Soil Health

Soil Health

Cover Crops
Having plants growing most months of the year has many benefits.  Cover crops prevent wind and water erosion to soils by providing cover to the land surface.  That same cover acts as a mulch to suppress weed germination.  The plant material and root network feed soil microbes, break hardpans, sequester nitrogen, and increase organic matter.

The NRD offers cost-share opportunities for producers in certain areas who want to introduce cover crops. Please call the office at 402-362-6601 to find out more, or check out this NRD program or the Nebraska Soil Carbon Project.


Soil Health
The biology of the soil includes bacteria, fungi, arthropods, and earthworms to name a few.  To have healthy soil there needs to be a vibrant soil biology that will provide plant protection and give plants better access to water and nutrients. Learn more about Soil Health from this comprehensive NRCS site

Soil Health Blog

As Nebraska grapples with the challenges of erratic weather patterns and loss of soil and water resources, producers and conservationists alike stand at the forefront of addressing these issues. One...
Soil health field day yields new insights for area farmers When input costs went through the roof in 2021 and 2022, Fillmore County farmer Jordan Uldrich decided that he needed a better strategy for...
Cultivating Change: Empowering Farmers to Safeguard Groundwater By: Kaleb Fritz, Water Conservationist In the heart of our agricultural landscape lies a responsibility that reaches far beyond the...

Soil Health Resources