NEW MARKET — Anyone who receives benefits through the federally funded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and has a green thumb for gardening (or would like to) can use those
Claire Carlson for the Daily Yonder Broadcast version by Mike Moen for Iowa News Service for the Public News Service/Daily Yonder Collaboration The fertilizer industry is scrambling to find solutions to fertilizer prices that have been on the rise since last fall, but some farmer advocacy groups worry the efforts being made don t address the control big fertilizer companies wield over the market and the effects of synthetic fertilizer on the environment. A document published earlier this spring by the Fertilizer Institute, an organization that represents and advocates for the fertilizer industry, highlights several action items for lawmakers and farmers to strengthen the domestic fertilizer supply and maximize usage. The goal is to get these action items in front of as many policymakers and constituents as possible to push for stronger fertilizer legislation, according to Corey Rosenbusch, president and CEO of the Fertilizer Institute. .
Montanans get a sense of what soil health is like on farms and ranches across the state with Northern Plains Resource Council s soil crawls. The presentations highlight innovative agricultural methods designed to increase the sustainability and productivity of agricultural lands. Bob Quinn, an organic farmer in Big Sandy who specializes is innovative growing techniques in arid climates, is being featured this month, and said the main concern for growers in northern Montana is water. .
A kinder approach to the soil could be what Idaho farmers need to get more out of their land. The Nature Conservancy in Idaho has a demonstration farm in Twin Falls that shows the impacts of regenerative agricultural practices, such as no-till farming where a second crop is planted directly into the first crop without disturbing the soil. Brad Johnson is agriculture strategy manager with The Nature Conservancy in Idaho. .