By Sarah Mitchell, King’s AgriSeeds
Farmers and King’s AgriSeeds dealers recently attended meetings about forage quality and best practices to capture nutrient value. The programs attracted more than 400 people in four states strong in dairy and beef production: New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. Attendees learned why and how to enhance crops during this growing season.
Sjoerd Duiker, Penn State Extension soil management specialist, emphasized with stories how crop cultivation can impact soil health. “Topsoil is like the peel of an apple or skin on our bodies. It is very thin and fragile, and we sometimes take it for granted. However, it performs essential functions for growing crops and feeding the world.”
The real effort to conserve soil started more than 90 years ago, driven by dramatic events. Duiker described the Dust Bowl of the 1930’s, when more than 35 million acres of cultivated farmland was destroyed due to plowing, drought, and wind erosion. One man, Hugh Bennett, urged the US Congress to fund soil and water conservation. He capitalized on a vivid moment on May 11, 1934, while he was in Washington DC. The sky in DC turned black as topsoil blew in from Oklahoma, blocking the sun for hours. Congressmen were shocked into action. Within weeks, the US Soil Conservation Service was established. Farmers and what is now the Natural Resources Conservation Service, or NRCS, deserve credit for reducing soil erosion dramatically over the decades. By far, the mid-Atlantic region, particularly Maryland, leads the nation in cover cropping. “There is still more work to do,” said Duiker.
David Hunsberger, Regional Coordinator for King’s AgriSeeds and Doug Hering, Strategic Account Manager for King’s, constructed a verbal bridge between healthy soil, conservation, and crop management. They used their expertise in crops and animal nutrition to suggest rotations that improve soil and provide nutritious forage.
Jessica Williamson is the North American Marketing Manager of Hay and Harvesting for AGCO, the manufacturer of Massey Ferguson farm equipment. She showed how farmers can increase nutrient quality by managing harvest with species-specific timing and fine-tuning equipment. When farmers adjust these variables appropriately, animals respond with higher performance.
For more information about soil health and crop planning, contact King’s AgriSeeds or a King’s AgriSeeds dealer.
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