Compared to conventional tillage, U.S. Department of Agricultural economists say, corn growers who follow a crop residue management (CRM) program not only minimize soil and chemical runoff but can sharply reduce costs.

After Frank Martin talked about cover crops at last winter’s 12th annual National No-Tillage Conference, we discussed the idea of utilizing no-till and cover crops on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) land to pump needed dollars back into rural communities.

BASF, the chemical company most widely known for its ongoing “We make it better” TV commercials, owes U.S. farmers $52 million for making it dishonestly.

As you get ready to no-till this spring, check out these practical no-till planter and drill adjustment and modification ideas that will help you improve stands, yields and profits in 2004.

An item in the October, 2003, issue on the proper order of tankmixing glyphosate products led to a comment from a No-Till Farmer reader in North Dakota. He informed us that research conducted at North Dakota State indicates that the efficacy of Roundup herbicide is not affected by the order in which it is mixed with water and ammonium sulfate (AMS).

Progressive leaders in four no-tilling areas were honored for outstanding achievements in consulting, crop production, research and education at the early January National No-Tillage Conference in Des Moines, Iowa.

When it comes to the next major breakthrough in no-till, it may well be a combination of several items that end up boosting your efficiencies and profits.

While we think of straw and chaff strictly as valuable no-till residue, environmentalists in the Pacific Northwest are attempting to get the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to label straw and other crop residue materials as solid waste. The result of these legal maneuverings could eventually have a serious impact on the residue management strategies used by no-tillers all around the country.

Even though there's a growing concern over the development of herbicide-resistant weeds in no-till fields, the problem still appears to be manageable. While some no-tillers are facing problems with resistant weeds, the resistance is not yet widespread.