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Field Notes

Field Notes

By: UW-Madison Extension
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Two regional crops educators with UW-Madison Extension in Wisconsin combining our skills, knowledge, and experience to help farmers and agronomists develop research-based solutions to issues facing agriculture in Wisconsin.



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UW-Madison Extension Art Cooking Food & Wine Science
Episodes
  • BMPs of NMPs #5: Nutrient Management Planning and Soil Health

    BMPs of NMPs #5: Nutrient Management Planning and Soil Health
    Dec 15 2025
    This fifth episode of the BMPs of NMPS offers a deep dive into the nuances of Nutrient Management Planning (NMP) and soil health, led by Chris Bandera and Jamie Patton. Emphasizing that while soil fertility is a core component of a high-functioning soil system, it is not synonymous with the broader concept of soil health. We’ll explore the critical role of context such as soil texture and climate in setting expectations for soil health indicators. Listeners will gain insight into how it's possible to have high fertility with poor soil function, and vice versa. We’ll discuss how to track progress on the soil health journey, highlighting the use of basic tools like observation and a shovel, alongside laboratory tests, and stressing the importance of establishing a good baseline for comparison over time.

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    13 mins
  • BMPs of NMPs #4: Soil and Land Feature Restrictions for 590 and CAFO Farms

    BMPs of NMPs #4: Soil and Land Feature Restrictions for 590 and CAFO Farms
    Dec 4 2025

    In this fourth episode of the BMPs of NMPs, Hava Blair and Andrea Topper join host Landon Baumgartner to unpack how Wisconsin’s diverse soils and sensitive land features shape farming practices. They explore the unique challenges of regions like the Driftless Area, Central Sands, and Silurian bedrock zones, and explain common restrictions such as setbacks near water bodies, wells, and wetlands. The discussion highlights differences between 590 farms and CAFO operations, and introduces SnapPlus, Wisconsin’s free nutrient management planning software that helps farmers visualize soil types, sensitive features, and regulatory requirements on their own fields.








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    11 mins
  • BMPs of NMPs #3: Calculating Soil Erosion, PI, SCI, and Management Strategies

    BMPs of NMPs #3: Calculating Soil Erosion, PI, SCI, and Management Strategies
    Nov 26 2025
    In episode three of the BMPs of NMPs, Landon Baumgartner discusses soil conservation and nutrient management with Hava Blair and Andrea Topper. They explain the use of the SNAP Plus software, which incorporates the RUSLE2 equation to calculate soil loss, considering critical and predominant soil types. The Phosphorus Index (PI) is also discussed, which estimates phosphorus loss in runoff, influenced by factors like crops, tillage, and soil erosion. Despite improvements in phosphorus management, there's still room for phosphorus reduction in water bodies. The conversation underscores the importance of software tools like SNAP Plus in planning and assessing conservation strategies.

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    12 mins
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