Colorado’s Saving Tomorrow’s Agricultural Resources (STAR) program
provides a voluntary way for farmers and ranchers to assess their conservation efforts and impact on soil health. Creating a large-scale agroecosystem management comes with many funding and logistical tribulations. In this podcast, we talk to the founders of this program, Drs. Jim Ippolito and Steve Blecker, about what impacts soil health, how it’s measured, and the hope of a nationwide soil health rating scale.
Notes
Steve Blecker PhD is a research soil scientist with the Ag Experiment Station at Colorado State University. He obtained his Bachelor’s at Penn State University and graduate degree in pathology at Colorado State University. His research focuses on sustainable agriculture, soil health, and range land restoration. Steve is actively involved in collaborative projects with the farming community and contributes to the advancement of sustainable and resilient agricultural practices.
Jim Ippolito PhD is currently a professor in the School of Environment and Natural Resources at Ohio State University. He obtained his Bachelor’s in agronomy from the University of Delaware, and his graduate degree in soil chemistry, fertility, and quality from Colorado State University. Jim is an expert in and teaches soil fertility and soil health principles and practices. He is actively involved in research, teaching, and extension activities, working to improve soil health and fertility for the benefit of farmers, land managers, and the environment.
The views and opinions expressed in the podcast and on this posting are those of the individual speakers or authors and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions held by METER.
Discussions around land use for cattle grazing versus solar panels have valiant proponents on both sides, but some question the debate altogether. Why can’t land be used for both raising cattle and renewable energy sources such as wind or solar?
Should you be measuring water content or water potential? Like all good scientific questions, the answer is, “It depends.” In this episode, METER research scientist, Leo Rivera, and METER’s ecology and plant physiology specialist, Chris Chambers, discuss what you need to know to choose the right measurements.
25 years ago Drs John Norman and Gaylon Campbell co-authored An Introduction to Environmental Biophysics. Their ability to work across disciplinary lines brought new understanding to countless scientists and taught us how to conduct better research through collaboration.
Webinar: Using the salt balance to irrigate more efficiently
The global pressure for water conservation is being felt in every industry, especially in arid countries. In agriculture, the balance can be hard to find.
In this 30-minute webinar, Dr. Gaylon Campbell, Senior Research Scientist at METER for over 25 years, breaks down how to measure the water and salt balance and how to use these measurements to improve irrigation efficiency. He will discuss:
Climate change impacts on irrigated agriculture
Things that can and cannot increase water use efficiency in agriculture