Managing Biomass for Energy, Soil and Water Conservation, and Soil Health Across the U.S. Midwest.

The anticipated 2014 launch of three full-scale corn (Zea mays L.) stover bioenergy conversion facilities in the USA is a strong market signal that cellulosic feedstock supplies must increase dramatically to supply 242 million Mg yr^-1 (266 Million tons yr^-1) for each facility producing biofuel at 252 L Mg^-1 (60 gal ton^-1). However, the decision to harvest corn stover for bioenergy or bio-product development is not that simple, because stover also supports many ecosystem and soil health services by sustaining profile soil organic carbon (SOC) supplies. Prevention of SOC declines through any soil and crop management decision is crucial because SOC levels influence numerous soil biological, chemical, and physical properties and processes (e.g. fungal:bacterial ratios within soil microbial communities, soil enzyme levels, nutrient cycling, soil aggregation, water entry, retention and release to plants, surface crusting, erosion, etc.). Beginning with the challenge to balance economic drivers and limiting factors associated with sustainable biomass harvest, we will explore the available Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) policies and programs as well as recent multi-location research results that are available to help land owners and managers develop best biomass management practices for their operations. Overall, we conclude that site-specific, sub-field soil and crop management practices are the key thus confirming the close link between precision agriculture and sustainable development.