Frank Lessiter has served as editor of No-Till Farmer since the publication was launched in November of 1972. Raised on a six-generation Michigan Centennial Farm, he has spent his entire career in agricultural journalism. Lessiter is a dairy science graduate from Michigan State University.

More Clarity, Less Chaos Can Help Growers Improve Cropping Decisions

By Frank Lessiter posted on November 2, 2020 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Crop Protection, Soil Health

Syngenta continues to invest in new technologies to meet the changing needs of growers.

When it Comes to Capitalizing on the Many Benefits of Cover Crops, No-Tillers Are So Far Ahead of Growers Using More Intensive Tillage That it’s Embarrassing

By Frank Lessiter posted on October 17, 2020

Data from several surveys conducted this year by No-Till Farmer shows no-tillers are years ahead of growers using other tillage practices when it comes to cover crop adoption.

Ag Equipment Color Preferences are Fading

By Frank Lessiter posted on October 15, 2020 | Posted in Equipment

There’s considerably less “color” loyalty today to major farm equipment brands than in the past.

Wheat, Soybean Combo Looks Favorable

By Frank Lessiter posted on September 16, 2020 | Posted in Seeding & Planting

No-tillers in southern areas of the Corn Belt or further south may find new profit-building opportunities from no-tilling wheat this fall and double-cropping soybeans in 2021.

Unleashing the No-Till Monster

By Frank Lessiter posted on September 8, 2020 | Posted in Residue Management, Soil Health, No-Till 101

While no-till was pioneered here in the states, our conversion has been gradual when compared with a few other countries.

George Washington Would Never Lie...

Value Added Crops, Diversification, Longer Rotations Pay Off

By Frank Lessiter posted on August 14, 2020 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Soil Health

In an effort to increase income in these tough times, no-tillers can look to the past — to the estate of George Washington himself — for innovative ideas to diversify rotations, improve soils and boost profits.

Bring CRP Land Back into Production with No-Till

By Frank Lessiter posted on August 7, 2020 | Posted in Residue Management, Soil Health, Water Management, No-Till 101

The best way to save a decade’s worth of priceless soil and water improvements is to no-till Conservation Reserve Program ground coming back into ag production.

No Glyphosate Means Less No-Till

By Frank Lessiter posted on August 3, 2020

Stephen Powles doesn’t beat around the bush. The veteran weed scientist says no-till in Australia can’t survive without the use of glyphosate as a burndown herbicide.

Ultra-Low Disturbance No-Till Reduces Soil Loss, Compaction Concerns

Adding cover crops and moving to 100% continuous no-till has led to more emphasis on profit per acre rather than trying to continually boost yields.

By Frank Lessiter posted on June 30, 2020 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Equipment

Several years ago, Lewis Krueger wasn’t happy with the erosion taking place on many of the 700 acres he farms near Brillion, Wis. Along with the help of government conservation funding, he invested considerable dollars, time and effort into combatting soil loss problems in eroded areas and waterways.

Residue Removal Doesn’t Pay

By Frank Lessiter posted on May 27, 2020

Over the years, we’ve written numerous articles on the value of leaving all the crop residue in no-tilled fields. Veteran no-tillers have told us they wouldn’t part with any residue, even with a price tag of $100 a ton.

Videos

Strip Cropping and Interseeding Cover Crops with Marty Weiss

Capturing sunlight and keeping living roots in the ground as long as possible is the goal of Beaver Dam, Ws., no-tiller Marty Weiss. The co-chair of the Dodge County Farmers for Healthy Soil & Healthy Water talks about strip-cropping and interseeding cover crops at a field day in the summer of 2020.

Events

Project GROW Winter Workshop

Date: 12/03/20

Location: York, NE

Explore the costs, benefits and drivers of soil health at the third annual Project GROW Winter Workshop, featuring Dr. Jill Clapperton, owner and principal scientist at Rhizoterra, Dan Leininger of the Upper Big Blue Natural Resources District and Al Dutcher, associate state climatologist with the University of Nebraska — Lincoln.

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Top Directory Listings

Yetter Farm Equipment

Finding solutions to the problems farmers face is what inspired Harry and Etta Yetter to open a small machine shop in west central Illinois in the 1930s. Today, four generations later, Yetter continues the tradition of solving agricultural problems to meet the needs of producers all over the world.

Needham Ag Technologies, LLC

Needham Ag understands the role of technology in making better use of limited resources within a specific environment by drawing on a wealth of global experience to overcome the challenges facing today's farmers, manufacturers and dealers.

Titan International, Inc

Titan offers a full line of wheels, tires and undercarriage products for a wide variety of off-the-road equipment.

Frank Lessiter

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