When it comes to cashing in on carbon sequestration, no-tillers are way ahead of the game. Even though there are many methods of reducing carbon dioxide emissions — such as increasing efficiency in automobiles and industry, or developing cleaner energy sources with solar and wind power — the possibilities of no-till are becoming more widely recognized.
When it comes to effectively managing soil temperatures or moisture next spring in your no-tilled fields, your residue management strategies need to be in place this fall.
Since soil creatures definitely have a positive impact on soil quality, no-tillers normally do all they can to manage their soils in ways to protect and nurture these valuable creatures.
Since most no-tillers probably already qualify for payments, the new 2002 farm bill offers plenty of opportunities and should lead to further expansion of no-tilled acres. But if you're just no-tilling corn and soybeans, don' expect that rotation to automatically meet the necessary government criteria in all states.
As a family farm manager and longtime participant in farm policy development, Dick Wittman has mixed emotions about how the new farm bill will influence the behavior of no-tillers.
Even with a growing trend toward higher soil fertility levels, starter fertilizer still appears to be a good investment for most no-till corn growers. In fact, recently completed University of Wisconsin research indicates that no-till and other reduced tillage systems may even have higher-than-expected potassium needs.
Requiring fewer trips across the field and using much less horsepower, no-till may be among the easiest way for farmers to meet the new federal fine-particle air standards.
While strip-till can often overcome wet and cold soil problems, there’s no reason to consider the expense and time involved if no-till corn is working for you.
With some midwestern no-tillers facing concerns with cold and wet soils, building fall strips may be a good way to dry out and warm up these problem soils before no-tilling in the spring.
When Harvey Brink explains how no-till has helped trim labor and equipment costs, he maintains that it saves driving across 11,500 acres per year in his operation.
Since soil organic matter is extremely important for no-till success, it's definitely to your benefit to leave all of your crop residue in the field. Not only does higher soil organic matter encourage a slow-release source of nutrients, but it will also improve the structure of your soils.
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On this episode of Conservation Ag Update, brought to you by Montag Manufacturing, growers from across the U.S. share their predictions for the upcoming planting season, including one no-tiller who’s “bullish” about a great spring.
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