For decades, increasing yields has been the ultimate goal in farming. Unfortunately, the pursuit of that goal is yielding a bumper crop of farm bankruptcies, according to Ray Archuleta, instructor and co-founder of the non-profit Soil Health Academy.
An upcoming Soil Health Academy School, April 7-8, at the Lake Breeze Farm in Port Washington, seeks to debunk the “yield is king” myth and provide farmers with the knowledge, skills and confidence to focus on what really matters in business—profit.
“At a time when family farming operations are struggling to make ends meet and farm bankruptcies are on the rise, regenerative agriculture represents a remarkable opportunity for farmers to ditch the industrial agriculture model and grow healthier soil, healthier food and healthier profits,” Archuleta said. “This school will show attendees how to do just that.”
Soil Health Academy schools feature instruction by Archuleta, David Kleinschmidt and other technical consultants, all of whom are widely considered to be among the most preeminent pioneers, innovators and advocates in today’s soil health and regenerative agricultural movement.
“The two-day, hands-on course will teach farmers how to implement the six soil health principles,” Archuleta said. “When used as a system, these principles lead to significantly lower input costs and sustained profitability.”
Specific topics addressed during the school will include…
· How to reduce inputs
· Which soil tests to take, when and how to read them
· How to design cover crop mixes
· Companion cropping techniques
· Pest management
· How to address water issues
For farmers living in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, 24 scholarships, worth $300 each, will be available to attend the two-day school. To learn more about the school or to apply for one of the scholarships, visit www.soilhealthacademy.org .
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