Laser Leveling & Field Liming Stewardship Programs

Laser Leveling

Farmers and Delta Farmland & Wildlife Trust share the cost of leveling the soil on fields in order to minimize the impact of water erosion. Laser leveling is beneficial because it:

• Eliminates low spots and pooling in fields; ponds of water can cause soil compaction and salinity
• Minimize surface water runoff and erosion that can carry away soil particles
• Maximizes productivity by allowing fields to dry out earlier; this allows farmers earlier access for planting, making it more likely that a cover crop can be planted once the cash crop is harvested

Farming has come a long way since horses and ploughs furrowed the fields of Delta. Today, geographical positioning system (GPS) receivers, geographical information system (GIS) software and data, stationary laser emitters, and sophisticated ploughs with laser receivers are used to contour fields.

To learn more about the Laser Leveling Program, read our 2009 Annual Report and our Laser Leveling Fact Sheet.
  

Field Liming

Delta Farmland & Wildlife Trust works with local farmers to cost-share the application of lime to farm fields. Soils used to grow food crops will eventually become acidic over time. Acidic soil prevents plants from absorbing nutrients and consequently stunts the growth of crop plants. Farmers can apply lime to their soil to prevent the soil from becoming too acidic. Applying lime benefits farming and wildlife by:

• Increasing the producitvity of soils, thereby maintaining the viability of local food production.
  

To learn more about the Field Liming Program, read our 2009 Annual Report.