The No-Till Innovators program has recognized more than 100 farmers, businesses and organizations who have made a major impact on the growth of no-till over the years. Five members of the distinguished group shared the ups and downs from their journey during a panel discussion at the 2022 National No-Tillage Conference in Louisville, Ky. 

John Bradley (Lutts, Tenn.), Jim Hershey (Elizabethtown, Pa.), Ray McCormick (Vincennes, Ind.), Phil Needham (Calhoun, Ky.) and Loran Steinlage (West Union, Iowa) took center stage, with retired ag engineer Randall Reeder (Ohio State University), a No-Till Innovator himself, serving as moderator. Here are some highlights from the conversation. 

Q: When did you start practicing no-till?

Loran: I think it was about 1980 or ’82. 

Ray: June of 1986. I took a picture when we started, so I know that date well. After 5 years of renting drills and no-tilling into cover crops, my dad said, “I think we can afford to buy a drill.” We bought a John Deere drill. Then we went 100% no-till soybeans, and slowly converted to 100% no-till corn.

Ray McCormick

Jim: I can beat Ray by one year. 1985 was the first year I attempted no-till. I would say it probably took me 7 years until I really decided to pursue it and updated some equipment.

John: My first attempt was in 1966. It wasn’t pure no-till. It was what we called fallow-till. My neighbors told me, “Your grandaddy would roll over in his grave if he knew you weren’t plowing…