The South Dakota Habitat Conservation Foundation alongside South Dakota State University and USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service have started a new project. “Every Acre Counts” is designed to give agricultural producers new ways to manage low producing acres while increasing their bottom line.
President of the South Dakota Habitat Conservation Foundation Christine Hamilton says this successful collaboration will result in new knowledge about profit margins with various combinations of practices and outcomes that improve overall land and conservation management.
SDSU President Barry Dunn says the primary focus for this project will be the optimal use of marginal lands impacted by wet conditions, saline or sodic soils, and eroded areas such as hilltops. Millions of acres of cropland across South Dakota are impacted by these challenges, with over 7 million acres impacted by saline conditions alone.
Four regions of South Dakota have been selected to kick start the project.
- Edmunds, Potter and Faulk counties, with saline/sodic and eroded areas
- Aurora, Brule, Buffalo and Jerauld counties, with saline/sodic and eroded areas
- Moody, Lake and Minnehaha counties with eroded and wet areas
- Brown, Spink, Clark and Day counties with saline/sodic and wet areas
State Conservationist for NRCS Jeff Zimprich says marginal lands can delay farming operations from planting to harvesting for days or even weeks, potentially impacting profitability on the good ground. He says by considering the capability and thus the profitability acre-by-acre versus field by field, producers will increase the efficient use of all inputs.
If landowners are interested in learning more, particularly those in the four regions where the project will begin, please contact the project directors, Anthony.Bly@sdstate.edu or Matthew.Diersen@sdstate.edu.
