AUGUST 10TH WOMEN, LAND AND SOIL HEALTH RESOURCES
On August 10th, Women, Land & Legacy and Women Caring for the Land partnered to host a virtual soil health 101 learning and networking event. 92 participants joined from nearly 30 states, and from a variety of backgrounds and interests. Four presenters shared their expertise including how to do soil health tests at home, programs and technical assistance for installing soil health conservation practices, and working with tenants.
RESOURCES
The following list includes resources mentioned by presenters and participants.
IDALS (Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship)
IDALS connects Iowans with programs and information about crops, conservation practices, food safety standards, livestock and more. COVID-19 resources also available.
https://iowaagriculture.gov/
Iowa Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/ia/home
Iowa Farm Service Agency (FSA)
www.fsa.usda.gov/state-offices/Iowa/index
Pheasants Forever
Conservation incentives available, including for cover crops, in upper Midwest states. Application deadline has passed but other opportunities could be available. More here.
Practical Farmers of Iowa
Peer-to-peer learning farmer-led organization with great resources on cover crops and other soil health practices.
www.practicalfarmers.org
Tallgrass Prairie Center
Resources on Midwest native plants and programs
https://www.tallgrassprairiecenter.org/
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
USDA Coronavirus Food Assistance Program
Conservation at Work Video Series Videos highlighting farmers using a variety of soil health and other conservation practices
Conservation Features How-to Videos Videos with information on navigating conservation documents
Slake and Infiltration test demonstrations See demonstrations of both tests that were shown by Jean Eells during the soil health event.
Find your office: USDA service center locators
Listed below are two ways to locate your local USDA office and the NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service) and FSA (Farm Service Agency) contacts. Find assistance for signing up for soil health and conservation programs, funding assistance, and free technical expertise.
- Use this website to enter your state and county in drop-down menus.
- Use this map to click on your state and county.
Women, Food & Agriculture Network (WFAN)
Women Caring for the Land program and annual conference with focuses on soil health and farm management practices. Downloadable brochures on soil health practices are available on the website, https://wfan.org/women-landowner-resources
PANDEMIC RESOURCES FOR FARMERS AND RANCHERS
USDA Coronavirus Food Assistance Program
https://farmers.gov/coronavirus
Iowa Farmers Union
Partnering with Farm Aid to provide up to $500 to farm families to cover basic needs. Their website also lists crisis support resources.
https://iowafarmersunion.org/covid-19-relief-center/
IDALS (Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship)
IDALS connects Iowans with programs and information about crops, conservation practices, food safety standards, livestock and more. COVID-19 resources also available.
https://iowaagriculture.gov/
Farm Aid is partnering with other groups across the country to provide relief, more here.
WOMEN, LAND AND SOIL HEALTH PRESENTER CONTACTS
(Note: a few of the powerpoints are available from the event: if you’d like access to these, please contact Wren Almitra, wren@wfan.org.)
Jean Eells, E Resources Group, Inc., www.eresourcesgroup.com
Hillary Olson, Soil Health Specialist with Iowa NRCS, hillary.olson@usda.gov
Rose Danaher, Watershed Coordinator with IDALS, rose.danaher@ia.nacdnet.net
Sharon Chism, Landowner and Agronomy Consultant, healthyfarmland@gmail.com
Wren Almitra, Program Coordinator, Women, Food & Ag. Network, wren@wfan.org
Women, Land & Legacy 