Drawing Down Soil Test Phosphorus

Source: Field Notes, University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension

Field Notes reporting from the field, well, the bar. We sit down with Mark Keller of Kellercrest Holsteins of Mt. Horeb and Chelsea Zegler, Outreach Specialist with Extension’s Ag Water Quality Program, at the Mt. Vernon Tap to talk phosphorus and how farmers can work to draw down excessive levels and save money in the meantime. Mark recounts the Pleasant Valley Watershed Project that worked with farmers in the area to adopt conservation practices like reduced tillage and cover crops for forage, which reduced soil test and water phosphorus levels by 40%, which meant big fertilizer savings. And Chelsea discusses pathways for phosphorus loss and ways to mitigate and keep the dollars in your fields.

Length: 32:33

Year Produced: 2023

State: Wisconsin

Cropping Systems: Dairy

Tags: Erosion Control, phosphorus, reduce inputs, Save Money, water quality