Technical Resources
Physical Properties
Chemical Properties
Biological Properties
Research Resources
Soil Health Concerns
Five Principles of Soil Health
South Dakota Healthy Soils Handbook
This book is your guide to soil health principles, practices and options for your operation. If you want to learn more about soil and find advice on how to implement good soil health practices, the South Dakota Healthy Soils Handbook is just what you need. You can read and download the entire book here. For the best viewing experience, we recommend the following web browsers: Chrome, Safari, Edge or Firefox. If you would like a hard copy of the book, please contact the South Dakota Soil Health Coalition.
Mentor Network
Interested in talking to another producer or technical experts about how they have used soil health practices? Take a look at this network of individuals willing to mentor and answer your questions! Giving Advice, Finding Solutions, and Building Connections for Healthier Soil, Healthier Crops, Healthier Livestock, and Healthier People.
Soil Health Planning and Improvement Project
This project offers financial and technical assistance to producers willing to adopt certain soil health management practices for land within specific watershed areas in South Dakota.
Soil Health Assessment Card – English and Spanish
The South Dakota Soil Health Coalition has created a Soil Health Assessment Card which agricultural producers of all types, ranchers, gardeners, and others can utilize on site to assess their current level of soil health. Download the current version of the card, and utilize it in one of your fields, or production areas today! Contact us if you would like a Soil Health Technician to visit with you about your results or assist you in completing the card.
Grazing Cover Crops Worksheet
Use this worksheet to caculate the available forage in a given acreage of cover crops and the number of days it can be grazed.
Additional Resources
- Soil Quality Indicator Fact Sheets- USDA NRCS
- Soil Texture Calculator- USDA NRCS
- Soil Quality Test Kit Guide-USDA NRCS
- Cover Crop Excel Worksheet – USDA NRCS
- Soil Structure Backgrounder – USDA NRCS
- “How To Avoid Soil Compaction: True, False, Q&A”- Corn+Soybean Digest
- “Managing Cover Crops Profitably” Third Addition PDF
- “Building Soils For Better Crops” By Fred Magdoff and Harold Van Es PDF
- “Recommendations for Managing Corn Residue at Harvest” Paul Jasa, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
- Palmer Amaranth ID Pamphlet- SDSU Extension 2020
- 2019 60 Inch Corn Test Plot Report
- 2019 60 Inch Corn Test Plot Two Sided Fact Sheet
- 2019 60 Inch Corn Test Plot Brochure
News & Events
His ground bounces back: Everything works a little better with healthy soil
Craig Rau produces a variety of crops and cattle on his farm in northcentral South Dakota. Image Courtesy of SDSHC and USDA-NRCS South Dakota. By Lynn Betts For South Dakota Soil Health Coalition PIERRE, SD – Like most South Dakota farmers and ranchers, Craig Rau has...
Producers receive financial assistance to improve their land
By Stan Wise South Dakota Soil Health Coalition For many producers, knowing that soil health is important just isn’t enough. The challenge for them is how to pay for it. “Conservation is not cheap,” Marshall County producer Dennis Fagerland said. Soil health is...
Soil health producers have more confidence in their systems
By Lynn Betts For South Dakota Soil Health Coalition As concerns continue to build about a widespread drought across South Dakota this year, the state’s farmers and ranchers face yet another stressful year. Two exceptionally wet years in 2018 and 2019 followed by...