The results of a recent study show the economic benefits of Soil Health Management Systems (SHMS) in addition to environmental benefits.

The Soil Health Institute (SHI) and the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) announced the results of a nationwide study that shows the benefits of Soil Health Management Systems (SHMS). The study showed benefits beyond the known environmental benefits, including building resilience and improving profitability, according to a SHI press release. See the breakdown of the economic benefits of SHMS below.

Economic Benefits of Soil Health Management Systems

According to the press release, Soil Health Management Systems (SHMS) like “cover crops, no-till, reduced till, strip till, planting green, rotational grazing, livestock integration, and manure incorporation” were studied with a variety of crops, including “canola, chickpea, corn, cotton, dried bean, grain sorghum, millet, pea, peanut, rye, soybean, sunflower, walnut, and wheat,” in 20 states. The study consisted of 30 farms that have successfully utilized SHMS to “learn about farmers’ experiences with adopting those systems and to evaluate their economics by comparing the costs and benefits before and after practice adoption.” Additionally, some of the farms “also raised dairy cows, beef cattle, chickens, and hogs.”

The press release shared these “Key findings:”

  • “Across 29 farms, SHMS increased net farm income by an average of $65/acre (1 organic farm was excluded due to high revenue from price premiums).
  • On average, when implementing SHMS, it cost producers $14/acre less to grow corn, $7/acre less to grow soybean and $16/acre less to grow all other crops.
  • Yield increases due to SHMS were reported for 42% of farms growing corn, 32% of farms growing soybean, and 35% of farms growing other crops.
  • Farmers also reported additional benefits of adopting SHMS, such as decreased erosion and soil compaction, earlier access to fields in wet years, and increased resilience to extreme weather.”

NRCS Chief Terry Cosby said in the press release “Soil health management practices help producers increase profits, reduce costs, and limit risks while conserving our nation’s resources…”

Griffin Fertilizer is committed to helping both growers and ranchers make sound agronomic and economic decisions in order to maximize the health of their grove and pasture. As a full-service custom dry & liquid fertilizer blender and crop protection product distributor, we will continue our mission to further advance Florida agriculture. For questions -or concerns about your farm or pasture, contact us and one of our team will be in touch.