EMI shows higher crop residue value.

A task force from the Equipment Manufacturers Institute met in Washington with Soil Conservation Service Chief Bill Richards, members of his staff, and representatives from the Agricultural Research Service.

The purpose was to call attention to the institute's concern that a serious discrepancy existed between data widely used in graphics and charts depicting the benefits from residue in reducing soil loss and data used by the Soil Conservation Service to define the practices and products from which a given farmer or rancher would be required to choose in meeting a "compliance" plan.

The information depicted on popularized posters, charts and graphs, which is based upon research data from ARS, shows much higher benefits from residue than what is being given by SCS in approving "plans."

Conservation plans are based on the Universal Soil Loss Equation. Current plans may require 50 percent surface cover at planting (or no-till) to achieve a level of erosion reduction that residue management promotion charts suggest could be done with 20-30 percent surface cover at planting.

EMI believes it is only fair that today when so many, including farm equipment manufacturers, are promoting the role of residue in reducing soil loss, there should be consistency between data used to promote the value of residue and the actual formulae being used to finalize compliance plans.

To this end, EMI is encouraged to learn that Chief Richards is expected to soon forward to SCS offices a new formula known as the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation. This equation, expected by the conservation community for several years, was released Dec. 9, 1992 by the Agricultural Research Service arm of the United States Department of Agriculture. EMI has been told this equation is more consistent with the data being used in the public domain to promote the value of residue than the historic Universal Soil Loss Equation.

EMI is advised that RUSLE, like USLE, is site specific and may not yield significant changes in compliance plans in every situation. EMI and SCS are discussing the usefulness of jointly conducting a series of pilot evaluations which could prove helpful in providing guidelines to SCS and the public on policies appropriate to those plans most impacted by use of RUSLE.

There is strong evidence, over the years and today, that America's farmers and ranchers are committed to being responsible stewards of our nation's soil and water resources, EMI notes.