The Back 40

NASA is aiming to achieve the first manned Mars landing in the mid-2030s and its actively researching the possibilities of farming on the Red Planet. In order for humans to inhabit Mars, researchers will, obviously, have to determine if and how food can be produced. Therefore, farmers could very well become the first human inhabitants of the [...]

A recent study in the journal, Water Policy, compares the water supply histories of four major cities: San Diego, Phoenix, San Antonio, and Adelaide, Australia. The major conclusion of the report was that urban water conservation, recycling, and desalination can’t nearly come close to the level of water conservation that can be provided by upstream farmers. [...]

By Jeannette E. Warnert, Conservation Agriculture The timeworn water tower that stands in front of the Giacomazzi Dairy in Kings County is a hallmark of the farm’s endurance. It proclaims, “Since 1893.” Dino Giacomazzi, the fourth generation to run the operation, said cows have been producing milk and the land producing feed every single day [...]

As technology continues to play an increasing role in agricultural operations, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) launched the Water Quality Index for Agricultural Runoff (WQIag), which helps producers calculate how much impact their agricultural and conservation practices are having on water quality. Producers input information about a given field, such as slope and soil characteristics. They [...]

Next year, the passenger pigeon will have been extinct for 100 years. This is significant for a number of reasons, including recent thoughts of whether or not the species could be brought back through the process of “de-extinction.” The passenger pigeon and the wooly mammoth are top of mind for scientists who are interested in [...]

In celebration of Earth Day, Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman announced the Beel family  as the recipient of the 2013 Leopold Conservation Award, the state’s premier award for private lands conservation, during a ceremony at the State Capitol on Friday. The award, which is presented by Nebraska Cattlemen, Cargill, and Wisconsin-based Sand County Foundation, recognizes outstanding, [...]