Not-for profit organisation The Soil Health Institute (SHI) is launching a programme to help US cotton farmers increase soil health on their farms – with support from leading US brands and retailers – to meet growing demand for sustainable cotton.
The Healthy Soils for Sustainable Cotton project, supported by VF Corp Foundation, the Wrangler brand and the Walmart Foundation, will be conducted as a pilot in 2019 and will include cotton producers in Arkansas, Georgia and North Carolina. It will then be rolled out in 2020 to Mississippi, Texas and California.
The project will identify farmers in each state who are successfully adopting soil health systems. These farmers will provide insights into their soil health systems and help mentor others who participate in the training programme. In addition, a local SHI technical specialist will help conduct farmer training and provide continuous technical support over at least the next two years.
Participating farmers will learn how to evaluate the health of their soils and how to improve that health for greater sustainability. Scientists from SHI will assist growers in assessing and improving drought resilience, economic benefits, and environmental outcomes of their practices.
“Cotton producers who successfully complete the programme will gain knowledge in soil health systems and become part of a network of farmers interested in increasing sustainability of cotton production,” explains Cristine Morgan, PhD, SHI chief scientific officer.
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