No Till Farming
The Way to Combat Rising Operational Costs
For farmers across the country, it comes as no surprise to hear that conservation tillage practices — particularly continuous no-till — can save time and money compared to conventional tillage.
There are countless benefits to the land, the farmer and the environment from adopting a no-till system.
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Drastically increases water infiltration: Estimates suggest crop residues provide as much as 2” of additional water to crops in late summer and the Natural Resources Conservation Service states that no-till farmed soils have a water penetration rate of 5.6” per hour, twice as much as for conventionally tilled land.
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Terrific savings in fuel costs: One estimate suggests that running the tractor less (utilizing no-till practices) can reduce fuel usage by as much as 80%. Healthier soil — increased biodiversity. Organisms like mycorrhizal fungi, which benefit both the plant, crop roots, and earthworms, are allowed to flourish through no-till farming.
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Reduced labor hours/cost: An estimate by Purdue University calculates that a farmer will save 225 hours of labor per year for a 500 acre farm; the equivalent of four 60-hour work weeks saved a year.