The Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) welcomes its new executive director, Mike Komp. The role will call upon Komp's skills to build collaborative networks that help promote and champion conservation farming systems, secure funding for new programs and help analyze and disseminate digital data on conservation practices.

In this episode of the No-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Montag Manufacturing, retired USDA soil scientist Don Reicosky outlines the connection between soil health principles and carbon management in the context of conservation agriculture and no-till farming.

Elk City, Okla., no-tillers Spencer Smith and his father, Jimmy Smith, talk about the Dalton Ag Mobility 600 fertilizer applicator they use to broadcast cereal rye into standing cotton, which is planted in 40-inch rows. The machine is PTO-driven and the Smiths can travel 6-7 mph to cover a lot of ground efficiently. The family has been seeding cereal rye on their farm for decades and say rye seeding between the rows has helped suppress weeds and markedly improve water infiltration and soil retention.

Soil health expert Frank Gibbs brings to share nearly 40 years of experience investigating innovative ways to boost biological activity and enhance earthworm populations at the 2019 National Strip-Tillage Conference.

Soil Health Specialist Nathan Lowder of NRCS demonstrates water infiltration in five growing environments with a rainfall simulation.

Soil Health Specialist Nathan Lowder of NRCS demonstrates a soil aggregate stability test, also known as the SLAKE test.

Holtwood, Pa.-based grower and veteran cover crop coach Steve Groff announces new enhancements this year to Cover Crop Innovators, an online educational resource for cover crop education and management.

Soil biology plays a key role in building healthy soils, providing nutrients to crops and naturally controlling some soil-borne pests and diseases. It is difficult to assess the soil biological properties in a lab, but the PLFA test serves as a good indicator of soil microbial communities.