AFM Soil & Land Management Flashcards
6 cards from real AFM practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 AFM Soil & Land Management flashcards as text
For US farmland, a land capability class of I or II (NRCS classification) indicates:
Answer: Highly productive land with few or slight limitations for cultivated crops
Land Capability Classes I and II represent the most productive cropland with minimal limitations, making them the most valuable agricultural land.
When managing farmland enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), the farm manager must ensure:
Answer: Compliance with approved conservation cover practices and restrictions on haying and grazing
CRP contracts require maintenance of approved conservation cover and prohibit unauthorized haying, grazing, or tillage on enrolled acres to preserve eligibility for annual rental payments.
Soil organic matter (SOM) improvements on managed farmland are valued by AFM professionals primarily because SOM:
Answer: Improves water-holding capacity, nutrient cycling, and long-term soil productivity
Higher SOM improves soil structure, water retention, and microbial activity, which together enhance long-term productivity and resilience to drought.
A farm manager evaluating tile drainage installation should assess the project's financial viability primarily based on:
Answer: Expected yield increases, installation costs, and payback period relative to drained acre productivity
Drainage investments are justified when the increased yield revenue from drained acres repays the installation cost within an acceptable payback period.
Under USDA's Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), farm managers can access financial assistance for:
Answer: Installing conservation practices like irrigation efficiency, cover crops, and livestock waste management
EQIP provides cost-share and incentive payments to producers implementing approved conservation practices that improve soil, water, and air quality.
The primary reason an AFM-certified manager would conduct a soil nutrient mass balance analysis is to:
Answer: Ensure that nutrient applications match crop removal rates to maintain long-term soil fertility
A nutrient mass balance compares inputs (fertilizer, manure) against outputs (crop removal) to prevent over-application waste or under-application yield loss.