Benefits to soil health are seen with the use of cover crops, even though these benefits are hard to quantify.

Cover crop benefits clear, but hard to identify with data

Researchers say Roots Not Iron project shows value of cover crops to soil health, despite no immediate increase in organic matter

Farmers plant cover crops for a variety of reasons from weed suppression to erosion control and better soil structure. The increasing interest has seen researchers and growers partner to put […] Read more



No-till crop production: is it simply a matter of ‘those who can’ versus ‘those who won’t’?

Is soil health society’s responsibility?

Agriculture should not attend to soil health concerns on its own, says advocate

There are many well-intentioned terms, such as sustainability and regenerative, that arise when talking about soil health and soil conservation. But turning words in action is hard to accomplish, given […] Read more

“There’s no single
factor that impacts
how we create yield
or do more for the
environment.”

Getting specific on soil health

Growers discussing their soil fertility needs are finding more layers to the subject

There’s a need for standardization of approaches to improving soil health, as farmers are hit with many different opinions and recommendations. It could be everything from acidity to nutrient solubility […] Read more



Planning for better soil health requires a recognition of the many moving parts that make up soil fertility.

Confusion remains about soil health

Producers get mixed messages on what they should do to improve

Soil health is a catch-phrase that has dominated the agri-food landscape for at least five years, but what does it mean? The term has been adopted, re-imagined and co-opted by […] Read more

New soil sensor may improve efficiency of crop fertilization

New soil sensor may improve efficiency of crop fertilization

Science Notes: Accurate nitrogen detection could help farmers achieve optimal fertilization levels

Measuring temperature and nitrogen levels in soil is important for agriculture systems but detecting them apart from one another is difficult.  Huanyu “Larry” Cheng, an associate professor in engineering science […] Read more