Some producers are taking advantage of frozen ground conditions to apply nitrogen to wheat fields or manure to corn fields. While this practice reduces the risk of compaction or rutting of fields, there are other factors to consider. Applications to frozen ground are at higher risk for runoff and loss of those nutrients.

A new Science Advisory Council convened to kick off the Soil Health Partnership, formed by the National Corn Growers Association with support from the Walton Family Foundation and Monsanto.

Data on soils on the nations 3,265 soil survey areas are now updated and available free online from USDAs Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

There is a lot more than just plants that live and grow in soil. Soil inhabiting organisms include a diversity of types and sizes.

A team of Nordic researchers combined computed tomography (CT) scanning with traditional measurements of air exchange to diagnose the long-term impacts of soil compaction on the hidden, but vital, soil pore network, says the American Society of Agronomy.

The early bird may not be able to get this worm—the giant Gippsland earthworm can measure a whopping 3 feet (0.9 meter) in length. By comparison, the common earthworm is a few inches long.

Nutra-Flo Co., a North American liquid fertilizer manufacturer, announces its agreement with the bioinnovation company Novozymes to nationally distribute Novozymes BioAg’s Torque and Ratchet brands bioyield enhancement products.

Most producers would prefer to spread manure on their fields in spring and summer when the crops are going to get the most use out of it. Although the Department of Environmental Protection discourages winter manure application, there are circumstances when manure has to be applied in the winter, such as when wet fall weather kept field conditions unsuitable and the lack of a large enough storage structure to hold the manure until spring.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has extended the deadline for new enrollments in the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) for fiscal year 2014.