With a winning entry of 459.91 bushels per acre, Russell Hedrick shattered the dryland corn yield record in 2022. Not bad for someone who began farming 10 years prior on tight red clay with a propensity for erosion.

At first thought, it may seem that crop residue decay could hamper seed germination and new crop growth. However, residue decay and new seedling germination are driven by biological activity in the soil. Both processes can be managed to profitably break down residue while starting fall-seeded cover crops.