Green manure crops – like clover and other legumes – add nitrogen to the soil, allowing farmers to save on fertilizer costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In this animated video, learn how green manure crops add nitrogen to the...
Climate change is redrawing the agricultural map of the United States. As corn becomes less economically viable with changing Midwestern weather patterns, farmers look to a more diverse future....
How does nitrate get into our water? How can we keep it in our farm fields where it can do the most good? Learn more in this animated video explaining how nitrate affects water quality and how farming practices can help....
Climate-friendly practices can increase yields while improving ecosystem of farms, scientists say....
There are real concerns a combination of climate change, conflict, and post-COVID-19 supply chain problems could lead to an availability issue in the coming years–but we're not there yet....
Almost a third of hogs in the US are now raised in Iowa but a new report questions whether that’s good for residents or local economies....
Promoting early season plant cover, primarily through the use of cover crops, can be more effective at reducing pest density and crop damage than insecticide applications, according to a Penn State-led team of researchers....
Farmers, conservationists, and researchers are working on ‘rewilding’ one of the most ecologically scarred landscapes in the country....
Common Ground, Part I: How organic and regenerative agriculture are revitalizing rural Montana economies....
"In both experiments, untreated soybean seed was more profitable than neonicotinoid + fungicide treated seed."...
An Iowa farmer is leading a nationwide class-action lawsuit against the creators of a commonly used herbicide linked to Parkinson’s disease....
The United States grows a lot of corn and soybeans. Some researchers think it’s a good idea to add wheat into that mix. A new study shows including winter wheat once every 4 years in rotations with corn and soybean can have many benefits....
"Our review indicates that pesticides of all types pose a clear hazard to soil invertebrates. Negative effects are evident in both lab and field studies, across all studied pesticide classes, and in a wide variety of soil organisms and...
Housed at the University of Northern Iowa's CEEE, Audrey discussions her work in Environmental Health, how food and farming relate to public health, and several statewide initiatives that aim to reduce pesticide application in the state....
A new study from an international team of researchers found that diversifying crops, “enhances biodiversity, pollination, pest control, nutrient cycling, soil fertility, and water regulation without compromising crop yields.”...
Overuse of fertilizer has led to phosphorus shortages and water pollution. But farms might not need so much to grow healthy crops....
Using Cereal Rye Cover Crop and Narrow-Row Soybean to Manage Herbicide-Resistant Waterhemp
August 7, 2020News
A field study was conducted (2019-2020) at the ISU Research and Demonstration Farm near Ames, IA to quantify the impact of cereal rye cover crop and soybean row spacing (15 inch vs. 30 inch) on the glyphosate-resistant waterhemp seed bank....
“If mama ain’t happy, nobody’s happy,” says soil advocate, Holly Arbuckle... “In order to have nutrient dense food, [and healthy people] we need healthy soil.”...
Planting woody plant species alongside crops could double the number of insect pollinators helping farmers produce food, new research has demonstrated for the first time....
A new study by Penn State researchers showed that using no-till and reduced-tillage production methods on soybeans can achieve yields similar to tillage-based production at competitive costs....
A new global analysis from the University of Illinois shows that planting cover crops after row-crop harvest can significantly boost soil microbial abundance, activity, and diversity...
Diversifying Crops Is Good For The Planet. But Can It Be Good For Farmers' Wallets? [Yes!]...
Ecosystem services are improved (including natural pest management!) when biodiversity is prioritized on the farm....
Tillage made the biggest difference [to soil health],” ...For centuries, farmers have tilled to eliminate weeds, bury the remnants of old crops and prepare the ground for planting — but newer research suggests that disturbing the top...
Nearly 30% of birds in U.S., Canada have vanished since 1970. Research published Sept. 19 online by the journal Science shows a massive loss of nearly 3 billion birds in the continental breeding adult bird population for the United...
For years, the government has subsidized industrial monoculture rather than sustainability. Smarter policies could help save small farms — and the planet....
Farming for Public Health program coordinator, Audrey Tran Lam, describes the important role farmers play in protecting Iowa's public health....
Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health Project: Pesticide Drift in the Midwest
September 16, 2019News
The data is presented using a story map, which helps to organize the setting and issues in an educational way. We hope that these story maps will be used to provide more education, training, and increase community awareness so that in...
Neonics—pesticides introduced to plants at the seed stage—act like an appetite suppressant for birds, making them lose weight within hours....
Opinion | Why Talk of Regenerative Agriculture Should Include Pesticide Reduction
September 11, 2019News
Regenerative Agriculture is gaining interest and momentum! But these practices will only go so far toward building a sustainable food system if we don’t include pesticide reduction as a fundamental goal....
Iowa farmer, Seth Watkins, weighs in....
Could changing our land use and agricultural practices make a dent in addressing climate change? Yes, says Project Drawdown and a new report from the IPCC....
Increasingly, we understand that better soil health – and specific practices aimed at building soil organic matter, fostering microbial life in the soil, reducing nutrient loss, and protecting soil from erosion – lead to higher net...
Opinion: ‘Our Small Towns Are Toppling Like Dominoes’: Why We Should Cut Some Farmers a Check
June 24, 2019News
For pennies a meal, the federal government can incentivize better environmental services....
Agricultural economists are homing in on hybrid, low-input methods that will both safeguard the environment and feed the future billions...
Neonatologist, Dr. Paul Winchester talks about how his background in farming informs his work today and shares a number of sobering findings from research in his field....
Myths get in the way of our ability to restore degraded soils that can feed the world using fewer chemicals....