May 10, 2021 – Wind erosion can cause farmers many problems. The May 7th, 2021 Sustainable, Secure Food Blog explores how wind erosion affects farming in Washington and some solutions farmers can use.
According to blogger Andrew McGuire, “Wind erosion is a soil health thief. In both sandy and fine-grained silt soils of Eastern Washington, wind erosion lifts, sifts, and then carries away the best part of the soil. Lost are the tiny particles of clay and silt with the organic matter that is stuck to them.”
Local soil conditions make matters worse. Low rainfall produces sparse vegetation, therefore low soil organic matter levels. Windstorms are common in the spring before newly planted crops can provide much protection from the wind, and they’re common in the fall after the harvest of crops. To read more about the effects of wind erosion and some ways farmers can protect their soils, read the entire blog: https://sustainable-secure-food-blog.com/2021/05/07/how-does-wind-erosion-affect-farming-in-washington-state/
Dr. McGuire presented at the 2020 Sustainable Agronomy Conference offered by the American Society of Agronomy; listen here. (Qualified members of the media can receive complimentary media access by contacting Susan Fisk, ASA-CSSA-SSSA Science Communications Director.)
About us: This blog is sponsored and written by members of the American Society of Agronomy and Crop Science Society of America. Our members are researchers and trained, certified professionals in the areas of growing our world’s food supply while protecting our environment. They work at universities, government research facilities, and private businesses across the United States and the world.
