Soil Health Case Studies

Abstract

The Sustainable Agriculture Case Studies project is a partnership among several organizations and numerous individuals. The project reflects the partners’ understanding that farmers learn best from each other and that strong connections across the landscape will result in wider adoption of effective soil health practices.

In 2016, the Southwest Regional Sustainable Development Partnership (SWRSDP) natural resources work group discussed the economic and soil health benefits that cover crops and other sustainability practices were providing to farmers. In an effort to encourage a greater number of farmers to adopt soil health practices and experience the economic and environmental benefits, the working group decided to develop case studies of farmers who had been successful in practicing sustainable agriculture and soil health, including the use of cover crops. The case studies were designed to feature farmers at the forefront of innovation who have been using a variety of soil health practices for three or more years and whose stories are meant to offer tangible examples, support, and encouragement to others.

The Center for Integrated Natural Resources and Agricultural Management (CINRAM) at the University of Minnesota participates in the SWRSDP natural resources working group. The Center enlisted a University student researcher in the summer of 2016 to begin gathering farmer case studies. In 2018, the case studies were updated and more farmers’ stories were added with the help of the Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota (SFA) and Kathy Dooley, Graduate Research Assistant through the University of Minnesota’s Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA).

Because of the popularity of the case studies, SWRSDP, CINRAM and SFA are again partnering to offer another set of case studies, featuring more stories. These new case studies, and the first series, are the basis of FarmMaps.com a farmer-to-farmer networking tool, adapted to a variety of outreach platforms allowing interested farmers to learn about, connect with, and receive advice from fellow farmers with experience successfully applying soil health practices. The ability to talk to a peer about benefits, successes, challenges and costs on issues related to soil health is a powerful motivator for adoption and provides a source of continued support.