No-Till Farmer Poll Question

This Month's Question: If you are not operating in a pure no-till system, what do you need to be able to conduct more no-till on your farm? Answer.

 

Previous Poll Results

June 16-July 15, 2010

Will you apply fungicides to your crop this summer? If so, which crops will you spray? (You may select multiple answers.)

Corn                       42%

Soybeans                38%

Small grains            13%

No plans to apply     37%

 

May 16-June 15, 2010

Are you participating in the Conservation Stewardship Program?

Yes            63%

No             37%

 

April 16-May 15, 2010

When it comes to planting corn, which of the following tillage practices will you increase the use of in 2010 vs. 2009? (You may select multiple answers.)

No-tillage                46%

Strip-tillage             21%

Minimum Tillage      23%

No changes             30%

 

March 16-April 15, 2010

Will higher prices for soybean seed cause you to lower your seeding populations?

Yes     50%

No      50%

 

Feb. 16-March 15, 2010

Are you planning any cropping changes heading into 2010 vs. 2009?

(Check all that apply)

We will plant a higher percentage of corn     46%

We will plant a higher percentage of soybeans     35%

We will plant a higher percentage of small grains     12%

We will increase specialty crop acreage over the Big 3 of corn, soybeans and small grains    23%

 

Jan. 16-Feb. 15, 2010

Due to the late harvest, do you think you will conduct some type of tillage in areas of fields impacted by rutting or compaction?

No, we will be 100% no-till whether we have problems or not — 29%

Yes, but we will only scratch problem areas with a harrow, vertical tillage tool, subsoiler, etc. — 33%

Yes, we will use more aggressive tillage methods like discs, field cultivators, etc. — 27%

I really don't know what we will do at this time — 11%

 

Dec. 16, 2009-Jan. 15, 2010

Will the higher price of seed corn impact your at-plant populations next year?

Yes, I will cut back a little on my seed corn populations next year — 11%

No, I will maintain the same seed corn populations as this past year — 46%

Yes, I thought about increasing populations, but I will keep the same rate — 16%

No, I'm still planning to increase seed corn populations next year — 27%

 

Nov. 16-Dec. 15, 2009

If you typically fertilize in the fall, are harvest delays forcing you to withhold applications until the spring?

Yes        53%

No         47%

 

Oct. 16-Nov. 15, 2009

Compared to your expectations prior to harvest, what are your no-till yields looking like as you take crops out of the field?

Better Than Expected        53%

As Expected                     31%

Worse Than Expected        16%

 

Sept. 16-Oct. 15, 2009

To what percentage of your acreage do you plan to seed cover crops this fall?

More than 50%        30%

25% to 50%            22%

1% to 25%              29%

None                       19%

 

Aug. 16-Sept. 15, 2009

How much fertilizer do you plan to apply this fall on a per-acre basis compared to the fall of 2008?

More    35%

Less      6%

Same   59%

 

July 16-Aug. 15, 2009

Are you in favor of the Cap-and-Trade proposal before Congress that could result in increased carbon credit payments?

Yes    12%

No     78%

Only if all no-till acres are eligible for payout     10%

 

June 16-July 15, 2009

Who applies crop protection products like herbicides to your no-till crops?

I handle it myself with my own sprayer    79%

The local co-op handles applications        10%

I have a neighbor who custom applies to my fields    3%

I use a combination of the above sources                 8%

 

May 16-June 15, 2009

What percentage of your 2009 corn crop will be planted to herbicide-tolerant hybrids like Roundup Ready or LibertyLink?

100%           59%

75-99%          7%

50-74%          9%

25-49%          7%

1-25%            9%

None              9%

 

April 16-May 15, 2009

What would you like to see done with the current farm program payments?

Leave payments the way they are                     19%

Tie payments to conservation practices             44%

Eliminate payments altogether for free market   37%

 

March 16-April 15, 2009

Are you making any last-minute changes to your cropping acreage?

I'm going to plant more corn?                                    17%

I'm going to plant more soybeans                               17%

I'm going to plant an alternative to corn or soybeans   14%

I'm sticking with my original cropping plans                 52%

 

Feb. 16-March 15, 2009

How have lower commodity prices and a slowing U.S. economy affected your no-till equipment purchase decisions?

I went ahead with my planned purchases               22%

I put new purchases on hold this winter                31%

I didn't plan to purchase new equipment               32%

It wasn't in my plans originally, but I decided to invest in new equipment     15%

 

Jan. 16-Feb. 15, 2009

What will you do with your no-till soybean seeding rates in 2009?

I will increase seeding rates                       5%

I will maintain the same rates as 2008     51%

I will decrease seeding rates                    44%

 

Dec. 16, 2008-Jan. 15, 2009

Considering the drop in commodity grain prices off of 2008 highs, my optimism for 2009 can best be described as...

Pretty good, all things considered    26%

Cautiously OK                                 43%

Nervously pessimistic                      23%

Downright dreary                             8%