The drought monitor report as of Tuesday, Sept. 24 shows a slight improvement in drought conditions for the state. Barton County is still entirely in moderate drought while Stafford and Pawnee counties improved overall. The six to ten-day outlook (Oct. 1 to 5) indicates a 50 to 70% chance of likely above normal temperatures and a 50 to 60% chance of likely below normal precipitation. The eight to 14-day outlook (Oct. 3 to 9) indicates a 60 to 70% chance of likely above normal for temperatures and a continued 50 to 60 % chance of likely below normal for precipitation.
Agriculture, like many other industries, has its own vocabulary. Often, new terms are attached to “old” ideas as they are rethought, tweaked, and brought back to the forefront. This isn’t a criticism and is a common practice in many areas. Agriculture has progressed through many stages in the last 150 years. As technological advances, in equipment, cultural practices, and the biological sciences appear on the horizon, combined with economics and governmental policy occur, agriculture changes and adapts to these conditions. Today, the greatest change that producers are coping with is human induced climate change. Today, how regenerative agriculture, an old concept renamed and with newer technologies, is coming to the forefront to cope with this challenge.
It’s hard to not notice the weather patterns over the last 20 plus years and an overall change in climate. We are in year four of a drought giving no indication it’s going away. Other parts of the country are dealing with excessive rainfall events considered once in hundreds of years events happening frequently. Derechos are becoming more common as are polar vortices. How can agriculture adapt to these conditions? One avenue is regenerative agriculture. So, what is it?
The key to coping with and minimizing the effects of climate change and continue to produce an adequate food supply while keeping producers in business is the soil and soil environment. Regenerative Agriculture (RA) is an adaption of older practices tweaked to help mitigate the challenge of a changing climate. Really, the simplest way to define it is sustainable agriculture on steroids. It pays special attention to the ecology of the soil environment.
These are not new concepts. What we are looking at is improving soil structure and organic matter levels along with seeking to eliminate wind and water erosion. This combines with working to increase the biodiversity of the soil, especially beneficial microorganisms. This will provide a better soil environment in terms of structure and water holding capacity in addition to a better soil nutritional environment for crops and microorganisms.
It isn’t a one size fits all program but tailored to the area and even specific fields. If successful, it lowers input costs and pest pressure and improves yields compared to a more conventional approach. It helps with climate change by storing carbon. It is bringing together what we already know such as conservation tillage, crop rotations, cover crops, etc.
Dr. Victor L. Martin is the agriculture instructor/coordinator for Barton Community College. He can be reached at 620-792-9207, ext. 207, or martinv@bartonccc.edu.
