Future of Agriculture 131: Building Soil Health Through No Till Farming and Cover Crops with Joe Breker

Future of Agriculture

Joe Breker is the owner of the Coteau des Prairies, a getaway lodge that offers stunning views surrounded by prairie farms and fields. He has been farming for over 40 years and practices what the industry calls “No-till” farming, a method that prioritizes soil health. With his skills and knowledge, Joe managed to successfully operate his farm during the dry ‘80s and wet ‘90s, as well as each decade’s poor farm economy.

Joe joins me today to describe how his conservative farming practices have improved their farm’s soil health. He shares how his father was a sustainable farmer and what he did to build on what his father started. He also describes what no-till farming is, how it helps to restore damaged soil and explains the science behind management practices and how it affects soil health for decades.

“Once you lose soil health, it's really difficult to get it back." - Joe Breker

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

• The farming legacy Joe is a part of and how his father ran the farm.
• What no-till farming is and what made him utilize this method.
• How he started his journey in soil health.
• Maintaining commitment to soil health despite poor farming business conditions.
• How he processes their compost and the processes involved.
• Building soil health and how they nurse damaged soil back to health.

Key Takeaways:

• Farmers know production losses happen because of management practices on their farm.
• You can't fully restore the health of soil, but you can devise ways to improve it.

Resources Mentioned:

• Stories from the soil
• Cool Planet

Connect with Joe Breker:

• Coteau des Prairies Lodge

2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30

Help us celebrate the top 30 future leaders of agriculture! Nominate your favorite up-and-coming, future executives, innovators, and influencers in the following agriculture categories:

• Agribusiness
• Production Agriculture
• Research & Technology
• Entrepreneurship
• Education & Advocacy

Nominations for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list are now open and are scheduled to close Thursday, January 31, 2019, at 11:59 PM. Self-nominations are accepted.

Winners will be announced March 2019.

To learn more about the eligibility requirements, announcement date and location, and to nominate for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list, visit: 30Under30.ag

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