Grazing is considered by many to be the final step in the “holy grail” of soil health, but for some no-tillers, it can be the most daunting step to take.

The future of Loran Steinlage's operation and the agriculture industry weighed on the No-Till Innovator throughout 2023. David Brandt, Steinlage’s mentor and close friend, died unexpectedly in May, leaving Steinlage with a mission to carry on Brandt’s vision to create a farmer-to-farmer learning center in southwestern Wisconsin.

Wade Dooley has done plenty of official experiments with the Iowa Soybean Association, Practical Farmers of Iowa and other groups that conduct research and development in agriculture. But when the Marshall County, Iowa, grower decided to try seeding rye every single month, there was nothing official about it.

While a winter rye cover crop protects the soil from wind and rain, the benefits don’t stop there.

Each year, we conduct in-depth benchmark surveys of our No-Till Farmer (NTF), Strip-Till Farmer (STF) and Cover Crop Strategies (CCS) readers. Our goal is to provide valuable insights on what these growers are thinking and to serve as an up-to-date measurement of their cropping practices.