Conservation Ag Operator Fellowship
The 2026 Fellowship program is brought to you with the support of Dairy Management Inc.
Launched in 2022 to mark the start of No-Till Farmer’s second 50 years of publication, the annual Conservation Ag Operator Fellowship program follows a selected no-tiller throughout the year and shares the real-time decision-making and solutions needed to make no-till and conservation ag practices work in real-world conditions.
The multi-media series examines the Fellow's approach to a variety of subjects, including cropping decisions, attachment/equipment purchases, test plots, seeding/ planting conditions and on-the-go decisions in response to weather and other variables. Farmers may also ask the Fellow specific questions at any time through the “Ask the Operator” online forum.
The capstone of the annual project includes a final report on performance and results, and a keynote presentation at the 35th Annual National No-Tillage Conference in Indianapolis from Jan. 12-15, 2027.
2026 Conservation Ag Operator Fellow
Tony Peirick
Tony Peirick (Watertown, Wis.) farms with his brother, son and nephew, where they oversee a 200-cow dairy operation, grow cash crops on 1,100 acres and provide custom fieldwork for other farmers. He has extensive experience with no-till and cover crops over decades of farming, as well as a unique and expansive commitment to farmer-to-farmer learning and mentorship.
Ask the Operator
To encourage the sharing of no-till knowledge, Peirick has agreed to respond to no-till questions through a unique online forum. Questions are reviewed by No-Till Farmer editors and forwarded to Peirick for his answers. Read through past information in our Ask the Operator Archive and submit your own questions for our Fellow to answer. Click here if you are having trouble viewing the question submission form below.
Meet Prior Conservation Ag Operator Fellows
Michael Thompson
No-tiller and rancher Michael Thompson (Almena, Kan.) has extensive experience no-tilling a diverse array of crops, successful livestock integration and dedication to soil health and the active role he takes in the stewardship of local watersheds.
Ray McCormick
Ray McCormick (Vincennes, Ind.) is a No-Till Living Legend and 2010 No-Till Innovator Award recipient. McCormick was selected as the 2024 Fellow due to his extensive experience with no-till and innovative approach to implementing a diverse spectrum of conservation practices.
Loran Steinlage
Loran Steinlage (West Union, Iowa) was selected as the 2023 Fellow due to his ongoing commitment to innovating on his own farm and going above and beyond to share his no-till knowledge with others. Steinlage is a 2020 No-Till Innovator Award recipient and frequent National No-Tillage Conference speaker.
