The U.S. environmental agency is considering banning sprayings of the agricultural herbicide dicamba after a set deadline next year, according to state officials advising the agency on its response to crop damage linked to the weed killer.

In this FREE, 14-page eGuide edition of “Innovative Opportunities to Increase Soil Biology in Strip-Till,” be immersed in expert soil biology boosting tips, tricks and techniques designed to push your strip-till farm to the next level!

It’s been said, “You can’t manage what you can’t measure.” For strip-tillers, getting an accurate read on soil health is key to prescribing the right remedy for nutrient-deficient areas. Dr. Kristen Veum, research soil scientist with the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in Columbia, Mo., has studied assessment of soil quality in agro-ecosystems, development and refinement of soil quality indicators and application of sensor technology for soil quality assessment.

Soil health is rooted in a comprehensive farm management strategy. Knowing how to utilize natural soil heal stimulants to maximize crop production is an objective of Aaron Hird, Nebraska's NRCS state soil health specialist. Hird shares soil health principals promoted by the NRCS including the use of dual purpose cover crops for grazing as well as other opportunities to enhance a strip-till system.

Most strip-tillers understand the importance of soil testing, as they typically serve as the baseline for fertilizer purchases and application. But if someone were to hand you a soil test report, would you be able to read the information and understand what it means? Knowing what to look for, how to interpret the data and then apply it to make informed nutrient management decisions is essential at a time when soil and fertilizer runoff are growing public concerns.

How does placement of phosphorus (P) in strip-till compare to other tillage systems and application practices? David Mengel, who currently operates a farm in Randolph, Kan., shares and analyzes results of recent research on P application to corn and soybeans in different tillage systems and offers agronomic considerations for how strip-tillers can be more efficient with P applications.

North Dakota State University Extension shares some practices that can help replace soil organic matter in soils that has been lost due to continuous cropping, poor management practices and loss of topsoil.