Switchgrass properly managed reduces soil erosion, improves water quality, increases water penetration throughout the soil profile, improves nutrient management, increases soil carbon, provides for greater biodiversity and can improve net farm income with less management requirements. Read on to learn more details.
Reduce erosion
“The loss of only 1/32 of an inch (about the thickness of a dime) can easily represent more than 5 tons per acre of soil losses.”
— USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service [PDF]
Iowa State University’s Prairie Strips Study supports up to 95% reduction in sediment discharge — by converting as little as 10% of a field to prairie filter strips like switchgrass.
Sheet and rill erosion carries away soil, reduces levels of organic matter in the soil, and is a factor in the breakdown of soil structure. All of these make your land less productive.
EROSION
How switchgrass reduces erosion
Switchgrass — a warm-season, native perennial grass — has a deep growing, massive fibrous root system. By holding firm to the soil, and producing extraordinary above ground growth, switchgrass minimizes exposed soil beyond the initial target area.
When soil erodes it carries phosphorus (P), which attaches to soil particles and enhances algae bloom in rivers, streams, and bodies of water. It renders those waters poor for human consumption, swimming, and fish and aquatic habitat. As water rushes off the landscape to rivers and streams it contributes to flooding events. Slowing down the water and allowing it to penetrate the soil profile lessens the impact to neighbors downstream and to the infrastructure servicing those areas.
This is where switchgrass excels! Above ground switchgrass growth is stiff-stemmed and robust, initially intercepting rainfall and provides resistance to overland flow of water. When this runoff is slowed, it loses energy for erosion and moving nutrients across the landscape.
Once established, the root system of switchgrass creates and intricate web of porous channels underground, allowing for great water infiltration on site. This root activity promotes and protects microbial activity in the soil profile.
Improve water quality
“Integrating small amounts of prairie into strategic locations within corn and soybean fields — in the form of in-field contour buffer strips and edge-of-field filter strips — can yield disproportionate benefits for soil, water, and biodiversity.”
Iowa State University
Numerous case studies validate the environmental values of perennial cover on the land. Research conducted during the “Landscape Design for Bioenergy” project demonstrated that perennial cover offers many ecological, environmental and biodiversity benefits. If well planned strategically, switchgrass can slow water down, filter it through its massive root system to extract suspended nitrogen and provide cover for wildlife.
Switchgrass plantings on field edges and on saturated buffers improves the water quality of water leaving individual fields.
If planted on prairie potholes, switchgrass’ deep fibrous root system can improve water infiltration and allow for better natural field drainage.
How switchgrass improves water quality
Having perennial grass strips or plantings of switchgrass across the landscape slows down water during intense rain events. Reducing the speed of the water runoff allows fine soil particles to stay within the grassy areas and reduces the turbidity in rivers and streams.
Switchgrass stands act like filter buffers. Some of the phosphorus and suspended nitrogen carried by soil and the water from the eroded areas of a field is utilized by the growing switchgrass.
Learn more: Biomass Production with Conservation Practices for Two Iowa Watersheds
Improve nutrient management
“Acres which are low profitability producing can be often tied to high nutrient leaching particularly nitrogen loss, erosion and environmental degradation. Utilizing perennial cover in those areas can significantly reduce nutrient losses, reduce pesticide and improve nutrient management and ultimately improve water quality.”
— Dave Muth, PhD, AgSolver
Deep-rooted perennial grasses like switchgrass survive in most all Iowa soils. Switchgrass can flourish and grow in wet or dry conditions and grows rapidly in warmer growing conditions.
Current research validates that having a cover crop on the landscape for the entire year reduces nitrogen leaching, reduces soil erosion and allows more nutrients to be available for the next growing season.
After the Fall freeze (senescence), the nutrients in the plant matter translocate back to the root system for recycling during the next growing season.
How switchgrass improves nutrient management
By converting non profitable acres on a farm, the grower reduces crop inputs on those acres which offer little financial return or leach or erode into rivers and streams.
In many instances, little or no nitrogen (N) amendments are required for the growing switchgrass plant because N is derived by the degradation of small root fibers within the root mass. The soil fungi and other microorganisms produce nitrogen which are taken up as the plant starts to regrow in the spring.
The nutrients and micronutrients which translocate back to the root after a killing frost are available for the next growing season, making switchgrass a great plant to recycle nutrients during the next growing season.
Build soil carbon
“Long-term switchgrass systems mitigate GHG emissions during the feedstock production phase compared to GHG-neutral continuous corn under conservation management on marginally productive cropland… Annual crop and perennial grass systems respectively maintain or mitigate atmospheric GHG contributions during the agronomic phase of bioenergy production, providing flexibility for land-use decisions on marginally productive croplands.“
— Virginia L. Jin, et al; USDA ARS, Lincoln, NE
Soil carbon or soil organic matter is the real workhorse of our productive soils in Iowa and the Midwest. We have lost nearly half of our deep rich soils since we broke the prairie with the moldboard plow. Those losses have occurred through the destruction of soil aggregate structure, as well as wind and soil erosion. We can rebuild soil in future decades using modern farm practices like no-till planting and establishment of perennial grasses like switchgrass.
Research studies like “Management controls the net greenhouse gas outcomes of growing bioenergy feedstocks on marginally productive croplands” validate the environmental improvements which can be achieved by planting switchgrass strategically within a corn/soybean crop rotation landscape.
How switchgrass builds soil carbon
Perennial systems eliminate the impact of tillage operations over annual systems where there is carbon flux with annual tillage operations. Perennial cropping systems maintain or increase soil organic carbon (SOC) over time vs. corn and soybean production on Midwest Corn Belt marginal production acres.
Because switchgrass has a deep fibrous root system which translocate carbon depositions several feet into the soil, above ground material can be periodically removed and yet maintain a net positive of carbon capture below ground. Also, as those roots die and regenerate over the production life of the crop, soil porosity and carbon content is found deeper in the soil profile.
Over the long term, switchgrass production systems mitigate GHG emissions by reducing nitrogen (N) fertilizer applications needed to maintain production levels. Switchgrass also provides more flexibility in the land use management decisions and less capital outlay to the producer or landowner.
Boost farm revenue and return on ROI
“Statistically proven: 5% to 20% of every farm in Iowa strands working capital or loses farmers and landowners money most years.”
— Dave Muth, PhD, AgSolver
When you enroll into the “Iowa Climate Smart Switchgrass Cropping System,” on your marginal producing cropland acres, the FDCE team is responsible for the workload and costs associated with planning, seeding, stand maintenance and harvesting of the switchgrass. The project team will utilize the latest best management practices, purchase the seed, install the seed on the designated areas, do weed pest management and harvest your material making it market ready at no cost to you the landowner/producer.
After receiving 2 years of USDA soil rental rate for the designated areas, you will receive a contract for the material harvested from your acres, essentially giving you a net positive return on those acres.
If the acres you choose to enroll include a recent cropping history (corn or soybeans, small grains, newly seeded alfalfa) or expired CRP acres you may qualify for additional incentives from the Iowa Department of Ag and Land Stewardship (IDALS).
You – the landowner/grower – have opportunity to make a positive return on investment (ROI). Planting switchgrass on marginal acres can, at a minimum, improve your net revenue stream and eliminate concerns to make “break evens” on inputs. This can come from reducing crop insurance rates and decreasing input costs of fertilizer and pesticides on those areas of the field. FDCE team is working on developing and providing market opportunities for the production from the switchgrass converted acres. This project affords landowners to produce a renewable biomass crop for a market and diversify the crop production income from their farm. This program shoulders the production and financial risk on those acres converting to a switchgrass crop during the initial two years of establishment. After which, provides a revenue stream from biomass harvest.
How RCPP boosts farm revenue
Planting switchgrass on marginal acres can, at a minimum, improve the ROI to a positive value proposition offered by this switchgrass production system.
By producing a renewable biomass crop for a market, farmers/landowners can reduce their production and financial risk on acres that they convert to switchgrass. This can come from reducing crop insurance rates and decreasing input costs of fertilizer and pesticides on those areas of the field.
If strategically placed on the landscape of the farm to capture run off, a farmer/landowner can utilize those nutrients to improve the nitrogen mass balance and build soil carbon, adding value to entire land base asset.
“The Iowa Climate Smart Switchgrass Cropping System Project is identifying growers and acres in the 19-county area of South Central Iowa to provide an additional revenue stream from your acres.“
— Fred Circle, CEO, FDC Enterprises (FDCE)
Boost rural communities and economies
“Sustainable agriculture is essential for improving rural economies and remediating environmental challenges like air, water, and soil pollution. Perennial bioenergy grasses can be one of the approaches to improve water and soil quality and increase farmer profits on lower yielding parts of the land.“
— Veronika Vazhnik, PhD, Penn State University
Utilizing the “Iowa Climate Smart Switchgrass Cropping System,” as part of your farm management strategy will improve the environmental output from your acres, improve the income potential from those marginal producing acres and provide habitat for wildlife in your area.
This project has the potential to improve the net income of your entire farm by converting marginal producing acres into a more profitable production system. This also can reduce the weather risk on your farm.
Utilizing a perennial switchgrass cropping system is a part of the overall climate smart strategy now being promoted within the USDA.
How RCPP boosts rural communities and economies
Planting switchgrass strategically on the landscape on marginal acres can slow water moving across the terrain during flooding events and help preserve infrastructure in a local area. Reducing the impact of heavy rains save all property taxpayers in a county or city in Iowa preserving roads, water corridors and even areas of cities and towns which are prone to flooding.
Utilizing a commercial perennial cropping system offers diversity to current agriculture corn/soybean production which minimizes risk on marginal producing crop acres. Switchgrass acres should require less chemical and nutritional inputs over the productive life of the stand reducing financial risk on those acres.
This RCPP switchgrass production practice reduces risk and cash outlays to farmers/landowners which could aid beginning farmers by optimizing their equipment outlay and operating risks as they start farming. It can also afford retiring farmers reduced risks as they end their farming careers and transition to historically under-served farmers.
Success Stories
“I have farmed all my life and have sought a production system for my marginal producing acres which reduces soil erosion, improves water quality and enhances my rural community. I want to add to the agriculture legacy in Iowa of sustainable crop production in our state and help improve water quality in the Mississippi River.” —BB
“I produced switchgrass for the Chariton Valley Biomass Project 10 years ago and the production capability of my marginal ground improved with switchgrass improving soil quality. I want to grow switchgrass again where it makes financial sense.” —GK
“A perennial grass system in our area of Iowa makes sense on acres which shouldn’t be in corn or soybeans.” —DN