By Natalie van Hoose
Farmers can contribute to the development of a Purdue Extension online series on Indiana soil and water management issues by letting the series planners know which resources would be most useful and how they would prefer to access them.
The series, set to debut in early 2016, aims to give growers user-friendly tools and expert information on nutrient, soil and water management and will be tailored to Indiana growing conditions, said Ron Turco, professor of agronomy and head of the project.
"Purdue's College of Agriculture is committed to building a mobile-friendly toolbox to help farmers make effective and responsible decisions about Indiana soils," said Turco, who is also the assistant dean for agricultural and environmental research. "Soil and water resources are vital to agricultural production in Indiana. Purdue agricultural research programs are committed to providing growers with the knowledge needed to ensure the long-term sustainability of our agriculture systems."
The Web series will include topics such as soil sampling, drainage management, cover crops and nutrient management.
The resources will also help fulfill the objectives of the Nutrient Management/Soil Health strategy, a 10-year plan to reduce nutrient loss from farms to waterways through nutrient management practices and improved soil health.
Growers can provide their input on the soil and water tools they need and how they would prefer to receive information via an online form at https://ag.purdue.edu/Pages/soilfeedback.aspx.
"Farmers need access to up-to-date, accurate information to implement practices that reduce nutrient loss from their fields," said Justin Schneider, senior policy adviser and counsel for Indiana Farm Bureau. "We appreciate the efforts of Purdue to make this kind of information more accessible."