Dennis Brezina Soil Scientist Temple Texas Soil Health

Dennis Brezina Soil Scientist, Temple, Texas Soil Health Activities with Texas NRCS Conservation… Our Purpose. Our Passion.

In Memory of 4 important members of this Workshop Family: ∙ “Larry” P. Wilding, October 1, 1934 – January 12, 2019 ∙ Eugene Arnold Brams, 1923 – April 15, 2019 ∙ Murray H. Milford, September 29, 1934 – August 20, 2019 ∙ Clyde R. Stahnke, December 4, 1935 – October 20, 2019

Overview of Soil Health – Nationally ∙ Soil Health Division https: //www. nrcs. usda. gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detailfull/national/ soils/health/? cid=nrcseprd 1315420 ∙ Willie Durham – Southeast Regional Soil Health Specialist Texas & Oklahoma ∙ National Employment Development Center

Overview of Soil Health – Texas Ecological Sciences - staffed similar to our five Zone Offices ∙ State Resource Conservationist - Kristy Oates ∙ Agronomist - Fred Schrank ∙ Biologist - Russell Castro ∙ Compliance/Wetland Specialist - Dan Keesee ∙ Forester - Vacant, Lori Hazel acting, Texas Forest Service ∙ Rangland Management Specialist - Charles Kneuper ∙ Water Quality Specialist - Kyle Wright ∙ Coastal Wetland Habitat- Scott Alford (Baytown) ∙ State “Resource Soil Scientist” - Dennis Brezina https: //www. nrcs. usda. gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/tx/contact/s tate/? cid=stelprdb 1257809

Soil Health Position aka State “Resource Soil Scientist” ∙ I started in October ∙ Trying to find my identity in this position ∙ Coming from a pasture and forest area of the state ∙ 15 years of Riparian and Wetland work ∙ Different perspective ∙ Soil Health is a Management Decision ∙ Soil Health is not for everyone ∙ All components of Soil Health are not for everyone ∙ 11/23 Technical Presentations on Soil Health (47. 8%) ∙ Bekewe – 2. 1% Texas Double Cropping; 8. 8% in No-Till. ∙ Flynn – Cover Crops are more Stable than No-Till alone.

Mr. J. F. “Hank” Mills ∙ Texas A&M College Class of 1943 ∙ Served in the U. S. Navy during World War II ∙ Associate Professor and Academic Advisor ∙ Collegiate Soils Judging Coach ∙ Retired in 1987 after 42 years ∙ Taught & advised 5, 000+ students at Texas A&M University ∙ AGRO 310 Soil Morphology ∙ AGRO 318 Soil Conservation and Land Use ∙ Taught countless students how to play 42.

A New Look at an Old Practice Thomas Jefferson used turnips, buckwheat and vetch as “cover crops” at Monticello in 1794. “…indeed I think it important to separate my exhausting crops by alternations of amelioraters (sic). ” – Letter to John Taylor, December 29, 1794 Ameliorate – Amend; make better; improve Alternative name for Land Improvement. Thomas Jefferson to John Taylor, 29 December 1794, Founders Online, National Archives, accessed September 29, 2019, https: //founders. archives. gov/documents/Jefferson/01 -28 -02 -0172. Jefferson Painting by Rembrandt Peale http: //www. whitehouseresearch. org/assetbankwhha/action/view. Home

Back to J. F. Mills… Late 1930’s Iowa - Continuous Corn vs. Corn + Oats + Sweet Clover Year Bushels/Acre Year 5 Year 10 15 Year 20 Continuous Corn 23. 9 32. 5 23. 9 17. 8 Rotation 25. 8 57. 0 72. 0 83. 9 No one wanted to farm Continuous Corn. What “one” thing was causing the increase in Yield?

Iowa Study, “The Rest of the Story” 21 st Year, Applied 180 lbs. of N to both Continuous Corn 103 bu/A; Rotation 98. 4 Year Year Bushels/Acre 5 10 15 20 21 Continuous Corn 23. 9 32. 5 23. 9 17. 8 103 Rotation 25. 8 57 72 83. 9 98. 4 It was like the study never happened. How much did fertilizer cost in 1960?

Soil Health Five Principles Soil Health: continued capacity of the soil to function as a vital living system that sustains plant and animal health. Cover the Soil Minimize Disturbance Plant Diversity Living Root Livestock Integration

What Soil Health Does & Does Not Do Soil Health does NOT: ∙ Cure Coronavirus ∙ Balance the National Budget ∙ Convince NRCS Human Resources that you took a Soil Course ∙ It won’t even turn a Potter soil into a Houston Black Soil Health does: ∙ Conserve soil - controls soil erosion (both wind & water) Intercepts RD splash & cover/surface roughness ∙ Helps build soil structure over time ∙ Increases water infiltration ∙ Conserves soil moisture by keeping the ground covered ∙ Lowers Soil Temperature ∙ Improves Macro and Microbiology (Earthworms, Arthropods, Bacteria, Fungi & Protozoa)

Soil Health is NOT for everyone ∙ Can a farmer in the Panhandle easily add animals? ∙ For that matter – Coast Prairie, Blackland, Brazos Bottom? ∙ Most Farmers & Ranchers are going the best they know how ∙ NRCS is trying to offer them additional management options ∙ Ask the Producer what do you want? Maximum Yields? Newest Equipment? First Bale? Maximize Income? Maximum Profit? ∙ Optimum Yield – Maximum Yields do NOT necessarily Maximize Profits.

Soil Health Activities with Texas NRCS ∙ 10 Conservation Planning Courses statewide (NRCS staff) Soil Health Division – Soil Health & Sustainability ∙ Partner Course with Agri. Life and NRCS – early March ∙ No-Till Texas, Lubbock – February 11 -12 ∙ Soil Regen – Regenerative Grazing, Salado – February 19 -20 ∙ No-Till USDA–ARS & Texas Tech, Lubbock – March 24 ∙ State-wide Soil Health Field Days with National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) throughout year ∙ Texas Association of Soil & Water Conservation Districts & NRCS Soil Health Short Course, Sweetwater ~ April 20, 2020

Partnership Agreements ∙ Texas A&M University in Wilbarger County – Replicated Soil Health Research in Residue Management & Cover Crops ∙ Tarleton State University – Soils and Wildlife Department to monitor DNA of Soils under Different Cropping Systems ∙ Prairie View A&M University – Plan & Implement a Conservation Plan as a Demonstration/Research Farm ∙ Texas Association of Soil & Water Conservation Districts to conduct Soil Health Short Courses Wichita Falls 2017; Palestine 2018 -19 Sweetwater – April 20, 2020 ∙ USDA-ARS Grassland Research Center Riesel – Comparison of Conservation System to Conventional

Partnership Agreements – Soil & Water Conservation Districts (SWCD’s) ∙ Wichita County – Residue Management, Cover Crops, Crop Rotation & Prescribed Grazing Central Prairies ∙ Runnels County – Residue Management (Alone) and Residue Management with Cover Crops in Rolling Red Plains ∙ Austin County – Cover Crop & Prescribed Grazing Native Prairie & Improved Pasture Blackland Prairies ∙ Guadalupe County – Residue Management & Cover Crops Corn-Sorghum-Wheat Blackland Prairies ∙ Anderson County – Cover Crops and Prescribed Grazing versus Continuous Grazing on Pasture in Claypan Prairies/East Texas Timberlands ∙ Nacogdoches County – Forest Management – Longleaf, Loblolly Plantation (typical vs. prescribed fire), Native Grass planting, Bermudagrass Hay Production, Bottomland Hardwood and Cropland in East Texas Timberlands

Partnership Agreement – Anderson County SWCD Palestine Short Course ∙ Field Tour of different operations ∙ Soil Health Study Agreement Continuous Grazing Cover Crop Variable Rates Rotational Grazing Bale Grazing Poultry Litter ∙ Cow/Calf management Moving cattle Gopher control Aeration

Rainfall Simulators ∙ 6 around the State ∙ Temple ∙ Bryan ∙ Corpus Christi ∙ Lubbock ∙ San Angelo ∙ Weatherford

Conversation with Dr. Morgan ∙ How much “better” we farm today ∙ Agree, but we can do better: ∙ Riparian areas with large mesquite and hackberry cleared to be cropped this year ∙ Farming up and down and over terraces Terraces need maintenance Or is it just a 20 -year practice? ∙ Paradigm Shift ∙ Financial and Cultural Barriers

∙ Bekewe – 2. 1% Texas Double Cropping; 8. 8% in No-Till.

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