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Soil Health Management Planning and Implementation

Counties: Morrow, Umatilla

Primary Resource Concern Addressed: Soil organism habitat loss or degradation, Soil quality limitations - Organic matter depletion

Project Description
The goal of this project is to build and support a network of landowners willing to participate in a long-term effort to implement Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) soil health practices and plans based on soil testing and established soil health principles. Not only will this project assist NRCS in its effort to reach broadscale implementation of soil health practices, it will help build a network of like-minded producers and build momentum to make soil health a common goal in eastern Oregon, with knowledgeable practitioners available to share their experiences to further the effort.

Conservation Practices Offered

  • Residue and Tillage Management, No Till (329)  
  • Cover Crop (340) 
  • Prescribed Grazing (528) 
  • Residue and Tillage Management, Reduced Till (345)  
  • Soil Carbon Amendment (808) 
  • Conservation Crop Rotation (328)  
  • Soil Health Management Plan (116)  
  • Soil Health Testing (216) 
  • Fence (382) 

Project Partners

  • National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
  • Umatilla Soil and Water Conservation District
  • Morrow Soil and Water Conservation District
  • Oregon NRCS
  • Private landowners

Screening Questions

  1. Does this application include practice Cover Crop (340) OR Conservation Crop Rotation (328)?

Ranking Questions

  1. Answer only one of the four questions in this section.

    a.      Your existing STIR is less than 20

    b.      The applicant agrees to adopt a STIR less than 20

    c.      Your existing STIR is less than 40

    d.      The applicant agrees to adopt a STIR less than 40

  2. Does the applicant maintain undisturbed residue cover over winter?

  3. Does the applicant agree to plant a fall seeded cover to be grown over winter and terminated the following spring?

  4. Does the applicant agree to plant a summer cover during the fallow period?

  5. Does your existing rotation include more than one crop species?

  6. Do you agree to plant a multi-species cover crop or add an “inter-cropping” addition to your base rotation?