Tools and Software

Ohio Soil Health Card

This tool can help to track several observable soil health characteristics such as structure, drainage, and plant vigor, as well as laboratory soil test results. The Soil Health Card provides guidance about how and when to assess each characteristic. 

4-H Soil Health Challenge

A short video that demonstrates hands-on learning activities for teaching youth about soil health. 

OSU SOM Calculator

The Lucas SOM Calculator is a spreadsheet tool that predicts the soil organic matter (SOM) in a field in response to cropping pattern, tillage, manure application, erosion, cover crops and stover removal.

Midwest Cover Crops Council

The Midwest Cover Crop Council (MCCC) Cover Crop Decision Tools are web-based systems to assist farmers in selecting cover crops to include in field crop and vegetable rotations.

COMET-FARMTM

COMET-Farm is a whole farm carbon and greenhouse gas accounting system from the USDA and Colorado State University. The tool guides you through describing your farm and ranch management practices including alternative future management scenarios. Once complete, a report is generated comparing the carbon changes and greenhouse gas emissions between your current management practices and future scenarios.