Regenerative Agriculture
Farmers see promise in hybrid rye as regenerative solution to weed problems
Ragweed is wreaking havoc in corn fields in the Midwest. The giant weed, which Iowa organic farmer Tom Frantzen calls an “evolutionary monster,” is resistant to glyphosate herbicide. Fortunately, farmers like Frantzen have a new solution that is helping them deal with ragweed—hybrid rye. Ragweed hammered Frantzen’s organic soybean crop, cutting yields in half in […]
Read MoreStudy: Intercropping produces higher yields than monocropping
by Peter Rüegg, ETH Zurich Monocultures dominate arable land today, with vast areas given over to single elite varieties that promise a high yield. But planting arable land with just one type of crop has its disadvantages: these areas are easy game for fungal and insect pests, posing a threat to crops. To keep pests […]
Read MoreSoil for Water regenerative agriculture project expands to seven states
A $2 million investment will allow the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) to implement regenerative farming practices for ranchers and farmers in seven U.S. states. Farmers and ranchers in Texas, New Mexico, California, Colorado, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Virginia will participate in the “Soil for Water” initiative. The project launched in 2015, prompted by the […]
Read MoreChanges in farming practices could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 70% by 2036
Scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory participated in a study that shows innovation in technologies and agricultural practices could reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from grain production by up to 70% within the next 15 years. The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, identifies a combination of […]
Read MoreMissouri farmers embrace cover crops with federal and state assistance
Cover cropping is known to prevent soil erosion and create efficient water cycles, and Missouri farmers are seeing the benefits. The 2017 Census of Agriculture highlighted cover crops as the third most planted crop in the state. Cover crop acreage has doubled in five years, to 850,000 acres. Corn and soybean farmer John Hemme cites […]
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