By Scout Nelson
South Dakota is at the forefront of a new nationwide initiative aimed at enhancing soil health and agricultural sustainability. The project, titled "Probing Our Country’s Soil Health," requires the participation of 80 local farmers to help develop and refine the Soil Health Assessment Protocol and Evaluation (SHAPE).
This innovative tool is designed to interpret soil health measurements and offer management practice alternatives that can potentially stabilize or even increase yields, especially under extreme weather conditions.
Jason Clark, an SDSU Extension Soil Fertility Specialist, emphasizes the importance of this project for local agriculture. “Improving our understanding of our soil’s health can better help us manage them,” he explains.
This is particularly crucial for South Dakota, where farmers frequently face challenging weather conditions.
SHAPE will serve as a free web-based app, allowing easy access to soil health scoring. The project aims to collect 13,000 soil samples from approximately 6,000 fields across the U.S., encompassing varied soil, climate, and management conditions. For South Dakota, the project seeks a broad representation of agricultural lands, including crops, forages, and pastures.
Participation involves completing an online survey about the management of two or three fields over the last decade. This survey is conducted through a facilitated online Zoom meeting, lasting about 45 to 60 minutes. Participants will also need to allow access to their fields for hand-probe soil sampling, which will occur within three to six months following the survey.
In appreciation of their involvement, each participant will receive a personalized soil health report valued at over $450, alongside a hard copy of “Probing Our Country’s Soil Health,” a photo book that illustrates soil health across the nation and the project's outcomes.
This initiative not only aids individual farmers in understanding and improving the health of their soil but also contributes to a larger goal of sustainable agricultural practices nationwide. To participate, farmers can select a time slot from the facilitator schedule provided on the project's enrollment page.
Photo Credits:gettyimages-sasiistock
Categories: South Dakota, General