You put a lot of work into tending to your field to ensure that your yield is as large as possible each season. As most agricultural producers know, however, monitoring the edge of your field is just as important as keeping an eye on the crops. In this post, we will define edge of field monitoring and highlight best practices for managing nutrients and protecting crop yields.
What Does Edge of Field Mean in Agriculture?
In terms of agriculture, edge of field monitoring means identifying and reducing agricultural sources of excess nutrients. These nutrients can negatively impact the health of nearby rivers, streams, and lakes, meaning it’s important to ensure that you’re doing everything you can to manage it.
Why is Edge of Field Important?
Edge of field management is important for a number of reasons. By taking care of nutrient management and rebuilding soil health across a farm’s fields, producers can boost productivity while providing conservation benefits. Managing sediment loss from fields can dramatically help when it comes to tackling environmental challenges.
6 Best Practices for Edge of Field in Agriculture
It’s always critical for farmers to get the most out of their crops each season, but this doesn’t mean they have to do so at the expense of the environment. There are several tactics agricultural producers can implement to make sure they’re doing their part to keep the local ecosystem healthy and intact.
Prairie Strips
Prairie strips are one conservation method that can be implemented to protect soil and water. It involves integrating small amounts of prairie into strategic locations within a field, and it’s one of the most affordable edge of field practices.
