How Do Farmers Conserve Soil?

Farmers have a variety of methods available to them to preserve their soil.

Erosion of crop lands and fields has been a challenge to farmers for centuries. A variety of methods have been employed over the years to mitigate soil loss and prevent future erosion.

Methods

Conservation tillage involves leaving a portion of the previous crop's waste on the surface to discourage erosion.

Many soil conservation methods exist. Most farmers use some form of conservation tillage methods. This leaves behind approximately 30 percent or more of the previous year's harvest waste on top of the soil instead of tilling it all into the soil. Other methods are a variation on this method and include no-till, ridge-till, reduced-till, stump-till, mulch-till and terracing methods for erosion control.

Benefits

Higher crop yields are often realized upon implementing soil conservation methods.

The benefits to the farmer in utilizing soil preservation methods pays large dividends. Besides the obvious benefits to the environment, these methods evince savings in energy, labor and operating costs for the farmer. Soil quality and crop quality are improved, due to more organic matter being left in the soil, and often yields are increased.

Incentives

The USDA offers incentives to farmers who use conservation practices.

Most farmers employ some combination of conservation methods without being induced by any outside force. However, several incentives exist that encourage farmers to practice soil conservation. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and many crop insurance companies make more funding and subsidies available to farmers who use soil conservation and erosion control methods in their farming operations.

References

• Illinois Wesleyan University Magazine; From the Ground Up; Rachel Hatch
• The Ohio State University Extension: Fact Sheet; Agricultural Best Management Practices; Larry Brown et al.; 1991
• Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service; Terracing as a `Best Management Practice' for Controlling Erosion and Protecting Water Quality; Rolland Z. Wheaton and Edwin J Monke; June 1981
• New Mexico State University; Conservation Farming in New Mexico; R.D. Baker and B. Rouppet; updated March 2001