From Market Pressure to Practical Solutions:
Soil Health Can Deliver On-Farm Savings
(An excerpt from ‘The Dirt”: SCI’s Monthly Farmer Newsletter)
This time of year is all about planting. Everyone's gotten started, and some of us are already finished. All of us are at the mercy of Mother Nature and the markets. I know I say this every month, but we’re sending our best as times continue to be uncertain and tough on the economic front.
More than ever, figuring out how to cut costs and increase what you get paid for your crop matters. Soil health can be the answer on how to farm cheap and is something within our control as farmers.
Tomorrow at Office Hour, we’ll hear from Minnesota farmer Jerry Ackermann on how he’s used strip and no-till methods to cut bills.
Hope to see you there, and, as always, don’t hesitate to reach out!
🌾 Taylor Herren, Farm Program Director
P.S.Our next Office Hour is May 28 at 4pm ET. This month, Minnesota farmer Jerry Ackermann will be speaking on how he’s used strip and no-till methods to cut cost on-farm. LEARN MORE about how Nancy and Jerry Ackermann have been strip-tilling corn and no-tilling soybeans and alfalfa on their 1,200-acre farm in southwest Minnesota for over 20 years. Coming from conventional tillage practices, the transition began on a small 50-acre test plot.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
📞 Please reach Out Before Soil Sampling
Before you do any soil sampling (field or lab testing), please reach out to us so we can make sure you're set up in our digital platform and mapped to our new protocol.
✅ NRCS Regenerative Pilot Program
The NRCS Regenerative Pilot Program (RPP) has started awarding contracts. These five-year contracts provide up to approximately $750,000 between CSP and EQIP programs. If you received a contract, please let us know. SCI can help you set up your soil sampling, which is a requirement of the program. If you haven't received funding yet and want to apply, reach out and we'll help you get ready for the next deadline this fall.
EVENTS
Soil & Climate Alliance Network Meeting
June 16-18 | Allentown, PA (Includes a visit to Rodale Institute!)
We’re thrilled to share that our Soil & Climate Alliance (SCA) will be hosting their annual in-person, on-farm Network Meeting at Rodale Institute this June!
Over three days, we’ll dive into the science and practice of regenerative farming, with hands-on learning and behind-the-scenes access to Rodale’s pioneering research. Expect exceptional farm tours, deep dives into soil health and nutrient-density outcomes, and rich conversations with practitioners, scientists, and supply chain partners who are shaping the future of the field.
As always, our gathering will offer abundant opportunities for connection, collaboration, and systems-level problem-solving across the entire SCA network. We can’t wait to bring this community together on ground that has inspired decades of agricultural innovation.
⭐ Farmers receive 100% discount on registration with promo code: FARMERS
⭐ SCI Brand Partners receive 50% discount on registration. Please reach out for the promo code.