In this episode Dave Scott, agriculture specialist with NCAT's ATTRA sustainable agriculture program, sits down with Korey Fauque, a farmer of 4,500 acres and owner of KW Insurance, a crop insurance company in Sunburst, Montana. He has an Agriculture Technology degree from Montana State University Northern in Havre, Montana. Dave Scott is located at NCAT's Rocky Mountain West Office in Butte, Montana.

In this podcast, Dave and Korey talk about soil health and regenerative agriculture, which is the use of agriculture practices that mimic nature.

They talk about the issues that go into a CSA - crop planning, marketing, effective harvesting strategies, qualifying to accept SNAP payments, deciding what to do with excess produce, and more.

They discuss the Five Principles of Soil Health, which are: 1) Minimum disturbance; 2) Roots in the ground year-round; 3) Crop diversity; 4) Soil Armor; and 5) Incorporating livestock. Korey explains how he implements these principles on his farm, how a farmer can transition to a soil health approach, and the pros and cons of chasing markets.

ATTRA Resources:

Crop Insurance Options for Specialty, Diversified, and Organic Farmers

Primer on Whole-Farm Revenue Protection Crop Insurance: Updates for 2018

No-Till Case Study, Brown's Ranch: Improving Soil Health Improves the Bottom Line

Building Healthy Pasture Soils

Integrating Livestock and Crops: Improving Soil, Solving Problems, Increasing Income

Nutrient Cycling in Pastures

Tutorials:

Soil Health Online Tutorial

Videos:

Gabe Brown: Farming in Nature's Image

Organic Farming and Crop Insurance Options

Intensive Grazing: One Farm's Set Up

Please call ATTRA with any and all of your sustainable agriculture questions at 1-800-346-9140 or e-mail us at [email protected]. Our two dozen specialists can help you with a vast array of topics, everything from farm planning to pest management, from produce to livestock, and soils to aquaculture.

You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find our other extensive, and free, sustainable-agriculture publications, webinars, videos, and other resources at NCAT/ATTRA's website.

You also can stay in touch with NCAT at its Facebook page.

Keep up with NCAT/ATTRA's SIFT farm at its website.

Also check out NCAT's Regional Offices' websites and Facebook Pages!

Southwest Regional Office: Website / Facebook

Western Regional Office: Website / Facebook

Rocky Mountain West Regional Office: Facebook

Gulf States Regional Office: