STATEWIDE — The Indiana State Department of Agriculture announced on Monday the development of a free soil sampling initiative with the Gulf Hypoxia Program.
Titled “Indiana’s Mississippi River Basin Soil Sampling Program” the ISDA is hoping to promote their 4R framework with farmers from around the state. The 4Rs are “Right Source, Right Rate, Right Time, and Right Place.” They say that the new soil sampling program is the first step and a key component in farmers developing their plan for nutrient management.
Source: (Photo by Ole Jensen/Getty Images)
Soil sampling provides data that is valuable to farmers, allowing them to know which types of fertilizer to use, what nutrients are available in the soil, and reduce the risk or nutrient loss.
The program will include row crop fields, pastures, and specialty crops located within Indiana’s portion of the Mississippi River Basin. Landowners who have fields that have never been sampled or haven’t been sampled regularly will be prioritized. Hobby gardens and private lawns are excluded from participation.
Source: ISDA / ISDA
The above map shows all areas eligible for the program highlighted in green. Interested parties can sign up at the ISDA’s website, or email soilsampling@isda.in.gov. Applications are being accepted until April 17th of 2024.
