Residue Matters

Residue matters. Whether you call it stover or simply cobs and stalks, the plant residue left on the field after harvest plays an important role in protecting soil from erosion, helping build organic matter and contributing nutrients back to the soil.
In addition to the tillage decisions that impact how much residue is left on the soil, increased demand for stover as a feed and energy source has led many producers to wonder whether they should bale and sell their crop residue or leave it on the ground.
Because residue matters, the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) has joined other public and private entities in a campaign to create a consistent message about better residue management and to help farmers consider the value of residue as they make management and tillage decisions.
“’Residue Matters’ is not simply a no-till promotion program,” says Heath Ellison, ISA Environmental Programs state technical assistance coordinator. “The project partners set a goal of helping farmers improve their residue management incrementally. This could come from eliminating a tillage pass, removing less residue for livestock feed or biomass energy production, or trying newer technologies that disturb less residue.”
The “Residue Matters” campaign was launched in northwest Iowa on the opening day of the Clay County Fair in Spencer. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey, who farms east of Spirit Lake, was on hand for the kickoff.
“In these volatile economic times, knowledge is key for crop producers to make the right decisions for both short and long-term profitability,” Northey said. “Knowledge about residue’s value and its management can help producers make the right choices for their operation.”
The “Residue Matters” campaign builds on a unique partnership of producers, Iowa State University, agribusiness, government and commodity organizations and non-profit groups.
“So many landowners rely on agribusinesses or certified crop advisors for their agronomic information,” said Bill Ehm, the DNR’s water policy coordinator and co-chair of the campaign. “This campaign is a great opportunity to work with a private business and expand on that relationship. It’s yet another way of including conservation in the conversation.
“That’s crucial as we know from the 2008 floods and excessive run-off that occurs every year. We need to do the best job we can to infiltrate water where it falls, before it has a chance to do so much damage. Improving residue management and soil quality are two of the best tools for managing run-off and ensuring long-term productivity on the farm.”
Troy Upah, CEO of Ag Partners, says his Albert City-based agribusiness is involved in the campaign because it’s the right thing to do for farmers.
“Farmers have always used residue for feed, such as silage," Upah says. “Recently, as we’ve watched farmers experiment with biomass, our concern is that they truly need to put a value on their residue in terms of their soil. Granted, for us, there is a short-term conflict in that we can probably sell more fertilizer to replace nutrients if farmers harvest their residue. However, we know that our long-term success depends on their profitability, so we must take the long-term approach of helping them consider what is good for their soil.”
“The Iowa Soybean Association supports ‘Residue Matters’ because that campaign aligns well with the ISA’s Environmental Program goals,” Ellison says. “ISA’s CEMSA [Certified Environmental Management Systems for Agriculture] program helps farmers implement environmental management systems to address the primary resource concerns on the farm – soil, water, air, plants, animals and energy. The ‘Residue Matters’ campaign matches up very well with CEMSA.”
Residue Management
Without proper maintenance, even the most powerful engine can lose the ability to perform at its peak. The same goes for soil. Residue management is aimed at making sure soil is performing at its peak by managing the amount, orientation and distribution of crop and other plant residue throughout the year. It addresses all soil disturbing activities like tillage, nutrient applications and harvesting of residue.
The critical time to maintain good residue cover is in the spring, until a crop canopy covers the soil. To achieve that requires planning at harvest, regarding tillage and residue removal.
Residue management is a relatively inexpensive area to improve. However, there are many management considerations to explore before deciding on a residue management system for a particular farming operation. Technical assistance is available to help producers implement a system that works for them.
More information is available from local USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service centers and ISU Extension offices. Northwest Iowa farmers can also talk with an Ag Partners agronomist or go directly to the Web site at www.residuematters.org for more detailed information and research publications.
The “Residue Matters” partnership includes Ag Partners, Agribusiness Association of Iowa, Conservation Districts of Iowa, Iowa Certified Crop Advisors, Iowa Corn Growers Association, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship-Division of Soil Conversation, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Iowa Environmental Council, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, Iowa Soybean Association, Iowa State University and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services.