Wisconsin no-tiller, Tony Peirick’s passion for farmer-mentorship and continued learning shines through on his own farm operation. The 2026 Conservation Ag Fellowship is supported by Dairy Management Inc.

At this year’s 34th National No-Tillage Conference in St. Louis, I heard the real story behind a federal controversy I’ve wondered about for 10 years. This revelation came during a classroom session presented by Jonathan Lundgren.

History shows no-till is an evolution rather than a revolution, but farmers who are still good managers hold the key to success on their own operation 

Farmer takes ‘strip-till approach’ to water management with only 7 inches of rain annually, cuts down on equipment passes & inputs

A planter or drill’s ability to cut through tough residue, penetrate the soil & maintain consistent depth across a field relies on a properly managed downforce system to provide downward pressure on independent row units. Getting Started with No-Till Farming is supported by Calmer Corn Heads.

The Leedey, Okla., no-tiller and rancher told attendees NRCS staffing is a challenge, but the agency’s programs are becoming more farmer led and useful to growers

Chris Weaver used collaborative biological & foliar program to achieve 154-bushel yield without hauling out tillage equipment or applying excess nutrients

Workers at the Ecdysis Foundation crunched data from more than 1,200 operations across the U.S. & Canada to illustrate what building soil health & biodiversity can do for profitability