Broadcaster Press 5 March 21, 2017 www.broadcasteronline.com Thank a Farmer Today! National Ag Week March 19 - 25, 2017 Soil Health Principles Anthony Bly – SDSU Extension Soil health is a very important natural resource concern; however, knowledge of how to build soil health is not widespread. The principles of soil health should be addressed as often as possible. At a recent South Dakota Soil Health Challenge meeting in Mitchell, Jay Fuhrer (USDA-NRCS) presented his five principles of soil health: 1. Soil Armor Soil armor (Figure 1) is important for reducing water and wind erosion, decreasing water evaporation, moderating soil temperatures, reducing the impact of energy from raindrops, suppressing weed growth, and providing a habitat for surface dwellers, which are an important part of the soil food chain. 2. Minimizing Soil Disturbance Minimizing soil disturbance, which Jay divides into biological, chemical and physical tillage, enables the soil armor (surface plant materials/residue) to persist. Biological disturbance includes overgrazing of forages that reduce soil armor and below ground biomass. Physical and chemical disturbance occurs from tillage burying crop residues and over stimulating microbial breakdown and excessive carbon release into the atmosphere. 3. Plant Diversity Prairie plant diversity aided and allowed soils to develop prior to the introduction of annual cropping systems. Plant diversity uses sunlight and water to sequester carbon and other nutrients, preventing leakages into ground and surface waters. Understanding the four crop types: warm season grasses and broadleaves, and cool season grasses and broadleaves is necessary for designing cropping systems that improve soil health. 4. Continual Live Plant Root A continual living plant root either from the commodity crop, cover, or from forage crop provides carbon exudates to feed the soil food web, which is exchanged for nutrients for plant growth. This process is also important for soil aggregate formation, which increases soil pores for improved water and air exchange. 5. Livestock Integration Lastly, livestock integration balances soil carbon and nitrogen ratios by converting high carbon forages to low carbon organic material, reducing nutrient transport from the soil, and promoting pasture and rangeland management in combination with cover crop grazing. Figure 1. Photo of beneficial soil armor. USDA Announces Enrollment Farm Storage Facility Loans Period for Safety Net Coverage in 2017 Producers on farms with base acres under the safety net programs established by the 2014 Farm Bill, known as the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs, can visit their local FSA office to sign contracts and enroll for the 2017 crop year. The enrollment period will continue until Aug. 1, 2017. Since shares and ownership of a farm can change year-to-year, producers on the farm must enroll by signing a contract each program year. If a farm is not enrolled during the 2017 enrollment period, the producers on that farm will not be eligible for financial assistance from the ARC or PLC programs for the 2017 crop should crop FSA’s Farm Storage Facility Loan (FSFL) program provides low-interest financing to producers to build or upgrade storage facilities and to purchase portable (new or used) structures, equipment and storage and handling prices or farm revenues fall below the historical price or revenue benchmarks trucks. The low-interest funds can be used to established by the program. Producers build or upgrade permanent facilities to who made their elections in 2015 must store commodities. Eligible commodistill enroll during the 2017 enrollment ties include corn, grain sorghum, rice, period. soybeans, oats, peanuts, wheat, barley, The ARC and PLC programs were minor oilseeds harvested as whole authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill and offer a safety net to agricultural produc- grain, pulse crops (lentils, chickpeas ers when there is a substantial drop in and dry peas), hay, honey, renewable biomass, fruits, nuts and vegetables prices or revenues for covered comfor cold storage facilities, floriculture, modities. For more details regarding hops, maple sap, rye, milk, cheese, butthese programs, go to www.fsa.usda. ter, yogurt, meat and poultry (unprogov/arc-plc. cessed), eggs, and aquaculture (excludFor more information, producers ing systems that maintain live animals are encouraged to visit their local FSA through uptake and discharge of water). office. To find a local FSA office, visit Qualified facilities include grain bins, http://offices.usda.gov. hay barns and cold storage facilities for eligible commodities. Loans up to $50,000 can be secured by a promissory note/security agreement and some loans between $50,000 and $100,000 will no longer require additional security. Producers do not need to demonstrate the lack of commercial credit availability to apply. The loans are designed to assist a diverse range of farming operations, including small and mid-sized businesses, new farmers, operations supplying local food and farmers markets, non-traditional farm products, and underserved producers. To learn more about the FSA Farm Storage Facility Loan, visit www.fsa. usda.gov/pricesupport or contact your local FSA county office. To find your local FSA county office, visit http://offices. usda.gov. Century Farm program to Expand in 2017 South Dakota Farm Bureau especially thrilled to be offering this South Dakota farms and ranches during our centennial year celebration.” that have been in the same family for South Dakota Farm Bureau has part150 years will be recognized for the nered with the South Dakota Departfirst time this year as Sesquicentennial ment of Agriculture since 1984 to recFarms during the Century Farm celebra- ognize Century Farms, as well as those tion at the South Dakota State Fair in that have been in the same family for Huron, August 31, 2017. 125 years as Quasquicentennial Farms. “We are pleased to add another This will be the first year to recognize opportunity to recognize more family 150-year farm families as Sesquicentenfarms and ranches in South Dakota,” nial Farms. said Krystil Smit, South Dakota Farm For more information and an applicaBureau Executive Director. “We are | Maximum please visit the South Dakota Farm tion Font Size: 30 pt 3.5” x 2.5” Bureau website at www.sdfbf.org. 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