Impacts of Soil Health Management on Environmental Quality: A Research Review for Minnesota

Abstract

This review was undertaken to summarize research on the impact of four in-field practices (cover crops, reduced tillage, perennials, and crop rotations) on nutrient losses, soil carbon, and runoff/erosion in Minnesota. Social, economic, and policy considerations, while highly relevant to agricultural decision making and design of incentives, are beyond the scope of this review. To maximize relevance of findings, this review focused on data from studies conducted in Minnesota, along with data from Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan, South Dakota and Illinois if applicable. Since Minnesota has unique climatic conditions, findings from meta-analyses were not included, except as background or where regional differences were noted.