research

Study Shows Positive Economic Impact of Soil Health

Dan Agri-Business, Beef, Cattle, Dairy, Economy, Field Crops, Livestock, Pasture, This Land of Ours

A new study links soil health and farm profitability. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The Soil Health Institute (SHI) and the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) announced the results of a nationwide study showing how improving soil health can improve a farmer’s profitability. The study shows farmers can build resilience across a diversity of soil types, …

acquisition

NASS Releases 2023 Land Values Summary

Dan Agri-Business, Economy, Pasture, USDA-NASS

The U.S. farm real estate value, a measurement of the value of all land and buildings on farms, averaged $4,080 per acre for 2023. That’s up $280 per acre, or 7.4 percent, from 2022. The U.S. cropland value averaged $5,460 per acre, an increase of $410 per acre, or 8.1 percent, from the previous year. The U.S. pasture value averaged …

recycling

Manure Recycling on the Farm

Dan Beef, Biofuels/Energy, Cattle, Dairy, Environment, Equine, Fertilizer, Greenhouse Gas, Livestock, Pasture, Pork, Poultry, Sheep-Goats, This Land of Ours

It’s another type of recycling on the farm. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Farmers who utilize manure as a fertilizer mostly get the aromatic livestock byproduct from their own operations. New data from USDA’s Economic Research Service shows most manure applied to U.S. cropland, 78 percent, comes from animals raised on the same operation. Meanwhile, 14 percent …

Grazing Lands

USDA Invests in Cooperative Agreements for Conservation on Grazing Lands

Dan Beef, Cattle, Conservation, Dairy, Environment, Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI), Livestock, Pasture, USDA-NRCS

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded $12 million in cooperative agreements for 49 projects that expand access to conservation technical assistance for livestock producers and increase the use of conservation practices on grazing lands. The funding is provided through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI). These projects have identified barriers to accessing grazing assistance for producers and …

pasture

Study Shows Rotational Grazing Adoption Varies by Region

Dan Cattle, Pasture, This Land of Ours, USDA-ERS

A study sheds light on grazing practices around the nation. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Data published Monday by USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) shows rotational grazing adoption varies by region. Rotational grazing is a management practice in which livestock are cycled through multiple fenced grazing areas to manage forage production, forage quality, animal health, and environmental …