Building Capacity Among Agricultural Educators to Address Soil Compaction in Vermont Farming Systems

Commodities

Practices

• Crop Production: water management
• Education and Training: extension, technical assistance
• Farm Business Management: risk management
• Soil Management: soil quality/health
• Sustainable Communities: sustainability measures

Project Focus

Soil compaction is a pervasive and compounding issue in Vermont agriculture, caused by heavy machinery traffic on wet soils, livestock trampling, and low organic matter. Compaction leads to reduced root growth and poor water infiltration, which ultimately can significantly reduce crop yields. Vermont's clay-rich soils, particularly susceptible to compaction, are found across all agricultural production systems, including dairy, vegetables, fruit, and row crops. Stakeholder surveys report that 70% of agricultural professionals have inadequate training on compaction diagnostics (e.g., penetrometer use, Terraform System) and solutions (e.g., cover cropping, subsoiling, controlled traffic in grain systems). This gap hinders their ability to advise farmers with prolonged periods of wet weather increasing compaction risk and shorter harvest windows, forcing the use of larger, heavier equipment. Prior SARE projects addressed general soil health but lacked focus on compaction and management strategies, creating a need for targeted education to support technical advisors in their work with farmers.

Solution and Approach

Extension staff, crop consultants, NRCS personnel, and other technical service providers (TSPs) need research-based information to help farmers address compaction through prevention and mitigation strategies. To address this need, University of Vermont Extension, in collaboration with local and regional practitioners and experts, will develop a comprehensive training program for TSPs delivered through online trainings and field intensives. Following online and in-person trainings, TSPs will have the opportunity to put their new knowledge and skills into practice with farmer clients while being provided support from the project team to enhance learning and success. This train-the-trainer approach will equip TSPs with technical skills and communication strategies to support farmers in adopting practices that prevent and alleviate compaction, reducing negative impacts to crop production, soil health, and natural resources.

Increased knowledge and troubleshooting skills related to soil compaction will enable 40 TSPs to provide targeted and efficient technical assistance to 150 farmers who will, in turn, implement compaction prevention and mitigation practices on 5,000 acres. This will generate a minimum of $50 per acre savings due to improved yields and reduced equipment passes associated with the preventative use of deep tillage.