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Soil health can add value

 

An Ohio farmer says he has lowered production costs by improving and monitoring soil health. Chris Weaver says he began using cover crops on his farm and over the last several years it’s been paying off.

“We’ve invested in technology to get some of those cover crops out, putting some radishes and rye grasses out, which has done huge things for our soil health. It holds moisture in the summer and keeps that nitrogen phosphorous right there where we NEED it,” says Weaver.

Weaver, who has a dairy operation, tells Brownfield the biggest challenge for farmers is to balance the need for soil health with the bottom line, but a little investment can produce positive results.

“Farming is hard. Manure and nutrients cost money and they have a value so if we use them right and appropriately we can actually get more crops out of the ground,” says Weaver.

Weaver says in the current ag economy, it pays to monitor soil health. Brownfield spoke with Weaver at the Ohio Farm Bureau Ag Day event in Columbus.

Audio: Chris Weaver, dairy farmer, Northwest Ohio