Agreement Number
NR20-13G016
Awardee Name
Auburn University
Grant Type
On-Farm Trials
Project Title
The Future of Farming
Awardee State/Territory
Alabama
Involved States/territories
Alabama
Award Year
2019
Start Date
End Date
Award Amount
$3,000,000.00
Production/Use
Farmland Agricultural
Resource Concern (Broad)
Energy
Soil
Water
Resource Concern (Specific)
Cover cropping
nitrogen or phosphorus issues
Soil Health
Conservation Practice(s)
Cover Crop
Irrigation Water Management
Nutrient Management
Project Background
This project aims to utilize a systems approach to demonstrate to row crop farmers the combined
benefits of Cover Crops and smart irrigation practices for improving soil health and water- and
nutrient-use efficiency while conserving water and Energy. Edge-of-the-field monitoring and
nutrient budgets will be included to demonstrate reduction in nutrient losses from combined
cover crop and smart irrigation practices. In addition, on-farm trials will be used as learning
nodes for training and studying the barriers and limitations to adoption of cover crop systems and
smart irrigation practices. Three on-farm sites with different levels of adoption of the proposed
practices have been selected to conduct the proposed demonstrations. At each site, the area under
the center irrigation pivot will be divided into two halves. One half will be in business-as-usual
management whereas the remaining half of the pivot will be used for demonstrating the new
conservation practices. The new conservation practices will be compared against the business-as-usual practices in terms of yield, components of nitrogen and phosphorus budgets, edge-of-field
runoff losses, nutrient and water use efficiency, and production economics. Several farmers’
engagement approaches (one-to-one meetings, small group meetings, field days, workshops) will
be used to increase knowledge and adoption of these new practices. The barriers to adoption will
be studied through interaction of cooperating farmers and meeting participants. Our goal with this last aim is to increase the adoption of environmentally sound, sustainable practices related to conserving soil, water and nutrients.
benefits of Cover Crops and smart irrigation practices for improving soil health and water- and
nutrient-use efficiency while conserving water and Energy. Edge-of-the-field monitoring and
nutrient budgets will be included to demonstrate reduction in nutrient losses from combined
cover crop and smart irrigation practices. In addition, on-farm trials will be used as learning
nodes for training and studying the barriers and limitations to adoption of cover crop systems and
smart irrigation practices. Three on-farm sites with different levels of adoption of the proposed
practices have been selected to conduct the proposed demonstrations. At each site, the area under
the center irrigation pivot will be divided into two halves. One half will be in business-as-usual
management whereas the remaining half of the pivot will be used for demonstrating the new
conservation practices. The new conservation practices will be compared against the business-as-usual practices in terms of yield, components of nitrogen and phosphorus budgets, edge-of-field
runoff losses, nutrient and water use efficiency, and production economics. Several farmers’
engagement approaches (one-to-one meetings, small group meetings, field days, workshops) will
be used to increase knowledge and adoption of these new practices. The barriers to adoption will
be studied through interaction of cooperating farmers and meeting participants. Our goal with this last aim is to increase the adoption of environmentally sound, sustainable practices related to conserving soil, water and nutrients.
Project Scale
Multi-farm
Project targeted to Historically Underserved producers?
No