DiscoverNatural Resources UniversityProductive Plains - The Secret is in the Soil | Wild Ag #489
Productive Plains - The Secret is in the Soil | Wild Ag #489

Productive Plains - The Secret is in the Soil | Wild Ag #489

Update: 2025-11-03
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What makes the Great Plains such a productive agricultural hotspot? And why are some fields just more productive than others no matter what? It turns out the secret is in the soil. This month we are joined by Dr. Ray Ward, founder of Ward Laboratories, to discuss how our soils came to be and how a better knowledge of your soil can lead to healthier farms and ecosystems overall. With a PhD in Soil Fertility and personal farming experience, Dr. Ward shares how practices like cover crops and diversifying an operation can lead to massive benefits – in soil health, water quality, wildlife abundance, ecosystem health and farmer profitability. 

Resources:

 

Dr. Ray Ward [website]

Dr. Andrew Little [academic profile, @awesmlabdoc]

Nathan Pflueger [website]

AWESM Lab [website, @awesmlab]

Nebraska Pheasants Forever [website, @pheasants_quailforever_of_ne]

 

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Music by Humans Win

Produced and edited by Iris McFarlin

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Productive Plains - The Secret is in the Soil | Wild Ag #489

Productive Plains - The Secret is in the Soil | Wild Ag #489