing the nation's developers, manufacturers, formulators and distributors of plant science solutions for agriculture and pest management in the U.S.
INDIVIDUAL
Harold Reetz
We thank individual member Harold Reetz for his long-standing membership and participation in the Conservation In Action Tour ... more. |
... agricultural advisors, community leaders, and others. RAD Team members will work closely with the research team—and each other—over the next five years to share their insight on research findings, explore policy implications, and envision what the agricultural landscape of the Midwest should look like in the future.
The Diverse Corn Belt project is funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture through an Agriculture and Food Research Initiative competitive grant. Members of the research team represent land grant institutions, federal agencies, and non-profit organizations. CTIC is helping with communications for the project.
Interested farmers and other stakeholders can learn more about the Diverse Corn Belt project at diversecornbelt.org, ... more. |
... agricultural advisors, community leaders, and others. RAD Team members will work closely with the research team—and each other—over the next five years to share their insight on research findings, explore policy implications, and envision what the agricultural landscape of the Midwest should look like in the future.
The Diverse Corn Belt project is funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture through an Agriculture and Food Research Initiative competitive grant. Members of the research team represent land grant institutions, federal agencies, and non-profit organizations. CTIC is helping with communications for the project.
Interested farmers and other stakeholders can learn more about the Diverse Corn Belt project at diversecornbelt.org, ... more. |
CTIC has completed their workwith USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) on a project in support of NWQI. This project identifiedsuccessful watershed management activities that engaged landowners, farmers, and the broader public to protect water quality. Insights developed through this project will inform future NRCS efforts to support local watershed initiatives with technical and financial resources.
As a first step, CTIC convenedwatershed leaders from across the country at five forums to learn from their experience—successful or otherwi ... more. |
... activities include field tours, public meetings, email and website updates, news releases and more.
On-farm demonstrations showcase the latest products, techniques, equipment and tools for resource conservation.With funding from USDA, CTIC will employ tile outlet monitoring to measure water quality.
CTIC and Livingston SWCD partner with Argonne National Laboratories to study the growth and water quality effects of bio-energy crops in the Indian Creek watershed.
Through a USDA Mississippi River Basin Initiative grant, USDA-NRCS and Livingston County SWCD provide financial assistance to farmers implementing best resource management practices.
Every farmer in the watershed will be contacted to implement conservatio ... more. |
Information concerning odor mitigation, storage, nutrient management, and much more are listed here as well as a searchable Environmental Research Database.
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USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
US Environmental Protection Agency
National Association of State Departments of Agriculture
Livestock Waste Management Information for the Midwest - CTIC
International Plant Nutrition Institute—Plant Nutrition Today
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VirtualNational Recreational Water Quality Workshop
April 6-8, 2021
About the Workshop:
This virtual format, 3-day workshop will be a forum for recreational water quality managers, stakeholders, researchers and public health officials at all levels to share information and ideas about implementing a successful recreational water program. The focus of this workshop is on two common challenges in ambi ... more. |
Ag Consultant Training in Systems that Protect Water Quality National Aquatic Resources Workshop National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI)Operational Tillage Information System (OpTIS) Cover Crop Surveys
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The National Aquatic Resource Surveys (NARS) are collaborative programs between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), states and tribes that assess the quality of the nation's inland and coastal waters, providing vital data that can help guide conservation efforts on the landscape.
CTIC works with EPA and its partners on technical training to carry out NARS assessments, and to promote conserv ... more. |
Ag Consultant Training in Systems that Protect Water Quality National Aquatic Resources Workshop National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI) Operational Tillage Information System (OpTIS) Cover Crop Surveys
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Ag Consultant Training in Systems that Protect Water Quality National Aquatic Resources Workshop National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI)Operational Tillage Information System (OpTIS) Cover Crop Surveys
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Ag Consultant Training in Systems that Protect Water Quality National Aquatic Resources Workshop National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI) Operational Tillage Information System (OpTIS) Cover Crop Surveys
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National Coastal Lakes Wetlands R Training
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National Coastal Lakes Wetlands R Training
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The National Aquatic Resource Surveys (NARS) Workshop was co-located witht the 10th National Monitoring Conference in Tampa, Florida.
The dedicated NARS session was held on Friday, May 6, 2016 from 8:00 am - 12:00 pm. Tony Olsen presented and it was recorded as a webinar.
View the agenda.
Download a copy of the slides. (7.5 MB).
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Workshops planned for 2017 and 2018
National Aquatic Resources Workshop
December 5-7, 2017
Silver Springs, MD
Click here for more information.
National Aquatic Resources Workshop
will be held in conjunction with NWQMC
Spring, 2018.
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... Meeting Room CR 17/18
7:30 a.m. - Breakfast with NACD Executive Committee
8:30 a.m. - Board meeting begins
12 p.m. - Lunch
1 p.m. - Board meeting resumes
4 p.m. - Board meeting adjourns
Detailed agenda coming soon.
This meeting is in conjunction with the National Association of Conservation Districts annual meeting. For more information, please click here.
Hotel Information:
Please note there are two Marriott hotels in San Antonio; be sure to make your reservation at the Rivercenter:
Marriott Rivercenter Hotel
101 Bowie Street
San Antonio, TX 78205
210-223-1000
The room rate for a single/double room is $179 per night. This rate may ... more. |
... supporting information about the importance of soil carbon sequestration in conservation agriculture. It is designed to accompany the one-pager and provide additional information to the reader.
What You Can Do
Share both documents with people who can help us put conservation agriculture into action to help address greenhouse gas emissions.
Send it to your local, regional and national political leaders with a personal note urging them to get more information and to take action.
Request personal meetings with decision makers and review the documents with them.
Contact CTIC to view the presentations delivered during the Consultationand complete proceedings.
Organized by:
Conservation Technology Information Center
Food & Agriculture Org ... more. |
The Conservation Technology Information Center, through its partnership with The Fertilizer Institute (TFI), the national trade association representing the U.S. fertilizer industry, has joined a national effort to promote 4R nutrient stewardship.
In March, TFI launched a new website, www.nutrientstewardship.com, to showcase supportive resources and educational tools for the 4R nut
rient stewardship concept which promotes the use of the right fertilizer source, at the right rate, right time and in the ... more. |
www.nrel.gov
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is the nation's primary laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development (R&D). NREL's mission and strategy are focused on advancing the U.S. Department of Energy's and our nation's energy goals.
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National Soil Tilth Laboratory
USDA Agricultural Research Service
Established 1989
Research laboratory within the USDA-ARS organization charged with conducting research on farming systems and their impact on air, soil, and water quality. Multidisciplinary research teams address problems using multiple scales of studies that range from basic laboratory analyses of soils to watershed and regional a ... more. |
... the Farmer’s enrollment of Fields into the Phosphorous Load Reduction Stimulus Program (“PLUS-UP”).
CTIC agreed to pay Farmer $100 per pound of load reductions of dissolved reactive phosphorous based on computer modeling performed by Heidelberg University, compared against a baseline of no Conservation “Practices”: i.e., conventional tillage, no cover crops, and none of any of the other relevant conservation practices employed by the Farmer on the enrolled Fields between harvest of the 2021 crop and planting of the 2022 crop.
Once planting of the 2022 crop has been completed for the enrolled Fields, the Farmer is asked to affirm the conservation practices employed on each Field, using this form. Farmers wishing to receive payment shoul ... more. |
What do farms, water quality and the Great Lakes have in common? They all are helped by cover crops. Through the Great Lakes Cover Crop Initiative, CTIC and partners planted 36,970 acres of cover crops, providing many benefits to farmers in the Great Lakes region. Hear from three farmers in the Great Lakes basin, a researcher on Lake Erie and a Michigan State University Extension educator as they present "The Cover Crop Story."
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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 ... more. |
The objectives of this study were to determine if a rye (Secale cereale L.) cover crop increases N retention after soil application of swine lagoon slurry.
<span style="font-size:11.0pt; line-height:115%;Calibri" ,"sans-serif";times="" new="" roman";times="" roman";"="">Cover crop effects on the fate of N following soil application of swine manure
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Cover crops help control erosion, prevent nutrient leaching, fix nitrogen, improve sail conditions, and protect seedlings, but also use water, thus affecting soil water relationships far the next crop.
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;Calibri" ,"sans-serif";times="" new="" roman";times="" roman";"="">Cover crop ... more. |
Increase soil organic matter
Increase infiltration of water into the soil
Decrease runoff to nearby waterways
Decrease soil erosion and transport to nearby waterways
Conserve soil moisture
Reduce soil compaction
Increase nutrient availability to the crop
Reduce nitrate leaching to groundwater
Supply nitrogen to following crop
Suppress weeds, potential reducing the need for herbicides
Suppress soil-born diseases and nematodes, potentially reducing the need for insecticides
Attract beneficial insects such as pollinators
Increase yields of the following crop
Improve soil quality
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Tuesday, August 25th
9am to 5pm
East Main Street Christian Church
Elwood, Indiana
Presentations from the meeting are below:
Cover Crops, No-till, and Soil Quality, Dan Towery
Indiana Specific Niches, Dave Robison
You have heard about the benefits of cover crops, now learn how to make them work! Spend the day with an all star cast of speakers from Purdue University, NRCS, Michigan State University, CISCO seeds and Ag Conservation Solutions and learn how to use cover crops on your operation.
The Conservation Technol ... more. |
Establishing a variety of plants that furnish food for wildlife.
How it works
Food plots may be established either within an existing crop field or in a separate location. You may simply leave four rows of corn or other crops standing after harvest to provide food for wildlife over the winter. Or you may plant a small plot elsewhere. These plots help wildlife through the winter when food supplies are in short supply.
How it helps
Standing crops with unharvested grain give food to wildlife that may
otherwise not be accessib ... more. |
... for vegetation type, herbaceous net primary productivity (NPP), herbaceous NPP trends, and herbaceous NPP deviation from what would be expected based on weather alone.
Remote-sensing derived, CONUS-wide grassland data for various vegetation type and health metrics. Data are currently available for the years 2015-2021. The vegetation health data are available at the watershed (HUC8) and Crop Reporting District (CRD) geographic scales.
Explore the Vegetation Types and Productivity
Vegetation Types
Annual average plant functional type (PFT) by HUC8 and CRD for years spanning 2015 to 2021.
PFTs include: Annual Forbs & Grasses, Perennial Forbs & Grasses, Shrubs, Trees, and Bare Ground.
View Data
Data Release April 2024
Herbaceous NPP
He ... more. |
... The soil and GHG outcomes (methane, as well as indirect and direct nitrous oxide) are based on the use of the practice-adoption data as input to the DNDC model. Data are currently available for the years 2015-2021.
The Denitrification-Decomposition (DNDC) model was used to simulate carbon and nitrogen soil dynamics as a function of the soil health management practices monitored by OpTIS (crop diversity, conservation tillage, and cover crops). As with previous releases, all data are undergoing various forms of peer review and may be updated in the future. If you see a region that is "grayed-out," that means there were insufficient data available for the DNDC model to be run.
Explore the Cropland DNDC Modeling Results
Cropland DNDC Modeling
Data are av ... more. |
40 YEARS OF CONSERVATION IN ACTION
In 2022, the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) is celebrating 40 years of Conservation in Action. That's four decades of bringing a wide range of people to the table to explore conservation farming systems from nearly every angle. Forty years of growth and expansion...from our early projects promoting no-till to our current programs that help farmers, conservationists, agrib ... more. |
... supply chain participants," said Komp. "Through this partnership with farmers, researchers, market makers, and nonprofits, we will create the ability to quantify and reward farmers for their reductions in phosphorus loss. With all the issues related to water quality in the Western Lake Erie Basin, we hope to drive improvements through this market-based effort.”
Cover Crop Connections
The project will encourage farmers in the Maumee and Sandusky river basins to reduce P loads by 40 percent using subsurface application, cover crops, and buffer strips. Through educational materials, workshops, and one-on-one training, CTIC, The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) and the Soil Health Partnership (SHP) will provide technical support to farmers on sustainable nutrient managem ... more. |
Cover crops are among the most exciting and most complex conservation systems on today's agricultural landscape. CTIC and its partners have been at the forefront of exploring, demonstrating, and promoting cover crops to help make them as effective as possible.
Bee Integrated Demonstration Project
CTIC is supporting this Honey Bee Health Coalition led effort to bring together beekeepers and farmers ... more. |
A Review of BMPs for Managing Crop Nutrients and Conservation Tillage to Improve Water Quality
This publication will review research on nutrient management BMPs for the two nutrients of major concern, Nitrogen and Phosphorus, with an emphasis on integrating BMPs with conservation tillage.
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... application to fields.
How it works
Taking a representative sample from stored manure and sending it to an approved lab for analysis to determine nutrient content is the first step in a manure management system. This data is used to match application rates to plant nutrient needs and soil test data.
How it helps
Manure testing and proper application to the land can reduce crop input costs.
Preventing over-application of manure to crop fields results in improved water quality.
Planning ahead
What form of manure do you plan to apply?
Have you calibrated your spreader to apply the volume of manure called for according to plant needs and nutrient value of manure?
Have you reduced commercial fertilizer use after accounting for nutrients supplied by manure?
W ... more. |
... data along with fertilizer rate and other data including field observations and soil and plant analysis and we used the Crop Nutrient Response Tool* to determine the maximum economic rate of nitrogen: 212 pounds per acre.
We encourage other farmers in the watershed to adopt this approach to collecting information critical to making fully informed nitrogen management decisions.
*International Plant Nutrition Institute designed the Crop Nutrient Response Tool to assist interpretation and record-keeping for on-farm field crop trials involving multiple rates of any added nutrient. It provides the an estimate of optimum rate for a single-year response - the most economic rate (MERN) at which it is profitable to apply a purchased nutrient - from limited data. It can also estimate several b ... more. |
Evaluating and using a tailored pest management system to reduce crop and environmental damages. Scouting is done to identify insects, weeds and diseases.
How it works
Crops are scouted to determine type of pests—insects, weeds and diseases—and the
stage of development. The pot ... more. |
... a pilot site for ISS, has entered the process and hopes to receive a permit soon.
Other components of the process, both liquid and solid, are considered manure by regulators, he notes, and must be stored according to state and federal regulations.
When it comes to applying the by-products to fields, says Vrieze, “we'll work with the farm's crop consultant to make sure that the nutrients you're partitioning are going in the right directions and that the applications fit into your nutrient management plan.”
Ultra-filtration uses super-fine membranes to remove suspended particles - which contain nearly all of the P and about half of the N in manure - and creates "tea water" that dairy pr ... more. |
During the first 3-4 years of a no-till system, the soil biology and chemistry undergoes several significant changes.
No-Till Management- Nitrogen Management
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The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) and Conservation Information Technology Center (CTIC) partnered to provide information to watershed professionals throughout the state of Indiana. Below you can find agendas and presentations from those events.
Managing Runoff Networking Session
December 2009
Presentations
Riparian Forest Buffers
Wetland and Stream Restoration
2 Stage Ditch ... more. |
The No-Till 2011 Conference is a program of innovative speakers providing for maximum interaction between agriculture professionals ranging from producers to industry experts. No-Till 2011 is a conference designed to bring the latest developments in no-till cropping systems to interested farmers and ranchers from Oklahoma and surrounding states.
For more details, view the conference brochure.
Below is an outline of topics to be covered at this year's No-Till Conference:
Soil Fertility
Cover Crops
No-Till Cotton Production
Intensifying the Rotation with Double-Crops
On-Farm Research Session ... more. |
Conference Presentations from Feb. 18, 2010
Phosphorus Management
- Dr. Albert Sims, University of Minnesota
Agriculture and the Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Issue
- Dr. C.S. Snyder, International Plant Nutrition Institute
On-Farm Evaluation of Nitrogen and Phosphorous Nutrient Management
- Brian Williams, Minnesota Department of Ag
Where the City Meets the Farm: a Case Study of Drainage and Water Quality
- Dr. John F. Moncrief, University of Minnesota
Nitrogen Management to Minimize Nitrate Losses to Water Resources
- Jeff Vetsch, University of Minnesota
... more. |
The Wisconsin Soil Nutrient Application Program (SNAP-Plus) is a Windows-based software package for developing N and P based nutrient management plans that meet the Wisconsin 590 Nutrient Management Standard. In addition to creating a nutrient management plan, SNAP-Plus integrates the Wisconsin P Index and uses RUSLE2 to access soil loss based on the rotation entered.
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The Upper Wabash Nutrient Management Coalition is working with the Grand Lake/Wabash Watershed Alliance (GLWWA) to collect data on swine manure nutrient content.
The GLWWA’s watershed action plan, endorsed by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, includes objectives related to agriculture. Many focus on reducing nutrient loading to streams. Nutrient loads can be reduced by ... more. |
... environmental sustainability goals.
Hall of Fame
Frank Lessiter has served as editor of No-Till Farmer for 51 years, since the publication was launched in 1972. He and wife, Pam, acquired No-Till Farmer and established Lessiter Media in Brookfield, Wis., to acquire the magazine in 1981. Today, the 40-person company also publishes Strip-Till Farmer and Cover Crop Strategies and has run the National No-Tillage Conference since 1993.
The Conservation in Action tour is a homecoming for Lessiter, who was raised on a 6-generation Michigan Centennial Farm in Lake Orion, Mich., which he and his son Mike visited the week of the award ceremony. Lessiter is a dairy science graduate from Michigan State University.
Lessiter's contributions to conservation ag’s adoption are profound. He ... more. |
... Louis Frontenac in St. Louis at a special rate of $138 per night for September 12 & 13. The registration web page includes a link for online booking of rooms at the discount rate.
Current sponsors of the 2022 Conservation in Action Tour include Ruby level sponsors Mosaic, Syngenta and the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, Diamond-level sponsor John Deere, Platinum sponsor National Corn Growers Association and Silver sponsors Case IH and Nutrien.
The tour and celebration offer further sponsorship opportunities—high-visibility events with engaged participants, great speakers representing the agriculture industry, the research community and government sector, and a big media splash in support of our 40th Anniversary. Sponsoring the program is also ... more. |
Who: Wye Mills, MD
What: March 4-5, 2009
Where: Chesapeake College
Together with its partners, Environmental Trading Network, the International Certified Crop Advisers, the Water Environment Federation, and the Maryland Departments of Agriculture and the Environment, the Conservation Technology Information Center hosted this interactive event as part of Maryland’s public outreach on its newly developed nonpoint-source trading program.
Water quality trading is a market-based approach to improve water quality. It is an innovat ... more. |
... programs by creating a one-stop shop for farmers, ranchers and advisers. The CTIC Conservation Connector, now in development, is bringing conservation programs and local technical assistance to producers on a single platform.
Conservation Starts Here
There's nothing else like it. TheConservation Connector directory allows users to search programs by crop, conservation practice, and geography, allowing producers to find local programs that fit their operation, and more importantly, connectwith local contacts for technical support and guidance to help them be successful.
We're bringing awareness to a fragmented ecosystem and helping farmers access the historic funding and diversity of programs in the marketplace by making theCons ... more. |
Celebrating Agriculture, Wildlife and Rural Traditions
Hosted in Conjunction with the 17th Annual CTIC Conservation In Action Tour
12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, June 10th 2024
This free, interactive, in-person event will take place at theDucks Unlimited National Headquarters, where you'll be surrounded by like-minded individuals who share your passion for conservation. Limited to 50 attendees, don't miss out on this unique opportunity to connect with fellow farmers and learn from the experts!
Workshop Agenda
11:30 Registration & Optional Tour of HQ (30 minutes)
12:00 Steak Lunch from Black Leg Ranch – A Conservation Award Winni ... more. |
... waters, is detailed in this interactive story map.
CTIC and The Andersons will host a 4Rs Nutrient Stewardship meeting in Maumee, Ohio, on August 23. A PLUS-UP stakeholder workshop will be held the following day in Toledo, Ohio. Watch this link for details.
With a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, CTIC and our partners at Heidelberg University's National Center for Water Quality Research, St. Mary's University of Minnesota, and the Bayer Carbon Program developed a credit-based system to raise and disburse stimulus funds that help farmers cover the cost and management of practices that reduce phosphorus loads. The Bayer Carbon Program underwrote the DRP credits.
"Our goal with the PLUS-UP pilot project has been to develop an ... more. |
... reducing DRP in surface waters, The Bayer Carbon Program stepped up to underwrite the DRP credits. In turn, we are delivering those funds to program farmers as stimulus payments for no-till and cover crops—two practices that can significantly reduce the off-farm movement of dissolved reactive phosphorus.
PLUS-UP is driven by science. Our partners at Heidelberg University's National Center for Water Quality Research are using data from each participating farm to model the amount of DRP that is being retained on PLUS-UP fields. Based on those results, the farmers will be paid for the DRP that they didn't release into the waterways.
The payments to individual farmers are relatively modest: we estimate they will average about $3 per acre for no-till, $5 per acr ... more. |
... reducing DRP in surface waters, The Bayer Carbon Program stepped up to underwrite the DRP credits. In turn, we are delivering those funds to program farmers as stimulus payments for no-till and cover crops—two practices that can significantly reduce the off-farm movement of dissolved reactive phosphorus.
PLUS-UP is driven by science. Our partners at Heidelberg University's National Center for Water Quality Research are using data from each participating farm to model the amount of DRP that is being retained on PLUS-UP fields. Based on those results, the farmers will be paid for the DRP that they didn't release into the waterways.
The payments to individual farmers are relatively modest: we estimate they will average about $3 per acre for no-till, $5 per acr ... more. |
The team at the National Center for Water Quality Research at Heidelberg University is using the Nutrient Tracking Tool, or NTT, to model the effects of conservation practices on dissolved reactive phosphorus on each field enrolled in PLUS-UP. Developed by the Texas Institute for Applied Environmental Research at Tarleton State University, NTT is a powerful tool for estimating the nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment losses ... more. |
Click on any of the links below for full video coverage of each of the presentations in the two-day program.
There's More Where That Came From: The Need for Conservation
Mike Taylor, Farmer, Helena, Arkansas
Selecting the Right Practices
John Lee, USDA NRCS National Water Management Center, Little Rock, Arkansas
Resources for Technical Support
Keith Scoggins, USDA NRCS District Conservationist, Wynne, Arkansas
Selecting A Contractor
Keith Scoggins, USDA NRCS District Conservationist, Wynne, Arkansas
Arkansas’ Nutrient Reduction Strategy
Ken Brazil, Arkansas Natural Resources Commission, Lit ... more. |
... awareness of the benefits of conservation, providing detailed information on successful implementation of practices, and sharing perspective on the needs and real-world challenges facing farmers trying to protect soil, water and air quality as well as their economic sustainability.
Watershed Success Forums
Working with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) through the National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI), CTIC is identifying successful watershed management activities that engage landowners, farmers, and the broader public to protect water quality. Five forums in five states are yielding a guide for NRCS, partners and stakeholders on organizing local watershed groups and creating successful watershed products. The guide, being prepared by Dr. Linda Prokopy of Purdue ... more. |
CTIC is working with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to improve the effective engagement by NRCS in delivering watershed projects and to enhance the agency's ability to communicate the issues and success of watershed projects. This project is identifying successful watershed management activities that engage landowners, farmers, and the broader public to protect water quality. Insights developed through this project will inform future NRCS efforts to support local watershed initiatives with technical and financial resources.
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Information concerning odor mitigation, storage, nutrient management, and much more are listed here as well as a searchable Environmental Research Database.
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CTIC Institutional Gold Member, CropLife America, is the national trade organization representing the nation's developers, manufacturers, formulators and distributors of plant science solutions for agriculture and pest management in the U.S. To find out more about CropLife America, visit www.croplifeamerica.org
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... to the Agricultural Research Service (ARS).This may be an option for reducing nutrient delivery to the Chesapeake Bay and other water bodies. More...
Natural Resources Inventory Details Trends in Conservation Agriculture
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently released new data on soil erosion and development trends on non-federal lands. This latest National Resources Inventory (NRI), focused onthe years between 1982 and 2007,highlights data suggesting thatthat soil erosion has decreased 43 percent over the past 25 years. More...
Propane Heat for Weed Control
According to the Propane Education and Research Council (PERC), propane-fueled heat offers a chemical-free weed and insect control alternative for organic ... more. |
... Past Chair; Foundation for Agronomic Research's Dr. Harold Reetz is First Vice Chair; Agri Drain's Charles Schafer is Second Vice Chair; Osborn & Barr Communication's Neil Caskey is Secretary; and Monsanto's Jim Hudson is Treasurer. Both Neil and Jim are new to the Executive Board.
In addition to electing a new Executive Board, the CTIC membership renewed the term of National Corn Growers Association's Rod Snyder and elected a new member to CTIC's Board of Directors, CropLife America's Allan Noe. Mosaic's Ron Olson rotated off the Executive Board as Secretary and will continue to serve as a board member.
We owe many thanks to Agri-Pulse Communication's Sara Wyant who served on the board since 2006 and did not seek re-election, and to long-tim ... more. |
... systems, and being sure to prevent discharges into waters of the state or U.S., can keep a producer from having to apply for an NPDES permit.
The livestock industry’s intense interest in upcoming revisions to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) livestock water quality rule has renewed talk about the need for large Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) to apply for National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits. Set to limit the discharges of pathogens, ammonia and other water quality parameters like biological oxygen demand, NPDES permits put the livestock operations, at some levels, in the same category as industrial facilities like wastewater treatment plants or paper mills.
The NPDES program covers approximately 15,500 CAFOs, which account ... more. |
... using data from the Operational Tillage Information System (OpTIS) to help model water quality. Register here for the webinar and question-and-answer session with the panel.
Speakers during the live, hour-long "OpTIS 3.0: Unlocking Water Quality Insights" program will include:
Dr. Asmita Murumkar, The Ohio State University, using OpTIS data on tillage and cover crops in their modeling work in Ohio's Upper Scioto River watershed and Maumee basin.
Soren Rundquist, Regrow Ag, with updates on cover crop trends from 2015 to 2021, derived from Regrow’s proprietary and recently improved OpTIS algorithm. OpTIS utilizes publicly available satellite imagery to track tillage practices and cover crop adoption around the globe.
Dr. Dave Gustafson, Conservat ... more. |
This is your chance to get a (virtual) front row seat for the latest OpTIS research updates! Since you last joined us for an OpTIS webinar, we’ve added data for 2019-2020 and even more states.
We’ll be joined by Prof. Roderick Rejesus of NC State as he’ll describe how he used remote sensing data from OpTIS to study the impact of crop insurance programs on cover crop use. The Operational Tillage Information System (OpTIS), a Regrow technology (https://www.regrow.ag), uses satellite data and a sophisticated algorithm to monitor conservation practices in agricultural systems, including reduced tillage and winter cover crops.
This free webinar event wouldn’t be complete without hearing from Soren Rundquist (Reg ... more. |
Working closely with US EPA, CTIC is taking the agency's three-day National Recreational Water Quality Workshop virtual this year. Click here for the agenda.
The workshop provides a nationwide forum for recreational water quality managers, stakeholders, researchers and public health officials at all levels to share information and ideas about implementing successful recreational water quality programs. The program will focus on fecal contamination and ... more. |
For four decades, CTIC has brought a remarkable range of people to the table to talk about conservation agriculture. Nowhere else is there such a great opportunity to meet policy makers, agribusiness leaders, farmers, researchers, conservation specialists, crop consultants and others...all drawn together by a mutual interest in conservation technologies that are better for farmers and better for the environment.
CTIC is a membership organization, which means your membership—your participation and your dues—keep the doors open. You also give us our momentum, driving us forward on our mission to Connect, Inform and Champi ... more. |
Cover crops offer a wide range of benefits to farmers, from erosion control to soil building to capturing nutrients and holding them in the root zone over the winter. As interest in cover crops continues to grow, it’s important to understand the trends, opportunities and challenges surrounding these important tools. Insight from farmers who use cover crops—or from those who haven’t yet mad ... more. |
... to Vice Chair Mark Schmidt, Treasurer Mark White, and the entire CTIC Board of Directors. The CTIC staff have also been a true joy to get to know, and I look forward to continuing to work alongside these dedicated professionals – now in the role of OpTIS Project Director.
As I pass the CTIC reins to Mike, I offer some parting thoughts on the future of conservation in US row crop agriculture. In doing so, I realize some of what I have to say could be regarded as controversial, so let me be very clear that these are my words alone, and not those of CTIC. There’s good news and bad news. The good news is that practices like cover crops and continuous no-till have tremendous potential to deliver a future of improved soil and water conservation outcomes. But the bad news ... more. |
Cover Crop Webinars (Cisco Seeds)
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Cover crops can provide a multitude of environmental benefits, including reducing soil erosion, minimizing nitrogen leaching, and increasing soil carbon storage (Delgado et al. 2007; Singer et al. 2007; Hargrove 1991).
Anderson-Wilk, M. 2008. The gap between cover crop knowledge and practice. J. Soil Water Conserv. 63(4):96A.
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Cover crops alter many aspects of the hydrologic cycle.
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;Calibri" ,"sans-serif";times="" new="" roman";times="" roman";"="">Cover crop impacts on watershed hydrology.
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Maintaining environmental quality implies sustainable agricultural production systems that preserve and prated soil resources.
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;Calibri" ,"sans-serif";times="" new="" roman";times="" roman";"="">Cover crop and soil quality interactions in agroecosystems.
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This study evaluated how winter cover crops with various applied nitrogen rates affect net revenue and risk from no-tillage corn production.
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;Calibri" ,"sans-serif";times="" new="" roman";times="" roman";"="">Stochastic dominance analysis of winter cover crop and nitrogen fertilizer systems for no-tillage corn. ... more. |
CTIC's cover crop projects are working with numerous partners to bring quality field days to producers throughout our project areas. Click here to find details about the many events.
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CTIC Gold Corporate Member, Mosaic, is the world's leading producer and marketer of comcentrated phosphate and potash, two of the primary nutrients required to grow the food the world needs. Their business engages in every phase of crop nutrition development, from the mining of resources to the production of crop nutrients, feed and industrial products for customers around the globe. Their customer base includes wholesalers, retail dealers, and individual growers in more than 40 countries.
Headquartered in Plymouth, Minnesota, Mosaic employs approximately 7,400 people in eight countries. Their shares t ... more. |
... and report results as producers begin the transition in spring. Next year, we'll offer workshops and networking meetings to spark new ideas and information exchange among producers, consultants and researchers.
Just last month, CTIC partnered with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to host the Conservation Agriculture Carbon Offset Consultation, an international conference that explored conservation agriculture's role in mitigating climate change. During this working meeting (access here) , researchers and practitioners from around the world focused on science, economics, brainstorming and collaboration about carbon trading. The three-day event yielded some very significant conclusions:
• There is good science to describe and quantify th ... more. |
No Tillage: The relationship between no tillage, crop residues, plants and soil nutrition
Expands the breadth and depth of knowledge of the no-till system offers new ideas to those who are ready to move into the next level of conservation tillage systems. To order online, click here.
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... agriculture and advising the local FFA chapter, Elise lived and worked in New Zealand for a year. There, she traveled throughout the country, working on sheep and dairy farms and research stations. She also visited several countries in Asia and Europe on her way back to the U.S.
Her most recent work includes farm broadcasting and podcasting, as well as writing for several state and national publications.
Along with her husband, active sheepdog, and many barn cats, Elise raises sheep, Christmas trees, goats, and llamas on her family’s farm.
Teagan Duffy
WI Soil Health Specialist
Teagan was raised in south-eastern Wisconsin where her love for the land began with a childhood filled with time spent outdoors hiking, camping, and kayaking. She went on to get a ... more. |
... "Conservation farming remains a dynamic, exciting, hot-button topicwith a significant societal impact within the farm community and well beyond it. Like CTIC,conservationhas grown to encompass the latest science around carbon capture, soil health, remote sensing,andmore."
The Conservation Technology Information Center brings together farmers, crop advisers, policymakers, agribusiness leaders, conservation personnel, researchers and othersinterested in systems that help make farmers more economically and environmentally sustainable. Current projectsinclude:
•The Operational Tillage Information System (OpTIS), which uses satellite imagery and a specialalgorithmto documentthe adoption of soil-buildi ... more. |
... "Conservation farming remains a dynamic, exciting, hot-button topicwith a significant societal impact within the farm community and well beyond it. Like CTIC,conservationhas grown to encompass the latest science around carbon capture, soil health, remote sensing,andmore."
The Conservation Technology Information Center brings together farmers, crop advisers, policymakers, agribusiness leaders, conservation personnel, researchers and othersinterested in systems that help make farmers more economically and environmentally sustainable. Current projectsinclude:
•The Operational Tillage Information System (OpTIS), which uses satellite imagery and a specialalgorithmto documentthe adoption of soil-buildi ... more. |
... helps consultants become even more valuable to the farmers they serve, and could also help them find ways to work conservation systems into their own business plans," he adds.
Speakers at the Des Moines training included:
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, who welcomed the group
Jason Gomes, CCA, of North Iowa Agronomy Partners, exploring the role of crop advisers in conservation planning
Greg Wandrey of The Nature Conservancy, outlining training resources offered by the 4R Plus program
Robert Mier, resource conservationist for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, detailing conservation incentive programs in Iowa
Keegan Kult of the Ag Drainage Management Coalition, describing conservation practices and programs for tile drained l ... more. |
CTIC's far-reaching Economic, Agronomic and Environmental Benefits of Cover Crops project - commonly called "Let's Do The Math on Cover Crops" - is in the final stage of pulling together data on the impact of cover crops on honey bee habitat. With data from The Ohio State University, CTIC will soon provide insight into cost-effective opportunities to provide pollinator forage on agricultural landscapes.
In the meantime, the ... more. |
... to protect the fragile system from excess nutrients and sediments flowing in from a 64,000-square-mile watershed that reaches all the way into New York State. Area farmers have become experts in managing nutrients at every level, from applying manure and commercial fertilizer to minimizing runoff from their fields.
In addition to perspectives on innovative practices from a range of crop, dairy and poultry producers, Conservation in Action Tour participants heard from Hoopers Island Oyster Company co-founder Johnny Shockley and Oyster Recovery Partnership fisheries scientist Julie Reichert-Nguyen. The shellfish experts described not only how agricultural practices impact oyster fisheries in the Bay, but also how oysters play a role in reducing nutrient levels in the system and co ... more. |
Dan Forgey, farm manager at Cronin Farms in South Dakota, has been using no-till management for more than 17 years. Over that time, Forgey has developed a keen understanding of how his farming system works and where new challenges and opportunities exist.
The Next Step: Adding Cover Crop to a No-Till System (Video)
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Innovative Cropping Systems Incentive Program (ICS)
Established 1996
ICS is a cooperative program that strives to furnish incentives that advance cropping management systems that offer efficiencies in crop production and enhance pollution reduction performance. ICS adoption incentives include outreach, technical transfer, education, demonstration, research, cooperation, development, partnerships and finan ... more. |
... In addition to these information development and dissemination goals, we have also been pursuing means and opportunities for increasing the adoption of CT in California.
This workgroup directly addresses the following DANR program priorities:
1) Issue 1. Productivity and Efficiency of Agriculture. Actions 1, 2 and 3 by evaluating and developing comprehensive management systems for crop health and soil quality, and for potentially increasing the water use efficiency of a variety of cropping systems throughout the state by the use of reduced tillage practices.
2) Issue 3. Environmental Quality and Resource Conservation. Actions 1, 5 and 6 by evaluating and developing production systems that may improve input use efficiencies, conserve soil quality and reduce health and envir ... more. |
Register today to earn 4 nutrient management CEUs free!
Visit ctic.org for the full agenda.
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... Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) grant by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This grant will be used launch a brand-new program to compensate farmers for conservation practices that reduce phosphorus loading into western Lake Erie—market-based compensation that could include payment for practices already in place.
On June 30, 2020, we brought together farmers, crop advisers, commodity groups and other farm organizations, academia, for a web conference on how to shape this program to make it both farmer-friendly and attractive to credits buyers. Slides from that discussion are available here.
Big Pine Watershed Water Quality Metric Trial
C is assisting Field to Market with a small-scale pilot of an improved water quality metric for Field to M ... more. |
... 20 hosted by John Deere at the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates in downtown Des Moines.
On-Farm Installation Site
Among the highlights of the tour on August 21 will be a visit to an in-progress, on-farm installation of a wood chip bioreactor near Nevada, Iowa. With insight from Keegan Kult of the Ag Drainage Management Coalition and Sean McMahon of the Iowa Agricultural Water Alliance, the stop is sure to uncover deep insight into these ingenious nitrogen-capturing systems.
Later in the day-long tour, the group will visit the Iowa Land Improvement Contractors Association (LICA) Farm near Melbourne, Iowa. The 80-acre field is a demonstratio ... more. |
... quantitative market feasibility analysis.
We are in the process of understanding both point source nutrient contributions and nonpoint source agricultural contributions to the Wabash River watershed project area. These sources are potential water quality trading credit buyers and sellers. We will use the data provided by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, as well as local extension offices and producers, to compile an inventory of potential buyers and sellers with their respective pollutant load contributions to the Wabash River watershed project area.
In addition, we are compiling an analysis of water quality trading drivers. This analysis will identify numeric TMDL targets for point and nonpoint sources, watershed manag ... more. |
Nitrogen fertilizer costs remain volatile but continue to be one of the most expensive variable costs for corn.
Purdue Nitrogen Management Update for Indiana (revised N recommendations from Tri-State Fert Recs)
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Our demonstrations illustrate the 4 Rs of nutrient management:
Right Source
Right Rate
Right Place
Right Time
We demonstrate management systems-- not individual practices.
We measure practice success through agronomic yield, economic sustainability, nutrient use efficiency and water quality impacts.
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The goal of IMMAG is to identify and share manure management information and educational programs, which can be used by producers, technical agencies, educational institutions, researchers, and the general public.
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The purpose of this Air Management Practices Assessment Tool is to guide you through a process of determining which mitigation practices are best suited to your operation and your objectives. The website is organized into four air emissions of interest: dust (particulates), odor, ammonia, and hydrogen sulfide. Within each gas or emittent, sources of emission are categorized by housing, manure storage, or land application.
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... Service, the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control, and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. The team was assembled in 1998 to comply with State Regulation R.61-43, which states:
100.190.A An operator of a new or existing swine facility, lagoon, manure storage pond, or manure utilization area shall complete a training program on the operation of swine manure management created by Clemson University.
200.190.A An operator of an animal facility or manure utilization area shall attend a training program on the operation of animal manure management under the program created by Clemson University.
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The purpose of this Ohio Livestock Manure Management Guide is to help farmers utilize manure as a resource while at the same time protecting our shared environment. A guiding principal for the writers of this edition of Bulletin 604 was to address the needs of both large and small livestock producers. This updated edition contains new and expanded sections.
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... projects administered by CTIC.
Qualifications
Journalism or communications degree; or relative, adequate experience
Knowledge of agriculture and conservation issues
Ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of audiences
Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and thrive in fast-paced environment
Organizational and time management skills
Proficiency in Microsoft Office 2010 and Adobe Design Premium CS4 Suite
Familiarity with web site development and content management
Self-motivation to work independently as well as social skills to work in team environment
To apply, send resume and at least three writing samples to
Amber Gritter
Conservation Technology Information Center
3495 ... more. |
Many low-cost manure management publications are available from the MidWest Plan Service, a university-based publishing cooperative dedicated to publishing and disseminating research-based, peer-reviewed, practical, and affordable publications that support the outreach missions of the 12 North Central Region land grant universities plus the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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CNMPs are very important resources. They provide valuable natural resource management information and help farmers and ranchers comply with water quality regulations. The final EPA regulation for CAFOs and recent public pressure elevate the importance of this NRCS planning assistance. You are encouraged to emphasize this importance and continue to communicate and collaborate with livestock and poultry industry producers and representatives.
Contact. Additional copies may be orde ... more. |
... Service, the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control, and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. The team was assembled in 1998 to comply with State Regulation R.61-43, which states:
100.190.A An operator of a new or existing swine facility, lagoon, manure storage pond, or manure utilization area shall complete a training program on the operation of swine manure management created by Clemson University.
200.190.A An operator of an animal facility or manure utilization area shall attend a training program on the operation of animal manure management under the program created by Clemson University.
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In Illinois, there are three different manure management plans that a livestock facility might need to have. University of Illinois Extension has worked with Illinois Department of Agriculture, Illinois Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to develop one website of step-by-step instructions that, if completed, will comply with the needs of all three agencies.
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Initiatives, publications, and opportunities for multi-state collaboration in animal waste management.
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Design of manure storage and treatment facilities requires an understanding of the operation involved in food animal production and engineering design principles. It also requires access to manure production data, as well as reporting and presentation software to put it all together. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service created the Animal Waste Management computer program to bring all of these features together.
This software has been used by consultants and government technical service providers for a number of years in designing storage and treatment facilities for animal production operations all over the country. The 2008 EPA CAFO rules cite this tool as part of the procedure to determine if a facility will discharge animal waste.
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Conservation Tillage Systems and Management Handbook
The 29 chapters not only cover a broad range of topics, but the authors represent all regions of the United States. The right book for those with a basic understanding of conservation tillage who want to expand their technical knowledge.
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Agricultural biotechnology delivers more than just streamlined pest management options or the promise of healthier, higher quality crops. Biotech-derived crops allow growers to adopt sustainable farming practices ranging from conservation tillage to integrated pest management. Those practices protect soil, water and air quality and allow producers to sustain our natural resources as well as our lives and lifestyles.
The Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC), with funding from the United Soybean Board, has produce ... more. |
Past Projects
CTIC and its partners lead projects at the local, regional and national level to address agriculture's pressing conservation needs. Each projectincludes public and private sector partners, shares information about new technology and tools, and promotes agricultural systems that are both economically viable and environmentally beneficial.
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Helpful Links
CTIC and its partners lead projects at the local, regional and national level to address agriculture's pressing conservation needs. Each projectincludes public and private sector partners, shares information about new technology and tools, and promotes agricultural systems that are both economically viable and environmentally beneficial.
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... agriculture across Michigan, along with program and policy recommendations. The speakers represent a diverse project team in Michigan that has been working since 2017 to address policy, economic, and structural barriers that are inhibiting broader adoption of conservation agriculture in the state.
This webinar will act as an introduction to our tour and help familiarize our national attendees with conservation agriculture in Michigan.
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... Frankenmuth at a special tour rate for July 10 & 11. The registration web page includes a link for online booking of rooms at the discount rate.
The tour and celebration also offer sponsorship opportunities—high-visibility events with engaged participants, great speakers representing the agriculture industry, the research community and government sector, as well as national publicity. Sponsoring the program is also a great way to support CTIC’s future. For details on sponsorship, contact Ryan Heiniger atheiniger@ctic.org.
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The Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC)was formed in 1982 to support the widespread use of economically and environmentally beneficial agricultural systems.
Members of CTIC, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, include farmers, policy makers, regulators, academic researchers, agribusiness leaders, conservation group personnel, farm media, and others. The organization is supported by the U.S. Environmental Pro ... more. |
... beneficial.
Provide Information
CTIC is a clearinghouse of information on conservation agriculture. We can help you find documents, data, and links on a wide range of practices and systems.
Our Climate Commitment
Having served since 1982 as one of the nation’s leading proponents for the adoption of agricultural conservation practices (e.g. no-till and cover crops) that are now known to have major climate benefits, we have played a direct role in US row crop farmers sequestering or avoiding at least 50 million metric tons of CO2e annually, for a cumulative total of more than 2 gigatons over our first four decades of operation. CTIC will continue to advance practical systems that improve soil health and water quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, enhan ... more. |
... is holding a CTIC room block at the special rate of $138 per night. The $275 registration fee includes the 40th Anniversary celebration, bus transportation, stops and meals.
Sponsors of this year's Conservation in Action Tour include:
Ruby Sponsors: Syngenta, The Mosaic Company, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
Diamond Sponsor: John Deere
Platinum Sponsor: National Corn Growers Association
Silver Sponsors: Nutrien, Case IH
Sponsorship opportunities are available. Contact Crystal Hatfield for details at hatfield@ctic.org.
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... reactive phosphorus in the Western Lake Erie Basin.
Here are the highlights, by the numbers:
10 growers in the Maumee, Sandusky, and Cedar-Portage watersheds signed up
5,000 acres enrolled in PLUS-UP
Bayer Carbon Program underwrites DRP credits
Participating farmers are sharing field data from the 2021 cropping season and the winter of 2021-2022 with the National Center for Water Quality Research at Heidelberg University. The Heidelberg team will use those details to calculate the effect of each farmer's conservation practices on dissolved reactive phosphorus loading in the watershed. Farmers will be paid according to the amount of DRP their conservation practices retained on their land.
For our inaugural year, we chose to focus on cover ... more. |
CTIC
National Water Quality Research Center, Heidelberg University
Geospatial Services, St. Mary's University of Minnesota
Bayer Carbon Program
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Download the Abstract Book & Poster Session Presenter List
Get your copy of the Virtual National Recreational Water Quality Workshop Abstract booktoday! Download the PDFfile and view all of the available abstracts.
DownloadSpeaker List
Download Abstract Book
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... his time looking out for the people who go to the beaches, rivers, and streams by managing the organization’s recreational water quality programs. He has a B.S. in Biology from The University of St. Thomas and a M.S. in Biology from Miami University. Although Luke does not consider what he does at Heal the Bay “work,” when he’s not in the home office he is hiking in the National Parks or hanging out on the beach.
Video Length - 10:41
Lake Erie Beach Monitoring and Public Notification Database: Beachguard
Jenifer Hassinger
Speaker Bio
Jenifer Hassinger is a Sanitarian Program Specialist at the Ohio Department of Health. She has been working with the recreation program team in several programs, including bathing beach monitoring and advis ... more. |
2020 National Recreational Water Quality Workshop
This 3.5 day workshop open to the public will focus on two common challenges in recreational waters. April 21-24, 2020
Read More
The Conservation Technology Information Center
The Conservation Technology Information Center promotes, supports and provides information on conservation technologies & sustainable agricultural systems.
Read ... more. |
... 20 and 21. Registration for the event closes in just one week, at midnight on July 26.
The tour includes farm visits, a tour of a cutting-edge ag retail operation, a close-up look at the Iowa Land Improvement Contractors Association (LICA) demonstration farm, and talks by leading policy makers, researchers, conservation agriculture specialists and ag retailers from the state and national levels.
Other highlights include:
An address by Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig at the tour's opening social at the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates;
Talks by Katie Flahive of US EPA and Kurt Simon, state conservationist for Iowa with USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service;
An opportunity to drive a state-of-the-art sprayer training simulator;
A demonst ... more. |
... have built a nationwide reputation over the years for providing an up-close look at conservation systems in the field, and also for creating opportunities for outstanding networking.
“I am very pleased with how the plans have come together for the CTIC 2019 Conservation in Action Tour," Tindall says. "These tours balance local conservation practices with a national message of doing better. Those attending will realize that these tours are the best in North America.”
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... Membership includes, but is not limited to:
Institutions, Associations, NGO’s, Nonprofits, Media, University, and more.
If you are unsure if the Institutional Membership is the best fit for your business, please call us to find out the membership package that is best for you.
Basic Institutional Membership
Basic-1: $1,000 - Organizations with a national focus
Basic-2: $250 - Regional, state or local Organizations
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Argonne National Laboratory found a home for its biomass test site on the Ray Popejoy farm in the Indian Creek watershed.
Argonne is exploring the potential for farmers to employ underused or marginal land to produce crops for biomass energy. Factors studied include economic potential and water quality benefits.
As this project moves forward, funding from the Department of Energy is expected to support ... more. |
... in the works, farmers finding ways to use conservation practices to cut costs, and consumer pressure on for growers to farm sustainable, CTIC is at the leading edge of a wide rangeof hot topics. This is a perfect time for you and your company/organization to get involved.
CTIC members receive:
Access to research and information on conservation agriculture
National recognition for supporting agricultural conservation
Networking opportunities unparalleled in agriculture or conservation
Opportunities to participate in research and demonstrations of conservation practices
Interaction with technical professionals and policymakers
Your membership helps CTIC connect, inform, and champion - and it puts you at the table with the most diverse and dedicate ... more. |
Mississippi River Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force
Hypoxia in the Northern Gulf of Mexico--Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium
USGS Hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico Studies
National Ocean Service
Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Watch
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In 2010, EPA granted funds to CTIC for five years to plan and facilitate aquatic resource monitoring training workshops for states, tribes and other stakeholders. Since then, CTIC has been awarded a grant to conduct these workshops until 2020. CTIC will continue to enhance collaboration, communication, coordination and technology transfer among the more than 800 professionals attending the workshops.
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... in spreading the message about how conservation practices can help improve soil and water quality, boost profitability and more. We couldn’t do it without you!
As a CTIC member, you:
Network with leaders in conservation and agriculture
Collaborate on projects that encourage and steer conservation efforts
Access the latest research and information
Gain national recognition for your support of agricultural conservation.
Have recognition on CTIC's web page
Receive a one-year subscription to Conservation in Action Partners and Member Mail
To renew your membership, please email Crystal Hatfield at hatfield@ctic.org or call 765-494-9555. And while you're thinking about it, help our conservation community grow by telling your friends and coll ... more. |
National Coastal Lakes Wetlands R Training
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National Coastal Lakes Wetlands R Training
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National Coastal Lakes Wetlands R Training
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2017 National Workshop/Conference
The Future of NARS: Building on Our Shared Successes
December 5-7, 2017
NOAA Training Center
Silver Spring, MD
Agenda (includes links to presentations)
Pre-workshop Webinars
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Click on the links below for more information from past workshops, including materials, presentations and webinars.
National
Coastal
Lakes
Wetlands
R Training
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Cincinnati, Ohio
This training was co-located with the National Water Quality Monitoring Council’s (NWQMC) Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio, April 28-May 2.
The R training was a one day, interactive session held on May 1 or May 2, 2014 and focused on the analysis of NARS data using the R computing language.
Topics included:
Data preparation: building a state-level dataset.
How to compute population estimates of the ecological condition of aq ... more. |
... Wetland Regulatory Programs.
Roundtable Discussion: Use of monitoring and assessment information in the development of a state wetland regulatory program
- Michelle Henicheck, VA DEQ
- Tammy Hill, NC DENR
- Barb Scott, KY DOW: Kentucky 401 WQC Program
- Mick Miccachion, OH EPA
- Ted Walsh, NH DEC:
Summary Presentation: John Mack, Cleveland Metroparks
Watershed Planning and Wildlife Management
- Joanna Lemly, CO NHP: Statewide Strategies for Colorado Wetlands
- Alison Rogerson, DE DNREC: Delaware’s Restoration and Protection in a Watershed Context
- Ted LeGrange, NE Games & Parks: Rainwater Basin Wetland Ecology and History, Data Collection- Level 1 and 3 - How the data are being used.
State and Regional Intensifications of the NWCA
- Tom Bernthal, Wisconsin
- Rick Sa ... more. |
October 28-30, 2014
Denver, Colorado
Click here to download the agenda.
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US National AMBI Development Workshop
September 27 - 29, 2011
Costa Mesa, CA
Meeting goals:
Develop AMBI Ecological Group classifications for US speciesv
Agree on analyses needed to calibrate/validate the US AMBI
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July 26, 2016
EPA Region 5
Chicago, Illinois
Click on the title links below for the slide presentations.
Welcome – Hugh Sullivan, EPA
AMBI / mAmbi – Peg Pelletier, EPA ORD National Health and Environmental Effects Research Lab
Weighted Tolerance Value – Ted Angradi, EPA ORD, Duluth
Modified OTI – Lyuba Burlakova, Great Lakes Center, Buffalo State College
Recorded Webinar - July 26, 2016
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... TMDLs (total maximum daily loads) in local waterways cover fecal coliform, ammonia-nitrogen, biochemical oxygen demand, chlorine and temperature.
The presence of commercial shellfish beds not far from the mouth of the Nooksack River puts added pressure on farmers and shellfish harvesters to work together on water quality improvements.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Aquatic Resource Surveys (NARS) program found that 45% of America’s river and stream miles are impaired by excess nutrients and 23%—including 8% of the West’s river and stream length—exceed thresholds for enterocci, bacteria that include coliforms such as E. coli. Click here to read EPA’s 2016 report.
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... Our 10th Conservation in Action Tour!
Now is the time to sign on as a sponsor of CTIC's 2017 Conservation in Action Tour and position your company as a leader in conservation farming. Contact Chad Watts atwatts@ctic.orgor call 765-494-9555 for sponsorship details.(Click on the chart below to download a sponsorship flyer.)
Tour sponsors receive:
National recognition and exposure;
Interaction with 200 tour participants, including policy makers, government agency representatives, producers, agricultural and conservation organizations, media and more;
Opportunity to showcase products, technology and equipment.
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CTIC and its partners lead initiatives at the local, regional and national level to address agriculture’s pressing conservation needs. Each initiative includes public and private sector partners, shares information about new technology and tools and promotes agricultural systems that are both economically viable and environmentally beneficial.
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Koch is one of the largest producers and marketers of fertilizer in the world. Our Agrotain nitrogen stabilizer controls nitrogen loss for higher yields and better environmental performance. Our network of national experts and local representatives connects Koch Agronomic Services with the fertilizer dealers and farmers who can harness the benefits of Agrotain. |
AgDay featured CTIC in a story as part of its ongoing "Future of Farming" series. Tyne Morgan, national reporter, visited the CTIC office in early March to interview Karen Scanlon, CTIC executive director. The story aired Wednesday, March 21.
Karen and Upstream Hero Larry Bonnell, interviewed on his farm in Michigan, discussed conservation successes, cover crops and water quality in the broadcast.
The AgDay report also promoted CTIC's Conservation In Action Tour 20 ... more. |
The winter CTIC board meeting will be held January 31 - February 1, 2012. This meeting is in conjunction with the National Association of Conservation Districts annual meeting. For more information, please click here.
All members are invited to attend. Please see the draft agenda for more details, and RSVP CTIC if you would like to join us.
Jan. 31 - Feb. 1, 2012
Las Vegas, NV
Tuesday (Jan. 31) -- 12:00 - 5:00 pm
Room: Brera 4, Third Level (Mezzanine)
Wednesday (Feb. 1) -- ... more. |
CTIC Institutional Member, the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), is a leading national nonprofit organization representing more than 700,000 members. Since 1967, EDF has linked science, economics and law to creat innovative, equitable and cost-effective solutions to society's most urgent environmental problems. EDF is dedicated to protecting the environmental rights of all people, including future generations. To learn more about the Environmental Defense Fund ... more. |
... institutional and individual members for their loyalty and offer our thanks for their years of support.
“CTIC values each member,” says Karen Scanlon, executive director. “All of our successes, past and present, depend on the participation, input and support of our members.”
In 1982, a group of agribusiness leaders, together with the National Association of Conservation Districts, formed CTIC to promote and provide information about conservation tillage.
In the three decades since, CTIC has expanded its focus, increased and diversified its membership and worked with thousands of people across the country to advance conservation.
Our members make it all possible. Thank you!
... more. |
The fall CTIC board meeting will be held October 24 -25, 2011. We will be meeting at the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives office in Washington, DC.
All members are invited to attend. Please RSVP CTIC if you would like to join us.
Hotel Information:
Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill
400 New Jersey Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20001
Tel: 202-737-1234
Website: washingtonregency.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsp
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The fall CTIC board meeting will be held October 24 -25, 2011. We will be meeting at the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives office in Washington, DC.
All members are invited to attend. Please RSVP CTIC if you would like to join us.
Hotel Information:
Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill
400 New Jersey Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20001
Tel: 202-737-1234
Website: washingtonregency.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsp
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... stories about farmers who have developed and adopted sound nutrient efficiency strategies - protecting their bottom lines as well as local and downstream water quality.
Positive stories can highlight agriculture's role in contributing to water quality solutions, such as thoseassociated with high nutrient loads in the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone.
National agriculture and general media sources will have access to stories about our Upstream Heroes.
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... about emerging tools and technology
access our extensive network of experts
show their commitment to the success of conservation agriculture
Our members are CTIC's strength. With our solid, active and dedicated membership, we've demonstrated the value of public/private partnerships, and we've proven that collaboration works. Join our national public/private partnership at the basic membership level that fits you best –
Individual, Institutional or Corporate.
For additional benefits and recognition, increase your contribution to support the important work of CTIC. Each membership category includes additional giving levels of Gold, Silver and Bronze. See our Membership Brochure for detailed information about e ... more. |
Conservation Tillage Types - over 30% cover after planting..more
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This is an Extension system website featuring resources and answers to inquiries from livestock waste experts. Includes timely topics and newsletters, and a calendar of conferences and educational events.
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Soil Conservation Council of Canada
Conseil de Conservation des sols Canada
The Soil Conservation Council of Canada (SCCC) is a non-government, producer directed organization that is the face and voice for soil conservation in Canada. Our national network is a collaboration that involves; provincial soil conservation associations, non-government organizations, industry and government.
Mission, Goals and Contact Information
www.soilcc.ca
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... with Farm Journal and served in a number of leadership capacities with Ducks Unlimited, as well as director of agriculture for Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever. As representative of CTIC, Heiniger will serve on the board of directors of Field to Market.
Formed in 1982, CTIC brings together farmers, crop advisors, researchers, policy makers, regulators, agribusiness leaders, conservation group staffers and other stakeholders to share information on farming practices that can help farmers become more economically and environmentally sustainable. The Center's staff develops demonstration projects, convenes and facilitates meetings, disseminates research findings, runs market-based nutrient cred ... more. |
... the Corn Belt," notes Dave Gustafson, OpTIS project director for CTIC. "Running these data through DNDC adds a very exciting tool for understanding the effects of those practices on key metrics such as soil carbon, and using the visualization tools on our website really brings it all to life."
View the DNDC webinar here on CTIC's website.
National Recreational Water Quality Workshop, April 6-8
Working closely with US EPA, CTIC is taking the agency's three-day National Recreational Water Quality Workshop virtual this year. Click here for the agenda.
The workshop provides a nationwide forum for recreational water quality managers, stakeholders, researchers and public health officials at all levels to share infor ... more. |
By adopting conservation practices like cover crops and reduced tillage or no-till, farmers can help reduce the effects of climate change, including soil erosion, declining land productivity and desertification, according to Climate Change and Land, a report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released today. More than 100 experts from 52 countries contributed to the report.
Mike Komp, executive director of the Co ... more. |
... agriculture systems in central Iowa—to Friday, August 2. The special tour room block rate at the Embassy Suites Downtown in Des Moines has also been extended until 4:00 pm CST on Monday, July 29.
"We are still seeing strong interest in the tour and can open another bus to accommodate interested farmers, crop consultants, conservation professionals, policy makers, agribusiness people, researchers and others who want to see conservation systems in real-world situations," says Mike Komp, executive director of CTIC.
"The opening talk by Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig and the lunch speech by State Conservationist K ... more. |
Corn and Soybean Digest:
All In On Cover Crops
Nitrogen Cycling and Cover Crops
Time Is Money
Landowners Support Cover Crops
Penton Agriculture Magazines:
Cover Crop Success
With Each Season Comes New Lessons
Stick With It
A Seed Corn, Covers Duet
Farmers Join Nat'l Study on Cover Crops
Other Sources:
No-Till, Cover Crops from a Farmer's Point of View
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CTIC welcomed participants from Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Ontario, South Dakota, Washington D.C., and Wisconsin. And more than 15 agribusinesses shared their knowledge, expertise and product information.
Rex Martin, CTIC board chair and Syngenta Crop Protection head of industry affairs, shares his thoughts. “This tour really shows the value of CTIC – bringing together a diverse group of people to learn about, talk about and explore new opportunities for conservation in agriculture. Excellent farms, important dialogue and a great mix of public and private sector perspectives make this tour something special.” Participants app ... more. |
Agrium designed ESN®, a polymer coated urea, to slow the release of nitrogen into the environment. This is allows the plant to access nitrogen when it needs it the most.
ESN® yielded the highest in all of the trials. The maximum economic rate of nitrogen (MERN) was also higher probably due to ESN®’s ability to slowly release nitrogen to the crop and continue providing yield-increasing nitrogen throughout the growing season.
Take Home Lessons:
ESN® showed higher yield over spring urea.
MERN rate was higher with ESN® than urea.
Using ESN® in combination with other nitrogen sources or as split application may yield even more.
Resource:
Harms Corn After Soybeans NUE Timing.
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Corn and Soybean Digest, April 2018
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CTIC Projects « Cover Crops Research and Demonstration « Let's Do the Math On Cover Crops
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... supporting the organization as interim executive director. Helping guide the day-to-day operations of the office as well as the strategic direction of the organization, Dave and the board have provided steady leadership as CTIC positions itself for even greater impact.
With a PhD in chemical engineering and three decades of experience as an environmental scientist in the crop protection industry - including tenure at Monsanto, which he represented on CTIC's board - Dave has also served on variousgovernmental and civil society efforts focused on conservation and sustainability issues. His current independent research focuses on using modeling to help food systems meet human nutrition needs in more sustainable ways.
Dave Gustaf ... more. |
CTIC's ongoing sustainable supply chain project in Iowa has shifted to engage local retail agronomists, certified crop advisors (CCAs) and individual farmers to advise and advocate for the adoption of critical conservation systems identified in the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy.
The first four years of the project, which included agronomic consultation and cost-share funding for farmers, helped producers in six critical watersheds plant nearly 40,000 acres of cover crops. A three-year extens ... more. |
Agrium designed ESN®, a polymer coated urea, to slow the release of nitrogen into the environment. This is allows the plant to access nitrogen when it needs it the most.
ESN® yielded the highest in all of the trials. The maximum economic rate of nitrogen (MERN) was also higher probably due to ESN®’s ability to slowly release nitrogen to the crop and continue providing yield-increasing nitrogen throughout the growing season.
Take Home Lessons:
ESN® showed higher yield over spring urea.
MERN rate was higher with ESN® than urea.
Using ESN® in combination with other nitrogen sources or as split application may yield even more.
Resource:
Harms Corn After Soybeans NUE Timing.
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From cover crop plots to Congressional chambers to the world stage, we spread the word about conservation farming success. Read more.
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Cover crops with limited irrigation can increase yields, crop quality, and nutrient and water use efficiencies while protecting the environment.
Delgado, J.A., M. A. Dillon, R. T. Sparks, and S. Y.C. Essah. 2007. A decade of advances in cover crops. J. Soil Water Conserv. 62(5):110A-117A.
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The benefits of using cover crops are well established, but adoption in agronomic farming systems is unknown. The objectives of this study were to quantify cover crop use and identify factors associated with their adoption.
Are cover crops being used in the US corn belt?
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Click here to view current copies (or old ones) or subscribe to receive the newsletter weekly during the cropping season (see subscribe tab). The newsletter is also a valuable newsletter for Board members and producers.
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Most Indiana soils require periodic applications of limestone or other liming materials for optimum crop production.
Soil Acidity and Liming of Indiana Soils
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Join CTIC and GYPSOIL for a major symposium on soil quality presented by research scientists, producers and crop consultants. The event will be held at Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio, on March 7, 2013.
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Registration has opened for the 2013 Conservation In Action Tour! Join us on July 9 and 10 in Livingston, Ill., as we explore innovative conservation practices in and around the Indian Creek watershed. Celebrating the theme of Community 4 Conservation, this year's tour will bring together agriculture leaders from all over the country – including farmers, crop advisors, regulators and lawmakers – to learn and share conservation practices.
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The New Leader line of crop nutrient applicators from Highway Equipment Company is an integral part of fertilizer handling - vital for improving water quality and farm sustainability in the Mississippi River Basin. "Right place" is one of the 4Rs of nutrient stewardship, and New Leader equipment is proud of its role in promoting and enabling that key tactic. |
Monsanto works with farmers from around the world to make agriculture more productive and sustainable. We've strengthened our goal of doubling crop yields by committing to doing it with one-third fewer resources such as land, water and energy per unit produced. We're working with our partners to develop conservation systems that are better for the plant. |
... with agricultural producers to economically achieve water quality improvements. It has the potential to bea flexible and cost-effective approach for maintaining, restoring or enhancing water quality.
Funded By
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Conservation Innovation Grant
Project Partners
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Environmental Trading Network, International Certified Crop Advisers, Water Environment Federation
Activities
Water quality credit trading may be asuccessful, market-basedmethod for agriculture producers to be paid for contributing to water quality improvement.However, many potential participants lack awareness and understandingof thetrading process.
CTIC worked with par ... more. |
Select the Right Time for nitrogen application. Apply the Right Rate of fertilizer to meet crop needs. |
The Illinois Corn Marketing Board is deeply committed to improving nutrient efficiency through the 4Rs of nutrient stewardship - right source, right rate, right time, right place - and through participation in Keep It For The Crop By 2025, a collaborative program to promote, implement and track the rate of adoption of enhanced nutrient stewardship practices by Illinois agricultural producers. |
A soil test of the field showed a relatively low phosphorus level, so we demonstrated The Mosaic Company's MicroEssentials applied as a side-dress (plant nutrients placed on or in the soil near the roots of a growing crop to provide an additional boost in available phosphorus) in a corn after corn no-tilled field.
The Mosaic Company designed MicroEssentials ® to allow uniform nutrient distribution and provide essential nutrients crops need in one granule, with two forms of sulfur for season-long nutrition.
The MicroEssentials
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... Benefits
Reduces wind erosion.
Slows water runoff.
Reduces downstream flooding.
Stabilizes stream banks.
Establishment of natural vegetation.
Adds visual aesthetics to the landscape.
Greater Profits
Often provides income from local, state and federal programs.
Provides tax incentives.
Reduces crop losses from flooding.
Protects soil in vulnerable areas.
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CTIC Institutional Member, the American Society of Agronomy (ASA), is a prominent international scientific society headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin. Because of their common interests, ASA, the Crop Science Society of America (CSSA), and the Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) share a close working relationship as well as the same headquarters office. Each of the three Societies is autonomous, has its own bylaws, and is governed by its own Board of Directors. Society ... more. |
CTIC Gold Corporate Member, Syngenta, is a world-leading agribusiness committed to sustainable agriculture through innovative research and technology. The company is a leader in crop protection, and ranks third in the high-value commercial seeds market. Sales in 2006 were approximately $8.1 billion. Syngenta employs around 19,500 people in over 90 countries. To learn more about Syngenta, visit www.syngenta.com
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Date
Location
Contact
February 21
Ogemaw County
Ogemaw Co MSU Extension Office
Rifle River Watershed
West Branch, MI
Paul Gross
989-772-0911x302
grossp@msu.edu
... more. |
CTIC welcomed participants from Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Ontario, South Dakota, Washington D.C., and Wisconsin. And more than 15 agribusinesses shared their knowledge, expertise and product information.
Rex Martin, CTIC board chair and Syngenta Crop Protection head of industry affairs, shares his thoughts. “This tour really shows the value of CTIC – bringing together a diverse group of people to learn about, talk about and explore new opportunities for conservation in agriculture. Excellent farms, important dialogue and a great mix of public and private sector perspectives make this tour something special.” Participants app ... more. |
CTIC is working with partners in the GLCCI program to offer six workshops to provide information to producers about the benefits of cover crops and how to use them. Each workshops will take place from 8:45am to 3:30pm, with registration beginning at 8:00am. Click here to view a general agenda. The speakers and topics vary from workshop to workshop, but are all very similar programs. Specifics for each workshop and links for online registration can be found below. Online registration is $20 or $30 at the door. The registration feel will ... more. |
Using Cover Crops to Facilitate the Transition to Continuous No-Till
Project Description
Farmer Profiles
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By facilitating the switch to conservation tillage, biotech crops have helped dramatically reduce soil erosion and water pollution, increase carbon sequestration, and lower the use of crop protection chemicals by millions of pounds per year.
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Cover Crops
Species Information
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February 18, 2010
8:30 am – 4:00 pm (Central time)
Verizon Wireless Center
1 Civic Center Plaza
Mankato, Minnesota
Commercial fertilizer and livestock manure are recognized assets to agricultural operations. They both contain essential plant nutrients which enhance crop yields when properly applied to soils. Nutrients can be managed efficiently with the latest techniques and technologies, to avoid the potential financial and environmental risks of nitrogen and phosphorus reaching surface and ground water. Learn about research developments and new tools for improving on-farm nutrient efficiency.
Contact:brian.c.williams@state.mn.us
... more. |
Farming with row patterns nearly level around the hill—not up and down hill.
How it works
Crop row ridges built by tilling and/or planting on the contour create hundreds of small dams. These ridges or dams slow water flow and increase infiltration which reduces erosion.
How it helps
Contouring can reduce soil erosion by as much as 50% from up and down hill farming. *
By reducing sediment and runoff, and increasing water infiltration, contouring promotes better water quality.
... more. |
... Credit Trading Workshop
August 19 - 20, 2008
Troy-Hayner Cultural Center
Troy, Ohio
Water Quality Credit Trading programs bring together agriculture and the wastewater community to solve difficult water quality issues.The Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC), in conjunction with the Environmental Trading Network (ETN), the Water Environment Federation (WEF) and Certified Crop Advisers, is hosting a two-day water quality credit trading workshop. This will be a detailed, intensive training program on water quality trading for agricultural operators, ag advisors, potential water quality trading aggregators and municipal wastewater facilities. Expert speakers will introduce the concepts, benefits and challenges of trading and the steps involved in developing a trading pro ... more. |
... drainage be necessary to establish vegetation in the waterway? *
Tech notes
A waterway should be deep enough and wide enough to carry the runoff from the area draining into it. Check with NRCS for recommended depth and width.
Plant seed at recommended time and rates. Place seed about 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep. Plant across the area or in a figure 8 pattern to reduce
erosion.
A nurse crop, temporary cover or mulching may be necessary until permanent cover is established.
Maintenance
Lift implements out of the ground and shut off spray equipment when crossing.
Don't use the waterway as a roadway.
Fertilize as needed.
Mow periodically, but wait until July 15 so young birds have a chance to leave the nest. *
Maintain the width of the grass area when tilling surrou ... more. |
A strip of grass or legumes at the edge of a field used in place of end rows.
How it works
Strips of perennial vegetation are established at the outside edges of a field where excessive sheet and rill erosion is occurring. The grass or legume strips replace crop end rows, which would be planted up and down hill and be highly erosive. Field borders are sometimes referred to as picture frames of grass, and are used with contour farming, terrace, buffer strip and contour stripcropping systems. The grass or legume in the strip protects steep field edges from soil erosion, and provides turning and travel lanes around the field.
How it helps
Vegetative ... more. |
... diversion may also be used to divert runoff flows away from a feedlot, or to collect and direct water to a pond.
How it helps
Reduces soil erosion on lowlands by catching runoff water and preventing it from reaching farmland below.
Vegetation in the diversion channel filters runoff water, improving water quality.
Vegetation provides cover for small birds and animals.
Allows better crop growth on bottom land soils.
Planning ahead
Are there proper soil conservation measures installed to prevent the diversion from filling with sediment?
Is the outlet planned in a location which will not cause erosion?
Is the diversion and outlet large enough to handle the runoff amount for that location?
Tech notes
Diversions cannot substitute for terraces used for erosion cont ... more. |
... you want to provide wildlife cover?
Can the area be stabilized with conservation methods?
Tech notes
Protect the area from erosion with annual grasses until permanent cover is established.
Apply lime and fertilizer, if needed, in the top three inches of the soil before planting.
Use proper rates and recommended seeding dates.
Severely eroded areas may need a nurse crop like oats. Seed oats at a rate of 1 to 1 1/2 bushels per acre. Mow oats before they head out if
possible. Mow high to avoid clipping the permanent seeding. *
Areas disturbed during construction or barren slopes 4:1 or steeper should be mulched to provide temporary protection before seeding.
Mulches include grass, hay, grain straw and shredded cornstalks.
Maintenance
Allow no ... more. |
When: July 8 - 9, 2009
Where: Atwood Lake Resort and Conference Center
2650 Lodge Road
Sherrodsville, OH 44675
888-819-8042
**To make reservations - call and reference the Water Quality Workshop to receive the group rate of $89 per night.
To view the Agenda, click here.
Together with its partners, Environmental Trading Network, the International Certified Crop Advisers, and the Water Environment Federation, the Conservation Technology Information Center will host a Water Quality Credit Trading Workshop at Atwood Lake Resort and Conference Center (30 miles south of Canton, OH) on July 8 and 9, 2009.
Water quality trading is a market-based approach to improve water quality. It is an innovative, voluntary tool that connects industrial ... more. |
... 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 multi-generational commitment to conservation farming in Ohio, to in-depth explorations of carbon farming, phosphorus management, pollinator habitat and—CTIC's specialty—connecting for conservation.
In 2022, we hope to have the 15th annual CTIC Conservation in Action Tour back on the bus.
Watch our website and social media for more information about joining us in person in 2022!
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Bayer CropScience, The Mosaic Company, Syngenta and the Conservation Infrastructure Initiative co-led by the Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance (IAWA) and Iowa’s Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) have signed on as a Diamond-level sponsors of the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) Conservation in Action Tour. The tour, which will be held August 20 and 21 in Des Moines, ... more. |
... registration takes just moments at https://www.ctic.org/cia_tour/registration. The $175 registration fee includes transportation, stops and all meals.
For more information on the Conservation in Action Tour, visit CTIC's website or call CTIC at (765) 494-9555.
The CTIC Conservation in Action Tour is sponsored in part by our Diamond-level sponsors—Bayer CropScience, The Mosaic Company, Syngenta and The Conservation Infrastructure Initiative co-led by the Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance (IAWA) and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS)—and our Platinum sponsors, The Fertilizer Institute and Corteva.
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... 20 hosted by John Deere at the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates in downtown Des Moines.
On-Farm Installation Site
Among the highlights of the tour on August 21 will be a visit to an in-progress, on-farm installation of a wood chip bioreactor near Nevada, Iowa. With insight from Keegan Kult of the Ag Drainage Management Coalition and Sean McMahon of the Iowa Agricultural Water Alliance, the stop is sure to uncover deep insight into these ingenious nitrogen-capturing systems.
Later in the day-long tour, the group will visit the Iowa Land Improvement Contractors Association (LICA) Farm near Melbourne, Iowa. The 80-acre field is a demonstratio ... more. |
Bayer CropScience, The Mosaic Company, Syngenta and the Conservation Infrastructure Initiative co-led by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) and the Iowa Association of Water Agencies (IAWA) have signed on as a Diamond-level sponsors of the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) Conservation in Action Tour. The tour, which will be held August 20 and 21 in Des Moines, I ... more. |
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Bayer CropScience, The Mosaic Company, Syngenta and the Conservation Infrastructure Initiative co-led by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) and the Iowa Association of Water Agencies (IAWA) have signed on as a Diamond-level sponsors of the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) Conservation in Action Tour. The tour, which will be held August 20 and 21 in Des Moines, I ... more. |
The Conservation In Action Tour keeps growing! On May 31, 2012, nearly 250 participants gathered in the Mississippi Delta to meet and learn from farmers who face unique challenges in water quality, herbicide resistance and wildlife management. The Tour, organized by CTIC and partner Delta F.A.R.M., highlighted innovative conservation practices that producers and partners implement to protect and preserve one of the largest contiguous ecosystems in North America. Producers, agribusiness partners, government officials and media professionals from 26 states across the nation came to Tunica, Miss., for the informative event.
... more. |
... the Conservation In Action Tour 2010.
View photos from the Tour.
See interviews from the CIA Tour 2010 provided by AgWired.
Listen to a NAFB interview with Karen Scanlon, CTIC's Executive Director, and Skip Davis of the NAFB News Service.
Listen to an interview with Tim Healey, CTIC chair and Vice President for Regulatory Affairs with Agrotain International.
Watch a video of the tour which includes our many participants, staff, and sponsors.
See what participants are saying about the most valuable part of the Tour...
“Today’s tour has been the highlight of my professional training for this year!
I not only gained very useful CEU’s in Soil and Water Management…I got to network with people ... more. |
... serving as its new Executive Director in order to carry out its mission, which is to “connect, champion, and provide information on sustainable agricultural systems and technologies that are productive, profitable and preserve natural resources.”
The Executive Director is responsible for oversight and direction of programs, including quality control, financial and budget management, fund raising, fostering member involvement and commitment, facilitating public/private partnerships, and maintaining productive internal and external relations. This role reports to the CTIC Board of Directors and informs the board to guide its governance of the organization.
Applications are due by 5:00 pm Eastern time on Friday, March 1.
For more information or to sub ... more. |
Don't forget to register AND book your hotel room for the 2018 Conservation In Action Tour!
Join us on the Eastern Shore of Maryland on July 10 and 11 for our 11thannual Conservation in Action Tour. For more than a decade, we’ve been bringing together people from across the country with different perspectives on conservation agriculture for a front row view of the latest and best management practices. This year’s theme, “Bringing Back the Bay: Partnerships, Profitable Farms, Clean Water, & Innovative Conservation,” will highlight several Maryland farmers who are leading the way in conservation efforts and the partnerships that help them succeed.
Click hereto register!
The designated tour hotel is the Westin of Annapolis.Time is running out to ... more. |
Environmental Change Initiative, June 2016
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... site…just a little easier to find us now. In addition, all CTIC staff can be reached at lastname@conservationinformation.org and lastname@ctic.org.
CTIC Project Spotlight
Working with a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, CTIC and partners in three regions within the Mississippi River basin are joining efforts to improve nutrient use efficiency and increase nutrient management at the farm level. Learn more about this project -- Building Innovative Industry-Producer Partnerships to Reduce Hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico – and get involved. Click here.
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Scaling Up Water Quality Efforts in Iowa
Wallaces Farmer, August 2018
Landowners Support Cover Crops
Corn and Soybean Digest, August 2018
Time Is Money
Corn and Soybean Digest, July 2018
Nitrogen Cycling and Cover Crops
Corn and Soybean Digest, June 2018
All In On Cover Crop
Corn and Soybean Digest, April 2018
Study Links Best Management Practices To Cleaner Watershed
Environmental Change Initiative, June 2016
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... forget to register for the 2018 Conservation In Action Tour!
We’d love for you to join us on the Eastern Shore of Maryland on July 10 and 11 for our 11thannual Conservation in Action Tour. For more than a decade, we’ve been bringing together people from across the country with different perspectives on conservation agriculture for a front row view of the latest and best management practices. This year’s theme, “Bringing Back the Bay: Partnerships, Profitable Farms, Clean Water, & Innovative Conservation,” will highlight several Maryland farmers who are leading the way in conservation efforts and the partnerships that help them succeed.
Click hereto register!
The designated tour hotel is the Westin of Annapolis. Book your room by June 8 to ... more. |
... place in Washington, D.C. on February 20. The new officers are:
Terry Tindall, chair, J.R. Simplot Company
Mark Schmidt, vice chair, John Deere
Mark White, treasurer, Syngenta America, Inc.
We are grateful for Lara Moody's dedication and service to the CTIC board during her tenure as board chair.
It was also announced that Heidi Peterson, from the International Plant Nutrition Institute, will be replacing Tom Jensen on the CTIC board. Welcome, Heidi, and thank you, Tom, for serving CTIC!
Next CTIC board of directors meeting has been scheduled
All CTIC members are invited to join us around the table at CTIC's next board meeting in Annapolis, Maryland on July 12. The meeting will be held from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Westin, Annapolis. ... more. |
... America
David Muth
Dr. E.J. Dunphy
Eco Agro Resources
Field to Market
Grassland Oregon
Illinois Corn Growers Association
Indiana Corn Marketing Council
Indiana Soybean Alliance
Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy
Iowa Farm Bureau Federation
IPNI
James Lake
John Deere
Joseph Glassmeyer
Land Pro LLC
Larry Heatherly
Michael Adsit
Monsanto
National Association of Conservation Districts
National Corn Growers Association
National Council of Farmer Cooperatives
No-Till Farmer
Scott Fritz
Soil & Water Conservation Society
Steve Bruere
The Fertilizer Institute
The Nature Conservancy
Timothy Healey
Truax Company, Inc.
To renew, please email Crystal Hatfield at hatfield@ctic.org or call 765-494- ... more. |
... CCAs and other ag consultants with the foundation to recognize opportunities for reducing their clients’ impact on water quality. The majority of the day will be spent with three speakers—representing industry, agency, and academia—who will lend their expertise to give a complete perspective on a set of edge of field practices. Attendees will also learn about in-field nutrient management for improved water quality.
The workshop is free, however, registration is required.
REGISTER HERE
Agenda
Tuesday August 22
1:00 to 4:30 PM—Stuttgart Public Library
Topics of discussion
Identify symptoms suggesting need for conservation - Mike Taylor, Farmer (30 min)
Selecting right practices - John Lee, NRCS (90 min)
Resources for ... more. |
... of Lenssen Dairy in Lynden, Washington, safeguard water quality in a variety of ways, including:
The Application Risk Management tool from Whatcom Conservation District, which puts their information through an algorithm to determine the risk of a manure application during the wet winter or early spring.
Risk analysis, conducted with their local conservation district.
“Relay cropping,” 30 to 50 pounds of Italian ryegrass or cereal rye blown on when they cultivate corn. By the time the silage is cut, a lush grass stand is in place to sequester excess nutrients and protect the field from runoff.
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... good policy yields good conservation.
• The 6th World Congress on Conservation Agriculture brought people from 51 countries to Winnipeg to share their insight and BMPs.
• We hosted a hypoxia panel for leading farm journalists at the Agricultural Media Summit.
• Our Indian Creek Watershed Project yielded a highly successful tour and three great presentations at the 2014 International Soil and Water Conservation Society Annual Conference.
• We kicked off our 2.5-year Economic, Agronomic and Environmental Benefits of Cover Crops CIG project.
• Our 7th annual Conservation in Action Tour brought more than 150 conservation-minded participants to Florida for a look at cutting edge stormwater treatment, nutrient management and wildlife enhancement projects.
We eve ... more. |
Mabry McCray
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Mabry McCray
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Alan Wright
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South Florida Water Management District
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South Florida Water Management District
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Focusing on environmental stewardship and education
Dow AgroSciences joined CTIC as a Gold Corporate Member during the summer of 2013. The company uses technology to conserve natural resources and provide educational tools. Dow AgroSciences nitrogen stabilizers, Instinct and N-Serve, are used as a best management practice for improving groundwater quality, optimizing plant nutrients and supporting environmental stewardship. Both products contain the same unique active ingredient to help reduce nitrate leaching into ground and surface water. This ingredient also helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions and makes more nitrogen available to plants.
Jason Moulin, portfolio marketing leader for Dow AgroSci ... more. |
... Mackinaw River.Additionally, The Mosaic Company supports theFlorida Farm Bureau’s CARES program, which recognizes superior natural resource conservation by agricultural producers.Since its inception in 2001, more than 550 agriculturists statewide have received the CARES award. The program relies on the voluntary action by farmers and ranchers to implement Best Management Practices in their farming operations.
Mosaic also has supported conservation agriculture in its work with CTIC. The company has been the lead sponsor of the Conservation in Action Tour for the past four years and a top-tier sponsor of the Indian Creek Watershed Project. In addition, Mosaic is a founding partner of the Watershed Implementation and Innovation Network (WIIN), ... more. |
This publication examines the factors that affect glyphosate performance and offers management
strategies to minimize fluctuations in its effectiveness.
The Glyphosate, Weeds, and Crops Series: Understanding Glyphosate To Increase Performance
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Safeguarding the environment is nothing new to John Deere - being green is in our blood. We know that responsible resource management is vital to our company, our employees, our customers, our neighbors and our world. John Deere works tirelessly to develop and offer products that are sound and sensible, efficient and effective. |
Agri Drain is a leader in agricultural drainage management systems. Our industry provides practice and product based solutions across our great nation. We can help offset the impact of weather, improve water quality and availability, reduce flooding, create wildlife habitat, and keep our farmers productive and profitable. |
... conduct his own on-farm NUE using field-scale equipment with minimal disruption of his normal field operations
show how RTK guidance and variable-rate application equipment can improve nitrogen application efficiency
show how RTK yield monitoring equipment works at harvest time
show how the farmer and his advisers can collect data and make management decisions during the winter months.
We set plot sizes to match the farmer’s equipment width, which allowed him to do all of the plot work needed for the demonstration.
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Economic Benefits with Environmental Protection
Explores many of the challenges, opportunities management tactics and successful marketing efforts that helped shape promotion of conservation in the Great Lakes watershed and North Central region.
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CTIC Silver Corporate Member, Agri Drain Corp, America's most complete supplier of water management products for wetlands, ponds, lakes, controlled drainage, and subsurface irrigation with the best guarantee. To learn more about Agri Drain Corp, visit www.agridrain.com
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... helps increase feed efficiency and can improve profits.
Rotating also evenly distributes manure nutrient resources.
Planning ahead
Is there enough water of good quality available in all pastures to meet the needs of your livestock?
Is the mix of grass and legumes adequate for your herd and soil types?
Will your pasture meet the nutrient needs of your cattle?
Have you considered management alternatives for periods of low forage production?
Tech notes
Plan your rotation so the same paddocks will not be grazed the same time year after year.
Plan rest periods so each pasture (paddock) will have adequate time to recover during the growing season to promote plant growth.
All livestock must be removed from pastures while they are being rested.
Maintenance
Keep fencing ... more. |
The Living Landscape
An interactive computer game that takes learners of all ages through various best management and conservation practices to turn a rundown farm and landscape into an environmental showplace! Point and click on various areas of the farm to answer related multiple choice questions. With each correct answer the farm scape changes to show the improvement made (complete with sound effects!). Once you make it through the set of questions correctly, the farm is set in motion with animation. A le ... more. |
On November 23, 2009, Agstar released FarmWare Version 3.3. FarmWare is an analytical tool designed to provide a preliminary assessment on the feasibility of integrating anaerobic digestion into an existing or planned manure management system. The new version contains updated computations for biogas generation and costs of digester systems. The software can be downloaded free from the AgSTAR Web site.
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CTIC Institutional Member, No-Till Farmer, provides the management information for farmers interested in and practicing reduced tillage techniques. To learn more about No-Till Farmer, visit www.no-tillfarmer.com/
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CTIC Institutional Member, LandPro LLC, specializes in consulting, property management, referrals, sales and acquisitions of agricultural land. To learn more about LandPro LLC, visit www.landprollc.com.
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CTIC Institutional Member, the International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI), is a new not-for-profit organization dedicated to responsible management of plant nutrients - N, P, K, secondary nutrients, and micronutrients - for the benefit of the human family. As world population and demand for food, fuel, feed, and fiber continue to increase, there is also a growing need for knowledge and information based on sound science. That' ... more. |
... specializes in restoration design, water resources, planning, and environmental engineering. TFG was founded and organized on the principles of flexible client services coupled with creative solutions, and we strive to produce a successful product not just for their clients, but with their clients. The quality of TFG's professional services is excellent and their status under management ownership has brought an unequalled level of effort and commitment to their product, from proposal to project completion. To learn more about The Flatwater Group, visit www.flatwatergroup.com.
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... Action Tour 2010.
View photos from the Tour.
See interviews from the CIA Tour 2010 provided by AgWired.
Listen to a NAFB interview with Karen Scanlon, CTIC's Executive Director, and Skip Davis of the NAFB News Service.
Listen to an interview with Tim Healey, CTIC chair and Vice President for Regulatory Affairs with Agrotain International.
Watch a video of the tour which includes our many participants, staff, and sponsors.
See what participants are saying about the most valuable part of the Tour...
“Today’s tour has been the highlight of my professional training for this year!
I not only gained very useful CEU’s in Soil and Water Management…I ... more. |
... Quality Credit Training Workshop - Jim Klang, Kieser & Associates
Aggregators: Examples and Opportunities - Jamie McCarthy, Kieser & Associates
Sauk River Watershed Ecosystem Services Project - Jim Klang, Kieser & Associates
Great Miami River Watershed Water Quality Credit Trading Program - Sarah Hippensteel, The Miami Conservancy District
Nutrient Management for the Ohio River - Peter Tennant, ORSANCO
Water Quality Credit Trading - Bill Franz, U.S. EPA
Sauk River Watershed Water Quality Credit Trading and Ecosystem Services Project - Carrie Raber, Stearns County Soil & Water Conservation District
Sauk River Ecosystem Services - Carrie Raber, Stearns County Soil & Water Conservation District
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... certification program. Looking at certification program and how it can be
used in “put teeth” into NTOP message. Also working to take over one of KSU research farms,
in heart of typical Kansas soil. Preparing for grower meeting in March; Dave Brandt coming back
to attend and speak.
NRCS –Bill: still want effort to get RUSLE 2 databases (which are updated for cover crops and
different management systems) disseminated throughout the region. Want to have training for
state agronomist to understand how to use systems like continuous cover and no-till. Bill
Puckett leaving HQ to be state conservationist in Alabama.
CTIC – Tour planned for July 29, 2009 and invites all CASA to attend. Requested success
stories for information campaign.
Next Steps: ... more. |
... online tool that will assess how some operational decisions affect natural resource conservation and sustainability.
The Fieldprint Calculator, available at www.fieldtomarket.org, provides an easy way to analyze and assess their current land use, energy use, water use, greenhouse gas emission, and soil loss. It also explores various scenarios that may help improve farm natural resource management and, ultimately, their operation efficiency and financial return. Click here for more information on the Fieldprint Calculator.
For more information on the Fieldprint Calculator, please visit the Field to Market website www.fieldtomarket.org or see Frequently Asked Questions.
Minnesota Project Releases Biofuels Study
The Minnesota Project, a nonprofit organization th ... more. |
... generation.
“When we transition the farm to the next generation, I don't want to burden them with manure issues,” says the Greenleaf, Wis., dairyman. “Now I can transition the farm without requiring them to have a 4,000- or 5,000-acre land base.”
The Wiese operation, a partnership among brothers, has evolved to include the dairy, the cropland and a trucking business. Adding a power plant just fits right in to the model of diversification, and allows the next generation to take on manageable pieces rather than trying to swallow the whole operation.
“If this can be a stream of income rather than a drain like manure, I can sell my son the 50 acres the dairy site is on, and he can buy feed and trucking services f ... more. |
... not removed, maintaining ground cover, reducing soil erosion and providing wildlife habitat. As trees mature they are harvested, and replacements are established.
How it helps
Adds income to your farm.
Adds beauty to your farm.
Ground cover provides wildlife habitat, reduces soil erosion and improves water quality.
Planning ahead
Do you need this land for livestock or crops?
Are the trees you harvest going to be a marketable product?
Can the soil support the type of trees and product you want?
Tech notes
Plant trees that are suitable to your soils.
Protect from grazing.
Cut undesirable trees and shrubs that are competing with desired species for sunlight and moisture.
Thin hardwood stands to a 12-foot spacing before trees are 5 inches in ... more. |
... the wetland have
adverse effects on other parts of your farm, or a neighboring farm?
Tech notes
Remove trees and brush from embankments and the vegetative spillway area.
Protective vegetative cover should be established on exposed surfaces of
embankments and spillways.
Obtain any necessary permits.
Keep livestock from the area, unless it is included in a planned grazing
management plan.
Dikes and levees should meet NRCS or US Army Corps of Engineers
standards.
Maintenance
You may need to replant some wetland vegetation until a good stand is
established.
Keep burrowing animals out of earthen structures. Control beavers and
muskrats.
Keep intakes clean and outlet free of debris.
Inspect pipe structures and repair any damages.
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... the basin large enough to control the runoff from a 10-year storm without overtopping.
Install a tile or infiltration outlet. *
Use fill material free if sod, roots, frozen materials and stones larger than 6 inches in diameter. It should also have correct moisture content
for adequate compaction.
Spacing for water and sediment control basins depends on the land slope, tillage and management system. Consult NRCS for recommended
spacing.
Maintenance
Reseed and fertilize as needed to maintain vegetative cover.
Check the basin after each large storm, and make any needed repairs.
* Check local recommendations.
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Structure that stores manure until conditions are appropriate for field application.
How it works
The type of manure storage structure you use depends upon your livestock operation, animal waste management system and planned field application. Several options exist including an earthen storage pond, above or below ground tank, pit underneath a confinement facility or a sheltered concrete slab area. Manure can be pumped, scraped and hauled, pushed or flushed into your storage structure. The structure's purpose is to safely contain the manure and keep nutrient loss and pollution of downstream wat ... more. |
Various planner resources and research, educational programs and materials focus on economically feasible and environmentally-sound manure handling systems that also meet Federal, state, and local air and water quality protection regulations.
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... cover helps reduce soil erosion, adds organic matter to the soil, filters runoff and increases infiltration.
It can add value to your farmstead. Planned wildlife habitat provides food and cover for wildlife.
Planning ahead
Will your planned habitat attract the type of wildlife you want?
Is a particular piece of land better suited for upland habitat than for livestock or crops?
Do you plan to allow hunting?
Are there any endangered or threatened species in your area you could help protect?
How close do you want the habitat area to your farmstead?
Tech notes
Plant the wildlife area with a vegetative cover of grass, trees or shrubs.
Exclude livestock.
To attract a specific wildlife species, choose cover and habitat for that species.
Create a diverse ... more. |
This site is intended to bring together those having manure with those needing manure and includes a manure management planner. There are many other links to resources as well, including a listing of many Midwest testing labs, manure spreader calibration information, compost tipsheets and much more.
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Components of a Plan
Know your pests
Today, we are armed with improved controls of weeds, insects and diseases. The arsenal of management strategies available allows for better control with less environmental risk.
Know your action thresholds
Just the presence of weeds or pests doesn’t justify the application of a control measure. The weed and pest pressure must be a threat to reduce yields or quality enough to make sense. This level of pressure to justify a control measure is called the action threshold.
Know you ... more. |
Meeting Notes
December 4, 2009
November 6, 2009
October 2, 2009
September 4, 2009
August 6, 2009
June 8, 2009
Action Plans
Upper Wabash River Nutrient Management Coalition Action Plan
Other
Nonpoint Source Monitoring Conference Notes—September 2009 (PDF, 1.45 MB)
Swine Manure Testing Project
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Know Your Watershed
Livestock Waste Management
Core 4
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Georgia Conservation Tillage Alliance
The mission of the Georgia Conservation Tillage Alliance is to promote the adoption of conservation tillage and other economically viable and environmentally sound agricultural and natural resource management practices through research, education, and communication.
Contact Information
www.gcta-ga.org
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Quick Links
> Topics A-Z
> Upstream Heroes
> Livestock Waste Management
> Know Your Watershed
> Online Store
> Become a Member
> Contact CTIC
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We live our values by making sustainability goals part of everything we do throughout the soybean lifecycle - from soil to seed to marketplace. Our environmental stewardship programs encourage reduced tillage as well as other tactics to improve energy efficiency, water conservation, water and air quality, and a variety of best management practices. |
... CTIC's 12th annual Conservation In Action Tour. If you haven't already, please respond to this quick evaluation. We really do use your responses to improve future events. You can reach us with any questions or feedback that don't fit the evaluation form at ctic@ctic.org or 765-494-9555.
2019 Conservation In Action Tour evaluation
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VPK7G5X
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... organizations and groups. We are seeing that benefit today.
CTIC keeps us informed of opportunities to participate in grants and meetings. This organization is a conduit to share information, and through CTIC, we have the opportunity to share what we are doing with other producers and organizations.
The greatest benefits of our CTIC membership, I believe, are receiving the results of surveys conducted by CTIC, and having the opportunity to participate in work groups that are developing methods to resolve issues.
By becoming a member of CTIC, you will have the opportunity to be better informed of what is happening in agriculture and get to know other partners that can help in solving issues of mutual concern.
CTIC provides me with an opportunity to know and work with a dedi ... more. |
