A record breaking 7,300 producers who farm corn, soybean, grain sorghum, and wheat from across the nation recently convened in San Antonio, Texas for the 2014 Commodity Classic.
USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Conservation Agronomist Ray Archuleta from the East National Technology Center in Greensboro, NC is known as “The Soil Guy” among producers and the agricultural industry for his passion and teachings of building and managing good soil health.
Archuleta was a popular featured speaker with his program titled: ‘Maximizing Agricultural Production Through Good Soil Health’ where he revealed the benefits of healthy soil promotion through a dynamic presentation and demonstration. He focused on the physical, chemical, and biological components that go into making and managing healthy soil.
By appointing volunteers in the audience, Archuleta reached out to the farmers and ranchers present to ask for their help in presenting a soil aggregate test and rainfall simulator demonstration. Both demonstrations provided producers a good look into the living soil and how different the general soil types react to erosion-causing events.
Archuleta travels the country working with farmers and ranchers to assist them in implementing good conservation measures that lead to healthy soil.
The largest Commodity Classic trade show was packed with more than a thousand booths for producers, their families, and industry representatives to visit.
NRCS exhibited a national soil health display during the trade show to help promote and educate producers about cover crops and compliment Archuleta’s presentation. It featured soil health and how good quality soil and conservation measures of all natural resources can help sustain agricultural production.
A highlight of the conference included a presentation by keynote speaker USDA Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack during the general session. Secretary Vilsack opened his keynote speech with key principles of the recently passed Farm Bill.
Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden also attended the conference, visited with leaders from the commodity organizations, and also spoke during a breakout session. She also spent time at the trade show and visited with USDA cooperators at their farms and ranches in the area during the conference. Deputy Secretary Harden also joined USDA leaders from the NRCS, Farm Service Agency (FSA), and Rural Development to host a joing StrikeForce meeting with producers to share about opportunities available to them to participate in USDA programs.
A record breaking 7,300 producers who farm corn, soybean, grain sorghum, and wheat from across the nation recently convened in San Antonio, Texas for the 2014 Commodity Classic.
By appointing volunteers in the audience, Archuleta reached out to the farmers and ranchers present to ask for their help in presenting a soil aggregate test and rainfall simulator demonstration. Both demonstrations provided producers a good look into the living soil and how different the general soil types react to erosion-causing events.
NRCS exhibited a national soil health display during the trade show to help promote and educate producers about cover crops and compliment Archuleta’s presentation. It featured soil health and how good quality soil and conservation measures of all natural resources can help sustain agricultural production.