While he’s been no-tilling and using cover crops for over two decades, traditional cropping ideas haven’t always worked for Frank Martin when soil conditions turn extremely wet in the spring. As a result, the Hallsville, Mo., no-tiller is looking at trying a different soybean seeding idea on his poorly-drained clay pan soils this spring.

Sky-high fertilizer prices are certainly having a serious economic impact on how no-tillers will be fertilizing this year’s corn and soybean crops. Major fertility changes are coming, according to data from our 14th annual No-Till Operational Benchmark Study that analyzed extensive data from 480 U.S. no-tillers.

Most no-tillers won’t want to hear it, but some University of Nebraska research indicates an occasional limited tillage pass won’t seriously damage no-till’s favorable soil structure. But with herbicide costs increasing significantly this year, we’ve heard that a few no-tillers are thinking of using a light tillage pass as a weed control option.