A Blowing Dust Advisory was issued on March 13 by the National Weather Service for Auglaize, Hardin, Mercer, Allen, Defiance, Henry, Paulding, Putnam, and Van Wert, a first for Ohio. Blowing dust advisories occur when high winds lift loose soil and dirt, significantly reducing visibility. They are most common in arid, desert, and semi-arid regions, but can happen in agricultural areas with dry, exposed soil. With Northwest Ohio still experiencing abnormally dry to extreme drought, plus high winds, set up these unique conditions. The Northwest area of the state was not the only place where wind erosion occurred. Madison County had wind-blown soils in the ditch (Image 1)
It is more common for Ohio to experience soil erosion via concentrated surface water leaving fields. The energy of raindrops hitting the soil surface results in dislodged soil particles that can be transported outside the field boundary.
Image 1. Topsoil lost through wind erosion on 3-13-2026 in Madison Co, OH. Photo Courtesy of Amanda Douridas.
Image 2. Soil and corn residue being carried from a field by the wind in Henry Co. OH, on Friday, March 13th, 2026. Photo Courtesy of Don Hammersmith
Both wind and water erosion can happen in agricultural areas through exposed soil without residue or growing crop cover. To overcome this, it is important to manage what is possible: keeping the soil covered and healthy. Higher organic matter soils have better aggregate stability, meaning that they better resist degradation and breaking apart. These soils also have better water-holding capacity, so they stay moist for longer, especially if covered with crop residue, an overwintering crop, or a cover crop.
Reducing the intensity of tillage, number of passes, or a combination of the two can aid in protecting soil health, and moving fall tillage to just prior to planting can greatly reduce erosion potential.
Implementing a new farming practice can be challenging, but Ohio State University Extension is here to help. In Ohio, there are many resources for growing cover crops in a crop rotation, including videos, factsheets, and in-person meetings.
- The OSU Agronomy Team YouTube Channel has a playlist dedicated specifically to cover crops, and can be accessed at this link.
- There is a series of 23 fact sheets dedicated to different species of cover crops and how to grow them, co-authored by OSU Extension Staff and the Midwest Cover Crops Council. These fact sheets describe planting date and seeding rate information, termination information, and important tips and tricks for management. They can be accessed at www.midwestcovercrops.org/ohio-cover-crop-factsheets/.
- The OSU Extension Water Quality Team has created three StoryMaps that house videos, photos, and interviews with producers about practices like cover crops and no-till. All StoryMaps can be accessed at https://waterqualityextension.osu.edu/storymaps.
- To talk with producers in Northwest Ohio about their experience and to make connections with other cover crop growers, consider attending a monthly Cover Crops Roundtable meeting in Paulding County, hosted by Paulding County Extension. More information can be found at this link.
Whatever your goals, cover crops can aid in achieving them, but the key is starting small and being persistent. Benefits of cover crops are generally seen after at least 5 years of implementation, with bigger benefits coming after 10 years.
Utilizing no-till or reduced tillage on the farm can be daunting as well, but it can also reduce the number of trips across the field, saving fuel and valuable time. The Ohio No-Till Council offers several summer field days across the state where producers can learn more about this practice, as well as the challenges and benefits that come with it. Visit their website at ohionotillcouncil.com for more information.
The University of Minnesota has a good webpage that explains different types of tillage and equipment to help producers understand which reduced-intensity tillage practices may work best on their operations. Individuals can also reach out to their local OSU Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Educator with any questions.
If you are looking for financial assistance to try conservation practices on your farm to reduce soil erosion, there are numerous cost-share programs provided by Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA). NRCS hosts national programs such as EQIP (Environmental Quality Incentives Program) and CSP (Conservation Stewardship Program) that offer incentive payment for practices such as cover crop implementation. Contact your local NRCS office for more information on these conservation programs. H2Ohio is a program from ODA that is available statewide to provide an incentive payment to producers who utilize overwintering cover crops. Reach out to your local SWCD office for more information on H2Ohio practices and eligibility requirements.
Overall, erosion from wind or water results in the loss of valuable topsoil that has a long-term impact on a farm’s productivity and should be managed like any other aspect of agricultural production.
References:
https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2023-12/Montana-Wind-Erosion-Poster.pdf
https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/
https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2025-05/nrcs-csp-right-for-me-factsheet-012025.pdf