Soil Health
Dairy Conservation Navigator
Dairy Conservation Navigator is an online platform that consolidates science-based information about dairy conservation topics and the practices and technologies that reduce a farm’s environmental footprint. Created by the U.S. Dairy Checkoff, the platform simplifies complex sustainability topics by sharing educational materials and technical insights.
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Digging Deeper: A Comparison Between Standard Soil Tests and the Haney Soil Health Test
The Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership (ISAP) has released our comparison guide showing the similarities and differences between a standard soil fertility test and the Haney Soil Health Test.
Based the increasing interest among agronomists and farmers alike, ISAP created this resource to dive into some of the finer points of the Haney test and try to help clarify how this test compares to the standard soil fertility test that farmers have been familiar with for decades.
This resource is designed to help agriculturists gain some additional insight into some of the concepts of soil management that often go undiscussed or simply ignored in traditional production systems in Illinois.
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Illinois Cover Crop Quick Reference Guide
The Illinois Cover Crop Initiative (ICCI) created this general overview of planting information for common cover crops.
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Cover Crop Seeding Methods Guide
Making cover crop seeding decisions can be a complicated process. ISAP developed the Cover Crop Seeding guide to help producers understand the benefits and considerations of various cover crop application methods. The Cover Crop Seeding guide gives an overview of nine cover crop seeding techniques.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Biochar Applied to Soil
This FAQ is a reference guide for biochar users, producers and stakeholders. It answers common questions about biochar applications to soil from experts representing United States Department of Agriculture, Cornell University, American Farmland Trust and United States Biochar Initiative. Topics include an introduction to biochar, biochar field applications, biochar and compost, changes to soil, carbon credits, and biochar testing.
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ISAP’s Introduction to Soil Health Practices
The Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership’s recent publication, “An Introduction to Soil Health Practices,” clearly communicates the role of soil health practices in addressing agronomic challenges and resource concerns. Co-author Torey Colburn, Conservation Agronomist with American Farmland Trust, and Helen VanBeck, Program Manager with American Farmland Trust provide an overview of the practical agronomic information included in the guidebook, including how practices like cover crops and no-till, when managed correctly, can build soil health in the field, suppress weed pressure, and limit nutrient loss. Torey and Helen are also joined by two farmers whose stories are shared in the guidebook as real-world examples of how farmers are finding success with these practices.
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