Youth Soil Health Investigators

View the project final report

Commodities

• Agronomic: corn, soybeans

Practices

• Crop Production: conservation tillage, cover crops, no-till, strip tillage
• Education and Training: mentoring, networking, technical assistance, youth education
• Farm Business Management: value added
• Natural Resources/Environment: biodiversity, carbon sequestration, soil stabilization
• Production Systems: holistic management
• Soil Management: organic matter, soil quality/health
• Sustainable Communities: community services, employment opportunities, leadership development, partnerships, quality of life, sustainability measures

Students will learn on farms from farmers about regenerative agriculture, taught how to complete field soil health testing, provided tools to complete testing, and provide testing services to area farmers. Outreach will include social media, website, pictures, videos, literature, and presenting at the MN Soil Health Coalition’s Annual Meeting. Students will be provided the opportunity to learn a variety of management, have discussions with farmers, understand how economics, natural resources, and farming can positively work together. The students will also gain experience with public speaking and educating farmers.

1. Engage and educate students on soil health principles, implementation, and economics through hands on, in field learning from farmers.
2. The students will work with farmers to understand how management impacts the soil, how to measure soil health, and for the students to use what they have learned to test other farmer’s soil and educate them on regenerative agriculture practices.
3. The students will be involved in outreach activities to foster their public speaking and messaging of pertinent agricultural issues.
4. Working with a variety of farmers and technical staff will provide experiences with career options for students.