East Lansing, MI – Prairie strips planted into row crops have the potential to contribute a suite of ecosystem services, such as improved soil health, water quality, and wildlife habitat. When it comes to implementation, farmers have to weigh these environmental benefits as well as the economic cost of taking land out of production. In a new study, released online by Land Economics, Michigan State University (MSU) researchers find that 20% of corn and soybean farmers in the Eastern Corn Belt are willing to convert 5% of their largest corn-soybean fields to prairie strips if paid the same
Measuring and predicting soil carbon to offset climate change
KBS Long-Term Ecological Research scientists awarded a $3.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency to study possible climate outcomes. When an unproductive swath of farmland is planted with row crops, it results in environmental damage with little to no yield. Instead, farmers can cultivate native plants in those spaces that improve soil health and support other native species. The USDA Conservation Reserve Program, or CRP, offers them financial incentives to do just that. Measuring soil carbon for improved soil health Now, Michigan State
Science on the Hill: connecting research to policy through virtual Congressional meetings
Corinn Rutkoski and Ekrem Ozlu share their experiences from a recent Congressional Visit Day where they advocated for several USDA research programs. Corinn is a graduate student in Sarah Evans's lab and studies microbial ecology and the use of perennials in agricultural systems. Ekrem is a postdoctoral researcher in Phil Robertson's lab and studies soil management and carbon sequestration. The Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) recently hosted their annual Congressional Visits Day, giving a group of KBS scientists and students an opportunity to connect with elected officials and