Farmers sought to consider impacts of climate change on Michigan crop farms
Applications for a statewide research project at MSU are now being accepted.
A newly funded agricultural climate resilience project titled “Ensuring Michigan Farms Succeed in the Face of Climate Change,” funded by a partnership that includes Michigan State University, Michigan State University Extension, the Michigan Plant Coalition and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, is seeking partnerships with select row crop farmers across Michigan.
Our project aims to understand how climate change and extreme weather events affect crop yields, soil health, and the economic well-being of Michigan farmers, while providing Michigan farms with an opportunity to contribute to the climate change solution.
Options for farmers’ participation
- Any farmer who wants to participate in a soil health assessment. Two fields of your choice will be sampled by a research team in autumn 2024. (~ number of participants 80).
- Conventional farmers who are interested in adopting regenerative practices such as cover crops or buffer strips but would like to be guided through the process during the three-year study period (approximately five participants)
- This does not require a complete change in agriculture, but only the introduction of new methods in selected fields.
- Participants will receive advice from farm staff and researchers to apply the practices in a way that makes the most sense for their farm and business.
- Farmers who currently use regenerative methods and would like to work with researchers on this project for three years (number of participants approx. 20)
Partner farmers who choose option B or C
- Contribute to the experimental design of the study by helping to select the study fields
- Attend annual project meetings
- Allows researchers to take soil and greenhouse gas samples from two fields annually
- Soil samples three times a year, greenhouse gas samples about five to six times a year
- Farmers receive a comprehensive soil test every year for three years
- Communicate with MSU Extension instructors regarding field operations to optimize sampling times.
- Share yield history data and production cost information
- All data is confidential and anonymized
- Complete management surveys and participate in a one-hour interview annually for three years.
- The estimated time required per year is approximately five hours
Compensation for farmers
Participating farmers in Groups A, B and C will receive a free comprehensive soil health test report. Participating farmers in Groups B and C will receive an annual honorarium of $200 for each field participating in the study and a carbon intensity report for their two selected fields. Farmers in Groups B and C will have the opportunity to network with other farmers, members of various Michigan commodity groups and researchers.
What indicators does the soil health test report contain?
A routine nutrient test report, pH, texture, soil respiration (similar to the Solvita test), oxidizable permanganate carbon (activated carbon), autoclaved citrate extractable protein (organically bound nitrogen pool), and enzymatic activity (indication of microbial activity and nutrient cycling).
How to sign up: Complete a registration survey
Registration deadline: 15 September 2024
For more information, contact Monica Jean, MSU Extension field crop educator, at [email protected] or call 616-443-8782.
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