TIFTON, GA |
In farming, a successful harvest starts from the ground up. That’s why soil health took center stage during a recent Soil Health Summit held at Ponder Farms in Tifton, where producers, researchers, and conservationists gathered to share new practices, technologies, and strategies aimed at building a stronger agricultural foundation—literally.
For Brian Ponder, President of the Georgia Association of Conservation Districts (GACD), soil health isn’t just a best practice—it’s a necessity.
“We got less land to work with,” said Ponder. “So we got to take better care of the land that we have left if we are going to continue to be an independent food supplier for this nation.”
Ponder emphasized that practices like no-till, strip-till, and cover cropping are making a noticeable difference. These methods not only improve a field’s ability to hold nutrients and water but also reduce erosion and improve overall productivity.
And thanks to advances in technology and research, preparing a field for planting looks much different today than it did a generation ago.
“It used to be disc harrows and turning plows,” said Ponder. “Now, with this cotton crop you see, a sprayer ran across the field in January, killed the rye, and then GPS-guided fertilizer went exactly where it needed to go. After that, it was ready for the planter.”
Even so, managing soil health isn’t as easy as pushing a button. Ponder says modern producers must strike a fine balance of crop rotation, nutrient management, and long-term planning—all while keeping a sharp eye on yield potential.
“The name of the game is yield,” he explained. “If you don’t have a good yield, you can’t stay in business. So, taking care of the land in every aspect is critical.”
That’s especially true for cotton growers, who’ve seen prices stagnate for decades despite rising input costs.
“The cotton we’ll sell this year will be the same price that I sold my first crop for forty-one years ago,” said Ponder. “So something had to change to make us more efficient—and this is one of the ways.”
That drive for efficiency is a big reason events like this summit exist. Hosted in partnership with organizations like the Flint River Soil and Water Conservation Districts and GACD, the event gave farmers access to resources that help balance economic viability with long-term sustainability.
“In the next twenty-five years, we’re expected to have ten billion people on the planet,” said Ponder. “We’ve got to feed them. They all want safe food, clean water, and clean air. That’s our goal with the conservation districts—to meet that need. It’s a balancing act, but we’re doing our best to make it work.”
By: Damon Jones