Clean water Archives - Pasa Sustainable Agriculture

Soil Health Benchmarks: 2021 Report

Melissa Cipollone — Wed, 10 Feb 2021 18:28:54 +0000

What are the soil samples, field management records, and first-hand experiences from 100+ farms telling us about soil health?

Building and preserving soil health is a fundamental component of a secure food system that effectively protects ecosystems and communities. Our Soil Health Benchmark Study is designed to help farmers monitor and evaluate the nuanced soil health strengths and challenges that can exist simultaneously within their fields.

The study was developed and is administered by Pasa Sustainable Agriculture in collaboration with more than 100 vegetable, pastured livestock, and row crop farmers and partners including the Cornell Soil Health Laboratory, Future Harvest and the Million Acre Challenge, Penn State Extension, Rodale Institute, and Stroud Water Research Center.

The study, which began in 2016, is one of the largest and most diverse community soil health research projects in the nation, amassing data from a wide range of farm scales and management systems, soil types, and farmer experiences.

Download our Soil Health Benchmarks 2021 Report below for a detailed review of our study and findings to date. You can also read a summary of our findings here on our blog.

Complete this form to download the report:

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An environmental assessment of grass-based dairy

Marie Hathaway — Tue, 01 Sep 2020 17:56:21 +0000

Demand for grass-based dairy production, which relies heavily on grazing and use of forage crops, is growing in the United States, primarily due to reported human health benefits of the milk produced as well as perceived environmental and animal welfare benefits. We used a whole-farm model to evaluate environmental footprints of all-grass, grass supplemented with grain, and confinement dairy production systems in the temperate climate of the northeastern U.S. Model results were depicted per unit of farmland and per unit of milk produced to provide alternate perspectives from the viewpoint of land management and commodity production.

These data indicate that grass-based dairy farms can provide environmental benefits to a local watershed, but due to a lower efficiency in milk production, they may increase the aggregate environmental impacts of regional and global supply chains.

Download the article for a full explanation of our methods and findings.

This study was conducted in collaboration with USDA / Agricultural Research Service and findings were published in Agricultural Systems in September 2020.

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Water Farming: Managing Agricultural Lands for Clean & Safe Water

Pierie Korostoff — Thu, 30 Jul 2020 17:35:23 +0000

Can agriculture transition from a major source of water pollution to a major force for improving water quality and, in turn, for protecting human and environmental health?

This booklet explores how agriculture has the potential to either degrade and deplete, or protect and enrich, our shared water resources.

By understanding the connections between specific farming practices and water quality and quantity, farmers, communities, and government agencies can more effectively work together to nurture a cleaner, more abundant water supply and a healthier, more secure food system.

While the geographic focus for this booklet is Pennsylvania, the core issues discussed—water, farming, and a sustainable future—are global.

Complete this form to download the report:

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