Keeping soils healthy during drought can be a challenge and the South Dakota Soil Health Coalition says its critical that residue remain on the field if its left behind following harvest of the cash crop. Coalition Coordinator Cindy Zenk says residue needs to be left on to protect the soil.

She says if a producer needs to cut corn for sileage or take one of their crops off for feed to deal with the shortage caused by the drought, make sure something is put on to replace that cover on the field.

Zenk says by planting cover crops, it not only retains the residue but keeps whatever moisture is in the field present for the next crop.

Zenk says if you remove residue you remove valuable nutrients from the field. She advises using cover crops and diverse crop rotation.