For several years, there's been talk in western Canada about offering tax credits to no-till farmers who store additional carbon in the soil. A few years back, Canadian utility companies saw the concept as a way to offset huge penalties for atmospheric emissions from coal-powered electric plants.

Here are my thoughts on recently asked questions by No-Till Farmer readers. Remember that your particular farming circumstances may result in entirely different answers to these particular concerns.

Soil erosion is the longest-running environmental concern of farmers. However, for the greater urban population, environmental priorities are often diverted elsewhere. To recognize farmers such as yourself who work to “save the soil” and protect our environment, No-Till Farmer is sponsoring “National No-Tillage Week” from Aug. 9 to 15, 1998.

Results from 1997 continued to fuel the fire that drives Marion Calmer’s research on ultra-narrow-row corn.

Higher fertility, narrow rows, soil-testing changes, higher plant populations, insect-resistant hybrids, yield monitors, soil additives and no-tilling corn into wheat stubble were among the unique ideas used by the top finishers in the three no-till categories in the 1997 yield contest conducted by the National Corn Grower’s Association.

Standing pat is not something most veteran no-tillers do. Check out the innovations four veteran no-tillers were trying in 1998. Have you implemented any of these on your farm?