You should also be concerned about the proper rates and timing of fertilizers, manures, and pesticides to meet your crop fields. It will help you to balance crop needs with nutrient applications through a nutrient management plan. It will help you to manage your crop pests through a pest management plan. Use this chapter to address questions to which you have answered yes to or do not know in the Assessing Your Cropland section in your Farm and Home Water Quality Assessment. This chapter will help you develop an Action Plan to establish practices that will protect and enhance the quality of your cropland.
Soil erosion is sometimes difficult to see.
Soil erosion occurs when water or wind moves across your fields, picking up soil particles and carrying them away. If you can see differences in soil colors on your fields or if there is evidence of rills or gullies where water has run across your fields, you probably have excess erosion occurring on your fields. If you are unsure of what your erosion rates are on your fields, contact your local NRCS or Conservation District Office to assist you in measuring erosion rates. Back To Top 2. Different soils have different colors.