COLUMBIA, March 2, 2021 – The Soil Health Institute (SHI), the non-profit charged with safeguarding and enhancing the vitality and productivity of soils, invites you to join Dr. Buz Kloot, Research Associate Professor at the University of South Carolina; Mr. Jason Carter, a farmer in Eastover, South Carolina; Sonny Price, a farmer in Dillon, South Carolina; and Mr. Doug Newton, a farmer in Clio, South Carolina, at the virtually held Healthy Soils for Sustainable Cotton Farmer Showcase, at 2 p.m. (EST) on March 16, 2021.
In this seventh episode of the event, “Lessons from 8 Years of Regenerative Agriculture: Spotlight on the Carolinas,” Mr. Carter will present what he has learned from implementing cover crops, no-till, and nutrient management on his 800-acre farm on the coastal plain soils of South Carolina. Mr. Newton and Mr. Price will also share how using soil health practices increased beneficial insects for their crops and allowed them to reduce fertilizer use.
“We’ve been focusing on the health of our soil for the past eight years,” said Mr. Carter. “The benefits from increased soil organic matter, reduced weed pressure, and a robust nutrient cycle has allowed us to use less fertilizer. We really like how these soil health practices are better for the environment and our bottom line.”
The Healthy Soils for Sustainable Cotton Farmer Showcase is a series of eight online discussions with U.S. cotton farmers and soil health experts that started livestreaming on February 2, 2021, and it runs every Tuesday at 2p.m. (EST) through March 23, 2021. Cotton producers, consultants, and other interested parties may register one time to attend all eight episodes. Registration is free but required to participate. Following the conclusion of the series, all showcase episodes will be available on the Soil Health Institute’s YouTube.
To register for the Healthy Soils for Sustainable Cotton Farmer Showcase and learn more about other episodes in the event, visit https://soilhealthinstitute.org/soil-health-training/farmer-showcase/.
This event is part of the Healthy Soils for Sustainable Cotton project, which provides farmer-focused education and training events delivered by Soil Health Institute scientists, partnering with local soil health technical specialists and farmer mentors who have implemented successful soil health management systems. The project aims to increase the adoption of soil health management systems among cotton producers while documenting environmental and economic benefits.
For more information about the project, visit https://soilhealthinstitute.org/soil-health-training/.