Soil Health Labs

About Soil Health Labs

The Soil Health Labs are located in the Environmental Health Sciences Department in the School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina. That may be surprising to most, especially since the University of South Carolina has no Ag School! Our mission is to promote soil health, not only as something that’s good for the farmer and the environment, but we also want to highlight soil health as a public health tool. Think about it. Healthy soils and healthy crops, mean healthy farmers and consumers, never mind an ever-improving environment. One idea we are embracing is that of Regenerative Farming where we embrace the idea that if farmers change the way they manage the soils, they can actually improve, or regenerate environmental conditions through less disturbance, keeping soils covered with residue or canopies, keeping live roots I the soil year round and be reintroducing animals into the whole system. While we cut our teeth promoting soil health through video and social media (Soil Stories; Under Cover farmers: Science of Soil Health; Merit or Myth; Growing Resilience) we do have several research and outreach projects that we are doing with farmers in South Carolina.

Publisher

Soil Health Labs

Category

education · science

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

3 May 2018

Latest episode

20 May 2026

Latest episodes

94 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   20 May 2026

   Top Drought Strategies That Help Farms and Ranches Recover Faster

   This is a short-form episode pulled from a larger discussion with South Dakota NRCS specialists on the realities of managing through dry conditions across the Great Plains. Across South Dakota, producers are watching an uneasy growing season unfold. Crops are emerging slowly. Cool-season grasses are heading early. And while long-range forecasts remain uncertain, concerns about drought persistence and heat are already shaping decisions on farms and ranches across the region. In this episode, the conversation focuses on what resilient operations are doing differently right now—from contingency planning and forage management to adaptive grazing, plant diversity, cover crops, and protecting long-term soil function during drought. One of the major themes throughout this discussion is that resilient operations are rarely built in the middle of crisis. They’re built beforehand—through flexibility, planning, diversity, and management systems designed to adapt when conditions turn difficult. This discussion features: Tanse Herrmann — State Grazing Lands Soil Health Specialist, NRCS Marcia Deneke — State Agronomist, NRCS Emily Rohrer — State Rangeland Management Specialist, NRCS 👉 For the full long-form drought discussion, stream the complete episode here. 📌 Topics Discussed in This Episode • Drought contingency planning for farms and ranches • Adaptive grazing management during forage shortages • Why diverse pastures recover faster during drought • Native grasses vs. introduced monocultures • Early indicators of moisture stress in crops and pastures • No-till and cover crop advantages during dry conditions • Practical barriers to changing crop rotations • Using flexibility and adaptive management to build resilience Additional Resources Mentioned: 👉 Our first podcast episode in this series on drought: https://growingresiliencesd.com/podcasts/episode/1be26141/the-drought-playbook-for-resilient-farms-and-ranches (https://growingresiliencesd.com/podcasts/episode/1be26141/the-drought-playbook-for-resilient-farms-and-ranches) 👉 South Dakota Grazing Exchange: https://sdgrazingexchange.com (https://sdgrazingexchange.com) 👉 SD Grassland Coalition Drought Planning Tools: https://droughtplansdgrass.org (https://droughtplansdgrass.org) If you found this episode valuable, consider leaving the podcast a five-star review or sharing it with another producer navigating dry conditions this season.

2. 

   14 May 2026

   The Drought Playbook for Resilient Farms and Ranches

   Drought doesn’t begin when the grass turns brown. It begins much earlier—when producers continue operating as though rain is guaranteed. In this short-form episode, three experienced South Dakota Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) representatives—Tanse Herrmann, Marcia Deneke, and Emily Rohrer—share practical strategies for navigating dry conditions before they become a crisis. This conversation is focused on one central idea: Hope is not a drought plan. The discussion moves beyond panic and reaction into practical decision-making for both livestock and crop producers. From delaying pasture turnout and adjusting stocking rates to rethinking fertility timing, yield goals, crop plans, and forage options, this episode is about staying flexible while protecting both the resource and the bottom line. The speakers also explore how drought can create opportunities for collaboration between crop and livestock systems—including grazing standing crops, alternative forage options, and tools like the South Dakota Grazing Exchange. Throughout the episode, one message remains consistent: Act early. Stay flexible. Protect the resource. What You’ll Learn Why drought planning must begin before conditions become severe The importance of delaying turnout when grass is “green but not growing” Why realistic yield goals matter during dry years How split fertilizer applications can reduce risk Practical contingency planning for failed or stressed crops How grazing standing crops can create value while protecting soil Why residue management matters during drought The role of flexibility and alternative enterprises during uncertain years Key Insight Drought doesn’t just test a season. It tests the system. The operations most likely to weather difficult years are often the ones that planned early, stayed flexible, and protected their soil and forage base before conditions worsened. Go Deeper This conversation also inspired an article. To read, go here: 👉 “When the Rain Doesn’t Come: A Practical Drought Playbook for Farmers and Ranchers” https://www.growingresiliencesd.com/post/when-the-rain-doesn-t-come-a-practical-drought-playbook-for-farmers-and-ranchers Additional Resources Mentioned 👉 South Dakota Grazing Exchange: https://sdgrazingexchange.com 👉 SD Grassland Coalition Drought Planning Tools: https://droughtplansdgrass.org About the Speakers Tanse Herrmann is the South Dakota NRCS State Grazing Lands Soil Health Specialist, focused on grazing management, drought resilience, and long-term grassland function. Marcia Deneke serves as South Dakota NRCS State Agronomist, helping producers navigate agronomic decisions related to soil health, crop management, and risk reduction. Emily Rohrer is the South Dakota NRCS State Rangeland Management Specialist, working directly with producers on grazing systems, forage planning, and rangeland resilience. Together, they bring decades of practical, field-based experience helping producers adapt to changing conditions while protecting the long-term health of their operations.

3. 

   5 May 2026

   Soil Salinity Solutions: What Farmers Can Do Right Now

   Salinity doesn’t show up overnight—and it doesn’t go away with a quick fix. In this two-part series, Shane Jordan helps us connect the dots between what’s happening this year and what it will take to respond effectively. Episode 1 explores why conditions are aligning for salinity to expand—wet years, rising water tables, and bare soil setting the stage. Episode 2 moves into practical strategies—how to rebuild function in the soil and begin turning the tide. Together, they tell a single story: Salinity is not a spot problem. It’s a system problem. The Big Takeaway What looks like a white patch in a field is often just the symptom. The cause lies in how water moves across the entire landscape—and how management either accelerates or slows that movement. Go Deeper If you’d like to explore Shane’s thinking in more detail, these two articles expand on the ideas in this series: 👉https://www.growingresiliencesd.com/soilsalinity 👉https://www.growingresiliencesd.com/post/soil-salinity-south-dakota-2026 (https://www.growingresiliencesd.com/post/soil-salinity-south-dakota-2026) 👉https://www.growingresiliencesd.com/post/you-can-t-fix-salinity-with-a-box (https://www.growingresiliencesd.com/post/you-can-t-fix-salinity-with-a-box) These pieces dig further into the “why” and the “how,” including the limits of treating symptoms and the importance of whole-field thinking. ⭐ In this episode, Shane also discusses the Regenerative Pilot Program where the NRCS is investing $700 million to support regenerative agriculture. For more info, go here: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/regenerative-pilot-program About Shane Jordan Shane Jordan is a Resource Conservationist with the NRCS Brookings Area Ecological Team, specializing in salinity management, soil health, and whole-farm conservation planning. He grew up on a diversified farm in Iowa and holds a B.S. in Range Management from South Dakota State University. Over a career spanning more than three decades, Shane has worked across the Northern Plains in roles including range conservationist, district conservationist, and watershed project specialist. He served 23 years as District Conservationist in Redfield, South Dakota, working directly with producers to implement conservation systems on working lands. In 2025, Shane was awarded the Hugh Hammond Bennett National Planner Award, one of NRCS’s highest honors. The award recognizes outstanding leadership in conservation planning, long-term commitment to working with landowners, and excellence in applying resource management to real-world agricultural systems. Known for his practical, relationship-based approach, Shane emphasizes whole-system thinking—helping producers move beyond treating symptoms to addressing the underlying causes of resource challenges.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.8 / 5

10 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

6 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 34 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

32

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

92

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Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.