60 Ways - 27. Monitor the Level Of Nutrients

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60 Ways Farmers Can Protect Surface Water

50 ways

57 ways

60 ways

Managing Surface Cover

1. Distribute residue evenly at harvest
2. Avoid fall tillage
3. Determine how your operations will affect residue cover
4. Estimate residue cover in the field
5. Adjust equipment to preserve residue
6. Plant a cover crop
7. Rotate crops
8. Select vigorous perennial pasture species
9. Protect the soil with special-use annual forage crops
10. Protect the soil with rotational grazing
11. Use no-till when renovating pasture
12. Manage timberland to protect soil

Controlling the Flow of Water

13. Reduce soil compaction and increase infiltration
14. Install grassed waterways
15. Plant vegetative filter strips or make critical area plantings
16. Farm on the contour
17. Use contour stripcropping and contour buffer strips
18. Install terraces
19. Install grade control structures
20. Install water and sediment control basin
21. Use diversions
22. Install a farm pond
23. Maintain your dtrainage system to protect surface water
24. Control streambank erosion with the willow-post method
25. Avoid channelization of streams and creeks

Managing Nutrients Effectively

26. Set realistic yield goals
27. Monitor the level of nutrients
28. Credit other nitrogen sources
29. Select nitrogen fertilizers wisely
30. Apply nitrogen in the spring
31. Apply fertilizer with a global positioning system

Managing Livestock Waste Effectively

32. Keep livestock out of water
33. Divert runoff water
34. Collect and store contaminated runoff
35. Install a vegetative filter - in appropriate
36. Determine accurate manure application equipment
37. Calibrate manure application equipment
38. Apply manure wisely

Reducing Insecticide Use

39. Scout fields for insects
40. Base decisions on the economic thresholds for insects
41. Use insect-resistant crop varieties
42. Use crop rotation and plant diversity to control insects
43. Spot-treat insect infestations when possible
44. Conserve beneficial insects

Reducing Herbicide Use

45. Scout for weeds and know their economic thresholds
46. Fine-tune your weed-control program to cut back on herbicides
47. Manage crops to compete aggressively with weeds
48. Don't assume that no-till requires more herbicide
49. Band herbicides and cultivate
50. Control weeds with cover crops

Selecting Pesticides

51. Select the leat-toxic pesticide
52. Determine your soil's potential for runoff
53. Determine your pesticide's potential for runoff
54. Determine the soil-pesticide interaction rating

Handling Pesticides Safely & Efficiently

55. Calibrate your sprayer
56. Consider direct injection and closed handling systems
57. Observe setback zones
58. Rinse and dispose of chemical containers safely
59. Dispose of excess chemical safely
60. Dispose of other farm waste safely

27. Monitor the Level Of Nutrients
	Soil testing helps you find the balance—applying enough fertilizer to maintain productivity without applying so much that it becomes uneconomical or environmentally hazardous. To ensure that your soil test is accurate, collect samples to the proper depth—7 inches when testing for pH, phosphorus, and potassium. Collect an adequate number of samples, typically from each 2-1/2-acre area.
	Collect samples from precisely the same areas of the field that were sampled in the past and collect samples at the proper time—late summer and fall. Sampling every four years is strongly suggested.
	Because of nitrogen's high mobility in the soil, testing for N has not been consistently reliable. However, the drier parts of the Corn Belt have had some success with both the early spring nitrate-nitrogen test and the pre-sidedress nitrogen test.
	Tissue testing of young cornstalks is not reliable for indicating nitrogen availability in the field, but tissue testing of mature cornstalks shows promise. Iowa State researchers reported that the end-of-season cornstalk test deserves attention as a tool to compare and refine N fertilizer recommendations.
	Research indicates a close link between chlorophyll content and nitrogen content in the leaves. Therefore, some specialists in the drier parts of the Corn Belt recommend that you monitor nitrogen levels with a chlorophyll meter beginning a little before tasseling. These specialists suggest you use the chlorophyll meter to schedule your last 50 pounds of nitrogen per acre, not your first.
	In contrast to testing for nitrogen, soil tests for phosphorus and potassium are well-established and quite effective for determining P and K needs. The most useful test for phosphorus is the P-1 test, while the most frequently used and best-calibrated test for potassium is ammonium acetate exchangeable K.