Water-quality

Frank Comments

If Lawmakers Were to Say ‘Yes,’ Your History with No-Till, Cover Crops and Rotations Could Slice Insurance Costs by $4.50 Per Acre

By Frank Lessiter posted on July 24, 2018 | Posted in Cover Crops, Residue Management, Soil Health, Water Management

Passage of a unique concept that got Congressional consideration during the writing of the 2018 Farm Bill could put more dollars in the pockets of no-tillers. It’s an idea that farmers who use no-till, cover crops and conservation-minded crop rotations to protect the soil should be rewarded with an equivalent of auto insurance’s “good driver discount” when it comes to paying crop insurance premiums.

Frank Comments

Making a Case for Winter Canola

By Frank Lessiter posted on May 12, 2018

With low grain prices and a declining wheat acreage, Guy Swanson believes winter canola could replace a considerable amount of the winter wheat grown in the western U.S. The result could be higher incomes for no-tillers, bonus opportunities for turning out a high-quality product and a dramatic reduction in soil erosion.

From the Desk of Frank Lessiter

Making a Case for Winter Canola

By Frank Lessiter posted on May 12, 2018

With low grain prices and a declining wheat acreage, Guy Swanson believes winter canola could replace a considerable amount of the winter wheat grown in the western U.S. The result could be higher incomes for no-tillers, bonus opportunities for turning out a high-quality product and a dramatic reduction in soil erosion.

Frank Comments

Same Old Conservation Ideas, Just New Words to Describe Them

By Frank Lessiter posted on April 14, 2018 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101, Cover Crops, Residue Management, Soil Health

While there’s increasing emphasis on “sustainable agriculture” and “soil health,” these four buzzwords tend to ruffle the feathers of veteran no-tillers and others like myself who have followed the no-till movement for nearly a half century. It’s because we recognize that earlier generations of no-tillers were the original true innovators behind these “not-so-new” concepts that go back to the 1960s.

[Video] Fox River Demo Farms Project Overview

December 27, 2017 | Posted in Nutrient Management, Water Management

The "Fox Demo Farms" is a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) project involving six farmers that is designed to showcase and demonstrate leading edge conservation practices that improve Great Lakes water quality by reducing phosphorus from entering Green Bay and Lake Michigan.

From the Desk of Laura Allen

Growers Face Lawsuit for Water Nitrate Pollution

By Laura Barrera posted on March 17, 2015 | Posted in Water Management

After a 60-day notice of intent to sue, Des Moines Water Works voted unanimously to file a federal lawsuit against three counties in northwest Iowa for nitrate pollution. While enacting regulations may not solve the problem, I think it's a wake-up call for no-tillers to ensure they're doing everything in their power to limit nutrient runoff from their fields.

No-Till, Covers May Hold Key To Easing Nutrient-Loading Issues

The success of no-till, cover crops and nutrient stewardship in Indiana’s Eagle Creek Watershed could serve as a blueprint for preserving farmland productivity without sacrificing water quality.

By Mark Parker posted on November 1, 2013 | Posted in Nutrient Management, Water Management

Farmers are increasingly faced with a daunting task: increasing crop yields for a growing world population while trying to minimize the impact of their management decisions on fragile watersheds.

Putting More In The Bin, More In The Bank

A diverse cropping rotation, cover crops and onfarm research helps Ontario no-tiller/ridge-tiller Shawn McRae achieve soil and financial health.

By Clair Urbain posted on May 1, 2012 | Posted in Cover Crops, Crop Protection, Nutrient Management

For Shawn McRae, more than two decades of onfarm research shows that thinking holistically about no-till soil health isn’t just a feel-good decision — it puts more crops in the bin and, more importantly, more money in the bank.