September 27, 2024 • 9 mins
Farmer Zach Tolson talks with host Makayla Voris about his goals for the nutrient management practices on his farm; how he defines regenerative agriculture; and how he got connected with the Center for Regenerative Agriculture.
[Note: During the interview, we mentioned Kaitlin Dinsmore, a certified 4R advisor. Her full name is Kaitlin Flick Dinsmore. She’s an independent certified crop advisor and has helped many farmers in the nutrient management program.]
This Podcast is part of the MU Extension Podcast Network.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Welcome to Regenerative Reflections, a podcast produced in partnership with MU Extension.
(00:16):
I'm Michaela Voris, your host from the University of Missouri's Center for Regenerative Agriculture.
Our mission is to provide farmers with the research, resources, and connections to implement
practices that improve soil health, crop yield, and livestock systems.
This week I chatted with Zach Tolson, a farmer part of our Nutrient Management with 4R Approach
(00:36):
Incentive Payment Program.
This is one of eight incentive payment programs part of the Missouri Climate Resilient Crops
and Livestock Project, or CIRCL for short.
The CIRCL project seeks to empower farmers and producers to add or maintain regenerative
practices on their operations.
To Zach, the most important part of this program is reducing inputs and revitalizing the land
(00:57):
for the next generation.
Before we talk to Zach, let's check in with Dr. Newell Kitchen, a soil scientist and agronomist
and the owner of Agronomic, Geologic, and Environmental Sciences, LLC.
He also works as a consultant for us at the Center for Regenerative Ag.
Dr. Kitchen, can you give us some context on what this nutrient management practice
is and why it's important to our agricultural systems?
(01:21):
There are aspects of nutrient management that have a tremendous impact on soil carbon.
Soil carbon is kind of at the heart of this whole project and being able to restore or
preserve carbon in the soil is kind of the building block for soil health and for helping
to store carbon relative to greenhouse gas kind of issues.
(01:48):
So when it comes to nutrient management specifically, it has to do with nitrogen, so there is no
other nutrient, fertilizer nutrient, that has as much impact on soil carbon as nitrogen.
The nitrogen practice that we've come up with is one that we feel like is a practice that
(02:12):
will help encourage increased nitrogen use efficiency and also help in some of these
goals that we have that have been established relative to carbon.
Thanks, Dr. Kitchen.
If you have any questions about the nutrient management program, you can reach him at kitcheninatmissouri.edu.
(02:35):
Without further ado, let's hear from Zach Tolson.
All right, well, Zach, it's great to have you and it's great to talk with you today.
(02:55):
Thanks for having me.
So to get started, why don't we talk about a little bit about yourself and then also
an introduction to your farm and your business?
Yes, so my name is Zachary Tolson and I farm a couple hundred acres in Grundy County, Missouri.
I've been doing that since 2015 and then I also work for an independent ag retailer.
(03:19):
It's Butterfield and Associates here in Meadville.
Can you give us an idea too about how you came across the Center for Regenerative Agriculture
and Nutrient Management Practices?
We have a 4-R certified advisor, Caitlin Dinsmore, who I've worked with a lot through this process.
She's been a huge help as far as that goes and I've learned pretty well everything about
(03:43):
these programs through her.
So how long have you been doing nutrient management practices and what practices do you do on
your farm?
As far as on the nitrogen for corn, I've always done the split application and what this has
kind of helped me do is look a little bit more at the amounts I'm putting up front and
(04:05):
then also for that post-pass.
With this program, pushing more onto the 25% on the top dress side of things, that's kind
of made me look at my numbers again and kind of cut back on the initial amount of anhydrous
that I'm putting out and look more of getting a little bit more of that nitrogen in the
(04:28):
in-season portion.
So are there other nutrient management practices that you've maybe tried that haven't been
successful or are there some that have been more successful than others?
As far as just on the conservation side of things, I've done no-till for a long time
since ever since the very beginning and I've had great luck with that.
(04:51):
And as far as on the other side of things, you know, just try to get a good amount of
dry fertilizer out there each year and not over-apply by any means.
I'd like to ask, so obviously the Center for Regenerative Agriculture has Regenerative
Agriculture in the name, can you kind of explain to me what regenerative agriculture means
(05:12):
to you, if you even have a definition that you like to work with?
Yeah, sure.
So we only have what we have as far as the land and the fields and with my farm I'm pretty
set and just with what I have I'm very happy with the amount that I farm, but I certainly
(05:34):
wanted to continue to produce for generations to come.
I have a son I'd like to pass it on to one day and I want to do the best practices possible
to make sure that all this ground is just as good, if not even better, for the future
generations.
I know you mentioned earlier that you had certain goals for your nutrient management.
(05:57):
Would you like to maybe talk about some of those goals?
You know, any nitrogen that's put out there and is lost to leaching or anything is lost
in revenue as well.
We want to keep all that nitrogen there in the soil and so it is, you know, stabilized
and there for plant uptake and, you know, completely available, not only for the farm
(06:20):
and for environmental reasons, but also just on the revenue side of wanting to make sure
that what I put out there is all used and is all put towards yield of that crop and
not being leached away in the soil.
Have you heard any success stories from maybe farmers around you or fellow co-workers who
have tried a nutrient management program similar to this one or anything like that in terms
(06:45):
of revenue?
Well, as far as a lot of the ones around me and everything, this is kind of the first
year for all of us, but so far in the process we've had several that have already got their
top dress on and done and it seems like everything's working along smoothly, so definitely looking
(07:05):
forward to getting some good success stories here, but for the most part, this is all still
new to us.
So how has the reporting process for this program gone for you?
What have you been finding so far?
Just like with anything, there's paperwork to it and kind of crossing T's, dotting I's
as far as just getting everything lined up.
(07:27):
As far as this goes, so far it's went pretty smooth.
I already had all the maps and all the plans were in place, did that earlier when it was
slower and to where this time of year when we're busy, got a hundred things going on,
the only thing that was left to do was just turn in the information for the over-the-top
nitrogen and so that's kind of all that was left and just been plugging away at that as
(07:53):
we do it.
So would you say that having all that documentation up front, your maps, has really helped you
in this process?
Yes, absolutely.
Yeah, that's a must to already have all that in place, had all the farms and tracks and
everything all recorded and having all that in place while it's slow, you know, earlier
(08:14):
in the year before planting season and everything, already having all that in place was certainly
essential to where now, you know, just trying to minimize the amount of time and paperwork
during the busy time of year here.
Gotcha.
Okay.
So to kind of wrap it up, what would you say to a farmer who might be on the fence about
(08:34):
regenerative agriculture or maybe doesn't know where to start with regenerative agricultural
practices?
We want to make things better and going forward we want to build up our soils and also just
kind of protect our return on investment for sure as well.
We have resources to pass on to him just, you know, looking on the website and everything
(08:55):
else there's lots of good information out there to definitely be looking into, but it's
a good thing and kind of a good direction to head for sure.
Thanks Zach for taking the time to chat today.
Again, I'm Mikayla Voris, your host from the University of Missouri's Center for Regenerative
Agriculture.
(09:16):
If you have questions, comments, or any thoughts on this podcast, let us know by visiting our
website at CRA.missouri.edu and go to the podcast page.
You can also find us on social media at MU Regen Ag.
This podcast is produced by the MU Center for Regenerative Agriculture and MU Extension.
The music you're hearing is called Back to the Woods by Jason Shaw and we snagged it
(09:38):
from the Free Music Archive.
Watch out for another regenerative reflection and we'll see you next time.
Music.
you
you
Welcome to Regenerative Reflections, a podcast produced in partnership with MU Extension.
(00:16):
I'm Michaela Voris, your host from the University of Missouri's Center for Regenerative Agriculture.
Our mission is to provide farmers with the research, resources, and connections to implement
practices that improve soil health, crop yield, and livestock systems.
This week I chatted with Zach Tolson, a farmer part of our Nutrient Management with 4R Approach
(00:36):
Incentive Payment Program.
This is one of eight incentive payment programs part of the Missouri Climate Resilient Crops
and Livestock Project, or CIRCL for short.
The CIRCL project seeks to empower farmers and producers to add or maintain regenerative
practices on their operations.
To Zach, the most important part of this program is reducing inputs and revitalizing the land
(00:57):
for the next generation.
Before we talk to Zach, let's check in with Dr. Newell Kitchen, a soil scientist and agronomist
and the owner of Agronomic, Geologic, and Environmental Sciences, LLC.
He also works as a consultant for us at the Center for Regenerative Ag.
Dr. Kitchen, can you give us some context on what this nutrient management practice
is and why it's important to our agricultural systems?
(01:21):
There are aspects of nutrient management that have a tremendous impact on soil carbon.
Soil carbon is kind of at the heart of this whole project and being able to restore or
preserve carbon in the soil is kind of the building block for soil health and for helping
to store carbon relative to greenhouse gas kind of issues.
(01:48):
So when it comes to nutrient management specifically, it has to do with nitrogen, so there is no
other nutrient, fertilizer nutrient, that has as much impact on soil carbon as nitrogen.
The nitrogen practice that we've come up with is one that we feel like is a practice that
(02:12):
will help encourage increased nitrogen use efficiency and also help in some of these
goals that we have that have been established relative to carbon.
Thanks, Dr. Kitchen.
If you have any questions about the nutrient management program, you can reach him at kitcheninatmissouri.edu.
(02:35):
Without further ado, let's hear from Zach Tolson.
All right, well, Zach, it's great to have you and it's great to talk with you today.
(02:55):
Thanks for having me.
So to get started, why don't we talk about a little bit about yourself and then also
an introduction to your farm and your business?
Yes, so my name is Zachary Tolson and I farm a couple hundred acres in Grundy County, Missouri.
I've been doing that since 2015 and then I also work for an independent ag retailer.
(03:19):
It's Butterfield and Associates here in Meadville.
Can you give us an idea too about how you came across the Center for Regenerative Agriculture
and Nutrient Management Practices?
We have a 4-R certified advisor, Caitlin Dinsmore, who I've worked with a lot through this process.
She's been a huge help as far as that goes and I've learned pretty well everything about
(03:43):
these programs through her.
So how long have you been doing nutrient management practices and what practices do you do on
your farm?
As far as on the nitrogen for corn, I've always done the split application and what this has
kind of helped me do is look a little bit more at the amounts I'm putting up front and
(04:05):
then also for that post-pass.
With this program, pushing more onto the 25% on the top dress side of things, that's kind
of made me look at my numbers again and kind of cut back on the initial amount of anhydrous
that I'm putting out and look more of getting a little bit more of that nitrogen in the
(04:28):
in-season portion.
So are there other nutrient management practices that you've maybe tried that haven't been
successful or are there some that have been more successful than others?
As far as just on the conservation side of things, I've done no-till for a long time
since ever since the very beginning and I've had great luck with that.
(04:51):
And as far as on the other side of things, you know, just try to get a good amount of
dry fertilizer out there each year and not over-apply by any means.
I'd like to ask, so obviously the Center for Regenerative Agriculture has Regenerative
Agriculture in the name, can you kind of explain to me what regenerative agriculture means
(05:12):
to you, if you even have a definition that you like to work with?
Yeah, sure.
So we only have what we have as far as the land and the fields and with my farm I'm pretty
set and just with what I have I'm very happy with the amount that I farm, but I certainly
(05:34):
wanted to continue to produce for generations to come.
I have a son I'd like to pass it on to one day and I want to do the best practices possible
to make sure that all this ground is just as good, if not even better, for the future
generations.
I know you mentioned earlier that you had certain goals for your nutrient management.
(05:57):
Would you like to maybe talk about some of those goals?
You know, any nitrogen that's put out there and is lost to leaching or anything is lost
in revenue as well.
We want to keep all that nitrogen there in the soil and so it is, you know, stabilized
and there for plant uptake and, you know, completely available, not only for the farm
(06:20):
and for environmental reasons, but also just on the revenue side of wanting to make sure
that what I put out there is all used and is all put towards yield of that crop and
not being leached away in the soil.
Have you heard any success stories from maybe farmers around you or fellow co-workers who
have tried a nutrient management program similar to this one or anything like that in terms
(06:45):
of revenue?
Well, as far as a lot of the ones around me and everything, this is kind of the first
year for all of us, but so far in the process we've had several that have already got their
top dress on and done and it seems like everything's working along smoothly, so definitely looking
(07:05):
forward to getting some good success stories here, but for the most part, this is all still
new to us.
So how has the reporting process for this program gone for you?
What have you been finding so far?
Just like with anything, there's paperwork to it and kind of crossing T's, dotting I's
as far as just getting everything lined up.
(07:27):
As far as this goes, so far it's went pretty smooth.
I already had all the maps and all the plans were in place, did that earlier when it was
slower and to where this time of year when we're busy, got a hundred things going on,
the only thing that was left to do was just turn in the information for the over-the-top
nitrogen and so that's kind of all that was left and just been plugging away at that as
(07:53):
we do it.
So would you say that having all that documentation up front, your maps, has really helped you
in this process?
Yes, absolutely.
Yeah, that's a must to already have all that in place, had all the farms and tracks and
everything all recorded and having all that in place while it's slow, you know, earlier
(08:14):
in the year before planting season and everything, already having all that in place was certainly
essential to where now, you know, just trying to minimize the amount of time and paperwork
during the busy time of year here.
Gotcha.
Okay.
So to kind of wrap it up, what would you say to a farmer who might be on the fence about
(08:34):
regenerative agriculture or maybe doesn't know where to start with regenerative agricultural
practices?
We want to make things better and going forward we want to build up our soils and also just
kind of protect our return on investment for sure as well.
We have resources to pass on to him just, you know, looking on the website and everything
(08:55):
else there's lots of good information out there to definitely be looking into, but it's
a good thing and kind of a good direction to head for sure.
Thanks Zach for taking the time to chat today.
Again, I'm Mikayla Voris, your host from the University of Missouri's Center for Regenerative
Agriculture.
(09:16):
If you have questions, comments, or any thoughts on this podcast, let us know by visiting our
website at CRA.missouri.edu and go to the podcast page.
You can also find us on social media at MU Regen Ag.
This podcast is produced by the MU Center for Regenerative Agriculture and MU Extension.
The music you're hearing is called Back to the Woods by Jason Shaw and we snagged it
(09:38):
from the Free Music Archive.
Watch out for another regenerative reflection and we'll see you next time.
Music.
you
you
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