ECONOMIC & ECOLOGICAL BENEFITS
of Soil Health

A three-year comprehensive study to determine the impact of soil health practices on Redwood County farmlands.

Soil health study on Minnesota crop farmland

Objective

Redwood SWCD staff will partner with industry professionals to determine the environmental and economical impact of conservation practices on working farms within Redwood County. 

Cover Crops on Minnesota fields to improve soil health Redwood County Soil and Water Conservation District

Process

Baseline testing was completed on sites prior to the implementation of any soil health practices, with ongoing data collection being conducted throughout the duration of the project. As of June 2024, the Redwood SWCD has compiled two years of data with the final report expected to be completed in the summer of 2025.

Findings

As we enter the third and final year of this study, findings indicate significant cost savings in the form of reduced labor costs. An increase in the soil organic matter, reduced soil loss due to wind erosion, and an increase in water infiltration has also been observed.

Soil Health Practices include:

  • Cover Crops

  • Vertical Till

  • Ridge Till

  • No Till

  • Strip Till

  • Small Grains

Soil Health Study Parameters

Farm sites were selected within the project watershed based on willingness, scale, and ability to split acreage in half to complete demonstration.

1,037
acres

using conventional farming practices

1,888
acres

using soil health best practices

Initial assessments were conducted on all tracts of land enrolled in the project to establish baseline conditions of the soil. Soil Health testing included:

  • Grid Sampling

  • Infiltration

  • Visual Evaluation of Soil Structure (VESS)

  • Soil Stability

  • Residue Percentage

  • Penetration

  • Soil Temperature

  • Bulk Density

  • Soil Life

  • Roots

  • Haney Soil Test

  • Phospholipid Fatty Acid (PLFA) Test

Economic Data

In addition to environmental factors, economic data is also being compiled as a part of this study to determine the financial impact of soil health practices. Examples of the costs being measured include:

  • Labor

  • Equipment

  • Fuel

  • Seed

  • Fertilizer and Pesticides

  • Insurance

  • Average Yield per Acre

Environmental & Economic Benefits of Soil Health

  • A cost savings of $50 per acre is observed on lands that incorporating no-till into a corn/soybean system.*

    *Iowa Farm Custom Rate Survey

  • A no-till and cover crop system conserves more moisture than a conventional farming system during drought conditions.

  • Water infiltration increases in fields with cover crops, resulting in less field runoff.

  • A combination of no-till and cover crops reduces soil loss from wind erosion.

  • Drilling soybeans into cereal rye greatly reduces weed pressure.

  • Implementing no-till and cover crops increases organic matter, resulting in decreased production inputs.

    For every 1% of increased organic matter, 20 pounds of nitrogen is credited.

  • The number of field passes required for pest control descreases when soybeans are drilled into cereal rye.

Upcoming Events

Visit us at Field Days to learn more about the environmental and economic benefits of soil health practices as our three-year study continues and more data become available.

Ready to implement conservation practices on your land?

Get in touch with the knowledgable staff at the Redwood Soil and Water Conservation District to learn more.

Made possible by a grant from the

Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF)