March is the humble clover’s time to shine. Symbolic of luck, the celebration of Saint Patrick’s Day, the welcoming of spring and 4-H enrollment time, clovers are featured prominently in our culture this time of year – and they become prominent in pastures, too.

The survey results highlight both the growing emphasis on soil health and the challenges crop advisers face in helping farmers adopt effective soil management practices. By understanding the perspectives and practices of crop advisers, it becomes clear that providing more comprehensive training and fostering greater face-to-face interactions may help overcome barriers such as cost and knowledge gaps.

The family started working with NRCS in 2021 to replace an existing flood irrigation system with two center-pivot sprinkler systems and irrigation pipeline through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).

Sustainability can go in many directions, but there’s a sense that all the directions eventually lead to the same destination. As we ring in yet another new year, it seems like an appropriate time to map out the buffet of sustainability. So grab a fresh plate and get in the line as we review the options.

Many large corporations have made goals to become carbon neutral. To reach those goals, companies must lessen their emissions, purchase offsets or a combination of the two. This has led to a voluntary market for carbon credits in the U.S. where carbon, verified as sequestered, can be sold, thus providing opportunities for agricultural producers.

Most of what we read and talk about when it comes to improving forage quality is increasing protein, decreasing fiber and improving digestibility. However, this season, I have been observing more samples with high ash content bringing down RFQ values in comparison to RFV.

Let’s enter a very strange world. Dark, silent, microscopic, underground. The soil – on which our crops and forages depend – is a veritable Amazon jungle teeming with thousands of species of animals and plants and something that’s not quite either: fungi.

Wheat growers in Idaho are losing a surprising 3.5 to 4 bushels per acre every year due to widespread zinc deficiency that results in slow emergence and a lack of seedling vigor. While most now recognize that zinc is widely deficient in the soil profile, the larger issue of how to solve it still remains.

In seven years, organic matter content in Matthews’ fields has gained a point and a half, and the curve is getting steeper now. “So it’s not taking us decades to make that organic matter change,” he says. “It can happen faster than people think. I mean, we’re farming in a desert, after all … but we’ve changed the soil. And you can change the soil, even in a desert.”

Tyrell visits with Mark Thallman from the USDA's Meat Animal Research Center about the merits and drawbacks of implementing terminal crossbreeding systems. Then, the Noble Research Institute's Josh Gaskamp joins Carrie to chat about how educational opportunities for producers to better their land for long-term profitability. Finally, join the gang as they discuss the joys of county fair season, weigh in on what tattoo Paul should get (and where), and debate the viewing value of various Olympic sports.