Never satisfied with the status quo, many no-tillers seem to always be looking for new solutions that will make them more efficient, improve profits and reduce the environmental impacts of their practices on the land. If there were a no-till motto, it might be “There’s got to be a better way.”

Water quality regulations in the 1990s led to a surprise increase of herbicides in waterways, despite decreased use of the target chemical. Turns out drainage tile — so useful in no-till fields — is speeding the compounds from field to stream.

Three years of data from South Dakota State University clearly suggest a positive impact of crop residue and cover crops on soil hydrological properties and overall soil health.

Opposing chemical trends are linked to atrazine regulations from the 1990, say scientists with the United States Geological Survey.

Markets are emerging to pay farmers to store more carbon in the soil by using improved agricultural practices. But flows of greenhouse gases into and out of soil are complex, and some scientists are questioning whether these efforts will actually help slow global warming, according to the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies.