Under the best of conditions, the demands placed on equipment tires used in traditional ag operations are brutal: excellent traction in all kinds of conditions; minimum soil compaction regardless of application; improved fuel efficiency whether pulling a fertilizer applicator or combining corn.

No-tillers already minimize fuel expenses by not pulling tillage equipment over their fields. But, given the exploding cost of fuel, it can’t hurt to note that we can save even more by ensuring that we’re operating our equipment as efficiently as possible throughout the growing season. Here’s a checklist to help ensure thoroughness in further reducing your costs.

With the concentrated dairy industry in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, crops there are often grown on land fertilized with liquid manure that is hauled into the fields in tanker loads. While the manure is valuable for its nutrients and organic matter, the weight of the tankers concerns those who understand the dangers of soil compaction.

When it comes to the future of the planet, Rattan Lal doesn’t beat around the bush. “Increase no-till farming practices across the planet or face serious climate, soil quality and food production problems in the next 20 to 50 years,” says the soil scientist at Ohio State University.