Nebraska Farmers are facing the severe problem of soil erosion, despite taking precautionary measures to halt the destructive process. After a season of heavy rainfall, many farmers in the Midwest are facing unusually extreme cases of soil erosion. Soil erosion is caused when soil is exposed to lots of wind or water, which takes the nutrients out of the soil, creating unproductive farmland. To reduce the effects of soil erosion, the NRCS, or the Natural Resources Conservation Service, has implemented a policy to reduce the tilling of land, and have begun to use new fertilizing tactics to improve the productivity of the farmland.
This article is shows that the effects of Soil Erosion are far-reaching, and can have a major impact on the agriculture in the US. Soil Erosion is leading to a depletion in productive farmland; causing a decrease in agricultural production, and a lack of resources. There must be steps taken to mitigate the effects of Soil Erosion, if there are no measures taken, humans will lose the capacity to grow enough crops to provide for the constantly growing population. The possibility of running out of resources, or land, to produce food is real, and could lead to a famine in the US.
Derickson, C. (2015, August 11). Soil erosion is costly; look at these numbers. Retrieved August
23, 2015, from
http://www.kearneyhub.com/opinions/kearneyview/soil-erosion-is-costly-look-at-these-numbers/article_4f716f34-403d-11e5-ab41-a32ed5aa0f95.html
This article encompasses exactly why we should all be thinking about healthy soil. No soil = major food production problems… combine it with climate change and it seems to me this should be headline news. It is nice to hear about the push for no till agriculture and the fact that best practices are being shared. With the amount of farm land we have, this is a major deal. Nice job on the write up on this one.
Thanks for the comment Mr. Powell! I wholeheartedly agree; after reading this article, it really makes you worried about our future crop production. Our massive growth in population certainly can not be sustained at the rate we are losing productive farm land. We need to take action ASAP, if we want to be able to continue to provide food for our population.
You did a great job conveying the severity of the problem and the need for immediate action to mitigate its effects. What specific measures can farmers take to prevent or reduce soil erosion, apart from reducing tilling and using new fertilizing tactics? Are there any other government policies or programs in place to address this issue and support farmers?