How does wind erosion affect farming in Washington state? | Morning Ag Clips
The May 7th, 2021 Sustainable, Secure Food Blog explores how wind erosion affects farming in Washington and some solutions farmers can use.
According to blogger Andrew McGuire, “Wind erosion is a soil health thief. In both sandy and fine-grained silt soils of Eastern Washington, wind erosion lifts, sifts, and then carries away the best part of the soil. Lost are the tiny particles of clay and silt with the organic matter that is stuck to them.”
Local soil conditions make matters worse. Low rainfall produces sparse vegetation, therefore low soil organic matter levels.