Acres U.S.A., The Voice of Eco-Agriculture, June 2026 | Issue #660, Copyright 2026, 67 pages. Become an Acres U.S.A. Eco-Farmer Member here! Contents Jun 2026 • Issue #660 Photo: TOC photo (Courtesy of Melvin Fisher) — A healthy kale crop, grown with reduced nitrogen. Melvin Fisher describes a helpful nitrogen reduction protocol on page 14. On the cover: (Courtesy of Normanack, Flickr) — Plants — even commercial crops — exhibit the beauty and harmony of nature. Ecological agriculture succeeds, as Mark Shepard writes on page 30, not through idealizing this harmony but through understanding nature’s dynamic, often chaotic systems and managing them with intention. FEATURES Reduce to ProduceTwo rapid, systems-thinking ways to reduce your dependence on off-farm nitrogen inputsBY MELVIN FISHER AMF: Agriculture’s Missing FactorArbuscular mycorrhizal fungi act as a powerful underground partner, extending plant roots and improving access to water and nutrients — in the right soil conditionsBY JOE AILTS Mulch Ado about SomethingAs vineyard margins tighten, growers should rethink under-vine management, shifting from bare soil to biologically active systemsBY CRAIG HARTSOUGH Why Soil Microscopy MattersFive reasons to adopt microscopy to help make better agronomic decisionsBY MATT POWERS Beyond “Pop Ecology”Ecological agriculture succeeds not through idealized harmony but through understanding nature’s dynamic, often chaotic systems and managing them with intentionBY MARK SHEPARD The Land of the LivingContinual live plants are carbon inlets that feed the underground microbial world BY JAY FUHRER Subsi-de-generationWe can’t afford to feed Americans with the status quo of subsidy-dependent agricultureBY MOLLIE ENGELHART DEPARTMENTS VIEW FROM THE COUNTRYMonthly musings from Acres U.S.A.’s editor OPINIONFertilizer for Thought As nitrogen supply disruptions expose vulnerabilities, policymakers and farmers face mounting pressure to rethink inputs, incentives, and long-term sustainability strategiesBY CHARLES BENBROOK ECO-UPDATENews in brief on developments in agronomic science REGEN AGRONOMYBog to BasicsTurning on-farm plants into fermented inputs helps reduce chemical dependence while improving cranberry health and ecosystem balanceBY CASS GILMORE INTERVIEWSurface DecompositionJohn Kempf interviews Erwin Westers, an innovative Dutch grower who harnesses a technique called Flächenrotte to drive soil biology, improve seed vigor, and boost whole-system resilience REVIEWS MARKETPLACE CLASSIFIEDS ECO-MEETINGS ECO-GRAPHIC Become an Acres U.S.A. Eco-Farmer Member here!
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