Agricultural Soils Managment Practices

Grasses, legumes, and forbs for seasonal cover and other conservation purposes. Grown primarily to improve and protect the soil between periods of regular crop production, or a crop grown between trees and vines in orchards and vineyards. 

• Permanent Pasture or Woodland 

• Cover Crops

• No Till

• Grassed Waterway

• Strip Cropping 

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-5

Limiting soil disturbance to manage the amount, orientation and distribution of crop and plant residue on the soil surface year around. 

• Permanent Pasture or Woodland 

• Cover Crops

• No Till

• Grassed Waterway

• Strip Cropping 

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

A shaped channel planted with fine grasses  a broad and shallow cross section to a stable outlet. 

• Permanent Pasture or Woodland 

• Cover Crops

• No Till

• Grassed Waterway

• Strip Cropping 

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Growing planned rotations of row crops, forages, small grains, or fallow in a systematic arrangement along the natural contour of the land of equal width strips across a field.

• Permanent Pasture or Woodland 

• Cover Crops

• No Till

• Grassed Waterway

• Strip Cropping 

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

Land is so steep that it cannot be cropped. Land can only be used for grazing or forest production.

• Permanent Pasture or Woodland 

• Cover Crops

• No Till

• Grassed Waterway

• Strip Cropping 

An area of trees and/or shrubs located adjacent to and up-­gradient from water bodies. Riparian buffers are installed on areas adjacent to permanent or intermittent streams, lakes, ponds, wetlands and areas with groundwater recharge. 

• Heavy Use Pads 

• Controlled Traffic 

• Surface Drainage 

• Riparian Buffers/Buffer Strip 

• Crop Rotation 

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

An open drainage ditch constructed to a designed size and grade. 

• Heavy Use Pads 

• Controlled Traffic 

• Surface Drainage 

• Riparian Buffers/Buffer Strip 

• Crop Rotation 

Tags

NGSS.MS-ETS1-3

The stabilization of areas frequently and intensively used by people, animals or vehicles by establishing vegetative cover, surfacing with suitable materials, and/or installing needed structures. 

• Heavy Use Pads 

• Controlled Traffic 

• Surface Drainage 

• Riparian Buffers/Buffer Strip 

• Crop Rotation 

Switching between grain crops and legumes to ensure nutrients are replenished in the soils.

• Heavy Use Pads 

• Controlled Traffic 

• Surface Drainage 

• Riparian Buffers/Buffer Strip 

• Crop Rotation 

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

Confining all high load wheel/track traffic from farm equipment to specific lanes or tramlines in crop fields year after year. 

• Heavy Use Pads 

• Controlled Traffic 

• Surface Drainage 

• Riparian Buffers/Buffer Strip 

• Crop Rotation 

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-5

NGSS.MS-ETS1-1