Water Quality and Management
From drizzles to gullywashers, rains and the weather patterns carrying them (or not) dictate how farmers manage water in their fields. For soybeans, too much water can drown crops and limit growth. Too little water also limits growth and yield potential. Managing water helps farmers navigate either extreme, which includes using efficient drainage and/or irrigation. Managing water quality protects the resource as it moves through fields into watersheds, while leaving nutrients and inputs in place. The Soy Checkoff supports research, tools and resources that help farmers optimize the volume of water in their fields while preserving its quality.
Too much or too little water creates challenges for soils and soybeans. Farmers, researchers and industry stakeholders discuss managing availability of water to crops and quality of water moving from fields into watersheds.