Good Management Practices for use on cropland

1. Artificial Wind Barrier

Artificial Wind Barrier means a physical barrier to the wind. Artificial wind barriers disrupt the erosive flow of wind over unprotected areas thus helping to reduce crop damage.

Suggestions for Implementation

2. Cover Crop

Cover Crop means plants or a green manure crop grown for seasonal soil protection or soil improvement. Cover crops help control soil movement and protect the soil surface between crops. Cover crop reduces wind erosion by shielding the soil with vegetation and anchoring the soil with roots.

Suggestions for Implementation 
Cover crops consist of any vegetative cover that maintains more than 60 percent ground cover.
Short-term cover is grown between major crops. Plants are then tilled into the soil prior to or during major crop planting. Longer-term cover may be maintained by periodic mowing to maintain at least 60 percent cover.

3. Cross-Wind Ridges

Cross-Wind Ridges means soil ridges formed by a tillage operation. Ridges formed by tillage operations create protective windbreaks that disrupt the erosive forces of high winds.

Suggestions for Implementation 
Ridges formed by tillage or planting should be aligned across the prevailing wind direction.
While 90 degrees or perpendicular is preferred, benefits can still be realized with ridges as close to perpendicular as possible. If ridges deteriorate and become ineffective due to weathering or erosion, they should be reestablished, unless doing so would damage a growing crop. This practice is Good adapted on soils, which are stable enough to sustain effective ridges, such as clayey, silty and sandy loam soils. It is not well adapted on unstable soils, such as sands, loamy sands and certain organic soils.

4. Cross-Wind Strip-Cropping

Cross-Wind Strip-Cropping means planting strips of alternating crops within the same field.
Growing crops or managing residue as a protective cover in strips across the prevailing wind direction can break the effects of high wind events.

Suggestions for Implementation 
Cross-wind strip-cropping system consists of at least two crop or residue cover alternating strips.
Strip widths should be at least 25 feet but no more than 330 feet. Strips should be aligned across the prevailing wind direction. While 90 degrees or perpendicular is preferred, benefits can still be realized when the strips are oriented as close to perpendicular as possible. Protective cover includes, but is not limited to a growing crop, grasses, legumes, grass-legume mixtures, standing stubble or tilled residue with enough surface cover to provide protection.

5. Cross -Wind Vegetative Strips

Cross-Wind Vegetative Strips means herbaceous cover established in 1 or more strips within the same field. Herbaceous cover creates a protective windbreak that disrupts the erosive forces of high winds, especially during critical wind erosion periods.

Suggestions for Implementation 
Herbaceous cover should be composed of perennial or annual vegetation, growing or dead.
Strips consist of at least one row of plants, providing the porosity can be achieved with a single row that contains no gaps. When two or more rows are required to achieve the required porosity and to avoid gaps, the rows should be spaced no more than 36 inches apart. Annual vegetation strips be composed of more than one row. Strips designed for this purpose have a minimum expected height of two feet. Strips designed for this purpose achieve a minimum porosity of 40 to 50 percent. Spacing between strips (not within row) not exceeds 12 times the expected height of the herbaceous cover. Spacing between strips is adjusted to accommodate widths of farm equipment to minimize partial or incomplete passes.

6.Manure Application

Manure Application means applying animal waste or bio-solids to a soil surface. Applying manure to maintain or improve chemical and biological condition of the soil can help reduce wind erosion.

Suggestions for Implementation
• If the application or storage of manure is near a water source, precautions should be taken to prevent accidental leakage, spillage or runoff that will result in undesirable effects on soil, water and plants.
• Caution should be used when applying manure to ensure that state and local regulations are not violated.
• Caution should be used when certain manures are applied as they can volatilize and contribute to odor and ammonia emissions.
• Manures should be incorporated as quickly as possible to reduce odor and ammonia emissions, and to preserve nutrient value if the area is to be cropped in the future.

7. Mulching

Mulching means applying plant residue or other material that is not produced on site to a soil surface.
Adding a protective layer to the soil surface reduces soil movement in high wind events.
This practice also conserves soil moisture, which can reduce surface movement of soil.

Suggestions for Implementation 
• This practice can be used after low residue producing crops, like cotton, are harvested.
• Materials for mulching are acquired as waste products from other enterprises.
• These include, but are not limited to, wood bark, chips, shavings, and saw dust; food processing wastes; and small grain straw/chaff.
• Mulches are applied by blowers, hydro applicators, disk type straw punchers and spreaders.
• When small grain straw is used, spread at least 4,000 pounds straw per acre, distribute evenly and partially incorporate into the soil.
• When wood fibers are used, spread at least 2,000 pounds per acre or achieve 80 percent cover.

8. Permanent Cover

Permanent Cover means a perennial vegetative cover on cropland.
Maintaining a long-term (perennial) vegetative cover on cropland that is temporarily not producing a major crop protects the soil surface from erosive winds.

Suggestions for Implementation 
Perennial species of grasses and/or legumes be used to establish at least 60 percent cover.
When perennial species are used, maintenance by periodic mowing or swathing/baling is encouraged.

9. Residue Management

Residue Management means managing the amount and distribution of crop and other plant residues on a soil surface. Leaving crop and other plant residues on the soil surface can protect the soil between the time of harvest of one crop and emergence of a new crop, thus helping reduce wind erosion.

Suggestions for Implementation 
Many different residue management systems have been developed. Some examples include:

10. Sequential Cropping

Sequential Cropping means growing crops in a sequence that minimizes the amount of time bare soil is exposed on a field. By reducing the amount of time bare soil is exposed; sequential cropping helps reduce the window of time that the cropland is susceptible to erosion. Planting a winter grain crop between final harvests of a cotton crop and planting of the next cotton crop. Close rotations of vegetable crops.

Suggestions for Implementation 
The amount of time bare soil is exposed be limited to 30 days or less. Rotations may be provided for acceptable substitute crops in case of crop failure or shift in planting intentions for weather related or economic reasons.

11. Surface Roughening

Surface Roughening means manipulating a soil surface to produce or maintain clods.The formation of clods helps disrupt the erosive force of the wind over an unprotected soil surface. Soil clods can be formed by tillage implements under appropriate soil moisture conditions.

Suggestions for Implementation