We have talked at length about two particular topics over the years and that is protecting the health of our environment, especially the soil, and also working together for the common good. By working together, I mean producers of grains collaborating with producers of livestock, producers in the north working with those in the south, and so on. As we talked yesterday with the National Pork Producers Council, many times Ag groups are fighting each other for the same funds to get the same outcomes.
It is in that spirit that the United Soybean Board (USB) has joined with the National Corn Growers Association and the National Pork Board to form the Farmers for Soil Health Initiative. It is geared towards encouraging and helping producers adopt more conservation farming practices across the country.
Laurie Isley is the chair of the USB’s Communication and Education Committee. She talks about how Farmers for Soil Health is looking at finding starting points for farmers. Cover crops are one of those places where they can begin the discussion. However, they know that there is more than one way to save the soil. This is why they will be working closely with states and individual farmers to find the best options available, and also to help offset the cost.
Isley talks about the benefits her family has been seeing on their own farm with the adoption of practices such as cover cropping.
By offering cost-sharing options, Isley says that the hope is to get more farmers interested in trying it and encourage them to look at the data and see the difference it makes on their farms.
Isley says that it is important for farmers to protect and improve their soil health and educate the public on what they are doing to make a difference. Many times, the public doesn?t always have that understanding.
You can learn more about Farmers for Soil Health by visiting the initiative?s website.
