Farmers for Soil Health--An Information Resource

Farmers for Soil Health [FSH] is a farmer-led collaboration that seeks to advance the use of soil health-improving practices such as cover crops [CC]. This organization is financially supported by the United Soybean Board/Soy Checkoff, among others. The aim of the organization is to improve soil health by providing technical and financial assistance to farmers planting CC’s in select states.

The centerpiece program that is offered by FSH is the Climate-Smart Commodities Partnership. Presently, only 20 states are eligible to participate in this program, and Tennessee and Missouri are the only Midsouth states included in the 20. However, the information provided on the website is available to all soybean producers in the U.S. who are now using or will use CC’s in their cropping systems.

Once this site has been accessed, click on Tools and Resources to access up-to-date information about CC subjects such as species selection and management and termination. Soil health is not a “catch-phrase”–it is an accepted concept that all soybean producers must be cognizant of as they plan future crops and cropping systems. And the resources provided on the above-linked FSH website provide valuable information about a conservation practice–i.e. using CC’s–that should be adopted by those producers, especially on sites that will greatly benefit from the accepted benefits accrued from their use.

Again, soybean producers in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi are not eligible for the financial incentives provided by the above-linked Partnership, but they most assuredly can use the information on the FSH website to enhance their adoption and use of CC’s.

Composed by Larry G. Heatherly, Oct. 2023, larryh91746@gmail.com