Soil Health

Maintaining soil health in arid and semiarid farming systems is critical to the long-term management of farmlands across New Mexico. Without soil health, farmlands become less productive and vulnerable to erosion.

For more information on cover cropping or reduced tillage, contact your local Cooperative Extension county agent, and follow your state Extension account on social media. You can get practical advice, from fact sheets to planting mixes, and simple explanations of what research shows about the economic and environmental effects of cover crops and low-till practices.

The natural diversity of rangelands makes them productive – and complicated. Factors such as drought, erosion, soil disturbance, and natural vegetation affect the overall health of soil and the plants that feed livestock.

For more information on rangeland health, contact your local Cooperative Extension county agent, and follow your state Extension account on social media. You can get practical advice, drought planning resources, and information about the economic and environmental effects of soil health practices.

In this presentation, Dr. Joel Brown discusses a basic understanding of the rangeland carbon cycle, net primary productivity, and drivers of carbon storage. This talk also covers processes and principles of carbon sequestration in rangelands and provides information on management systems to increase carbon storage. It also highlights how models help estimate and document carbon storage at scales.

This presentation discusses carbon management issues in New Mexico croplands, basic processes involved in cropland carbon sequestration, and management strategies for improving soil carbon storage. Dr. Rajan Ghimire also shared results from ongoing work at ASC Clovis and outlined further work needed to enhance carbon sequestration. He emphasized ways to manage carbon and water together for greater benefits.