KCUR 89.3 FM

Soil conservation in the U.S. started with this agency 90 years ago. Now its future is uncertain

The Dust Bowl led to the creation of what is now called the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Just as it celebrates a major milestone, the agency is dealing with job losses, massive proposed ...
Agri-Pulse

Getting Grounded: Soil science education shift challenges USDA conservationist hiring

Sustainable inputs and conservation practices improve soil health. (Natural Resources Conservation Service photo) Editor’s note: This is the fourth installment of a five-part series, “Getting Grounded ...
OPB

What’s a soil and water conservation district? And does Multnomah County still need one?

Most of us weren’t around to see the Dust Bowl of the 1930s. But a mixture of drought and poor farming practices saw the topsoil of a half dozen states stripped away. Picture the dusty and desolate ...
Mongabay

Sounds of the soil: A new tool for conservation?

Researchers are discovering that listening to the soil can be a way to understand biodiversity belowground without having to overturn every bit of the land. Studies have shown that soils of restored ...
Chicago Tribune

Conservation practices needed to protect Illinois farmers as topsoil loss increases, experts say

As the deadline approaches for Congress to renew the U.S. Farm Bill, agricultural experts and farmers are calling on legislators to prioritize protecting topsoil in the Midwest and throughout the ...