2024 Conservation Ag Operator Fellowship Program: Ray McCormick The Conservation Ag Operator Fellowship program includes an in-depth, year-long content series shared via No-Till Farmer channels that details McCormick's decisions and actions throughout the year. The multi-media series examines his 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 McCormick specific questions at any time through the "Ask the Operator" online forum.


The capstone of the project includes a final report on performance and results, and a keynote presentation at the 33rd Annual National No-Tillage Conference in Louisville from Jan. 7-10, 2025. 

]]> https://www.no-tillfarmer.com/rss en-us [Video] Ray McCormick’s Natural Pond — AFTER mvogel@lessitermedia.com Conservation Ag Operator Fellow Ray McCormick’s farm in Vincennes, Ind., the name of the game is biological activity.]]> http://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13946 Tue, 31 Dec 2024 07:00:00 -0500 https://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13946-video-ray-mccormicks-natural-pond-after Ray-McCormick’s-Natural-Pond-—-AFTER.png [Video] Ray McCormick’s Duck Hunting Adventures mvogel@lessitermedia.com Conservation Ag Operator Fellow Ray McCormick leases and sells duck hunting excursions on his property. In this video, take a quick look at some of the duck blinds and sightlines that hunters enjoy on his property in Vincennes, Ind.]]> http://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13945 Tue, 31 Dec 2024 07:00:00 -0500 https://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13945-video-ray-mccormicks-duck-hunting-adventures Ray-McCormick’s-Duck-Hunting-Adventures.png [Video] Ray McCormick’s Definition of a Conservation Buffer mvogel@lessitermedia.com Conservation Ag Operator Fellow Ray McCormick is still thinking ahead for next season and doing what he can with cover crops to improve his corn crop for next year. ]]> http://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13944 Tue, 31 Dec 2024 07:00:00 -0500 https://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13944-video-ray-mccormicks-definition-of-a-conservation-buffer Ray-McCormick’s-Definition-of-a-Conservation-Buffer.png Searching for a Silver Lining After a Tough Year of No-Tilling mvogel@lessitermedia.com http://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13921 Fri, 20 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13921-searching-for-a-silver-lining-after-a-tough-year-of-no-tilling Ray-Cover-Crop-Pic.jpg Ray McCormick stands in a field of annual ryegrass, balansa and crimson clover cover crops. Behind him, there are unharvested soybeans for wildlife and on either side of him he uses native prairie grass as a conservation buffer. Mackane Vogel [Video] “This is Why You Should Go to the National No-Till Conference” - Ray McCormick mvogel@lessitermedia.com Conservation Ag Operator Fellow Ray McCormick explains the aha moment he had at the National No-Till Conference when Marion Calmer was giving a presentation about corn planting strategies. This one takeaway has changed the way McCormick operates his farm and he has never looked back. ]]> http://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13908 Tue, 17 Dec 2024 07:00:00 -0500 https://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13908-video-this-is-why-you-should-go-to-the-national-no-till-conference-ray-mccormick “This-is-Why-You-Should-Go-to-the-National-No-Till-Conference”---Ray-McCormick.png [Video] Cultivating Native Flowers & Plants with Ray McCormick mvogel@lessitermedia.com Conservation Ag Operator Fellow Ray McCormick discusses the benefits of pollinators and talks about cultivating native plants and flowers for neighbors and members of his community.]]> http://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13907 Tue, 17 Dec 2024 07:00:00 -0500 https://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13907-video-cultivating-native-flowers-and-plants-with-ray-mccormick Cultivating-Native-Flowers-&-Plants-with-Ray-McCormick.png [Video] Ray McCormick’s Natural Pond — BEFORE mvogel@lessitermedia.com Conservation Ag Operator Fellow Ray McCormick explains his design plans for the natural pond he plans to install on his property. He also discusses the benefits of having a natural pond and what he hopes to use it for. Stay tuned to see the finished pond in an upcoming video. ]]> http://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13906 Tue, 17 Dec 2024 07:00:00 -0500 https://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13906-video-ray-mccormicks-natural-pond-before Ray-McCormick’s-Natural-Pond-—-BEFORE.png [Video] No-Till Corn in the Floodplains & Phantom Yield Loss mvogel@lessitermedia.com Conservation Ag Operator Fellow Ray McCormick pitches his theory for what causes phantom yield loss as well as his strategies for growing no-till corn in the floodplains. ]]> http://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13905 Tue, 17 Dec 2024 07:00:00 -0500 https://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13905-video-no-till-corn-in-the-floodplains-and-phantom-yield-loss No-Till-Corn-in-the-Floodplains-&-Phantom-Yield-Loss.png [Video] Morning Coffee with Ray McCormick mvogel@lessitermedia.com Conservation Ag Operator Fellow Ray McCormick discusses his plans for a natural spring pond on his property as well as giving a brief overview of his farm as a whole and his outlook on conservation agriculture systems.]]> http://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13904 Tue, 17 Dec 2024 07:00:00 -0500 https://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13904-video-morning-coffee-with-ray-mccormick Morning-Coffee-with-Ray-McCormick.png Efficiency Proves Key for Unpredictable Harvest Season mvogel@lessitermedia.com http://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13688 Tue, 08 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13688-efficiency-proves-key-for-unpredictable-harvest-season 2024-Fellowship-Part-3_CTG_1124_Art.jpg McCormick explains the concept of phantom yield loss and why he believes it is usually a result of a few deteriorating kernels on the ear of the corn. Noah Newman [Video] One Pass Only: Seeding Cover Crops While Harvesting mvogel@lessitermedia.com http://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13654 Tue, 01 Oct 2024 08:00:00 -0400 https://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13654-video-one-pass-only-seeding-cover-crops-while-harvesting One-Pass-Only--Seeding-Cover-Crops-While-Harvesting.png Heavy-Duty No-Till Planter, Cover Crops Enable Planting After Flooding mpaukner@lessitermedia.com http://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13466 Wed, 10 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13466-heavy-duty-no-till-planter-cover-crops-enable-planting-after-flooding McCormick-Planter-700.jpg [Video] Downstream Impact of Tillage on No-Till Fields nnewman@lessitermedia.com http://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13352 Thu, 23 May 2024 08:00:00 -0400 https://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13352-video-downstream-impact-of-tillage-on-no-till-fields Downstream-Impact-of-Tillage-on-No-Till-Fields.png [Video] 5 Inches of Rain Infiltrate Cover Crops in Less Than 24 Hours mpaukner@lessitermedia.com http://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13341 Sat, 18 May 2024 14:00:39 -0400 https://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13341-video-5-inches-of-rain-infiltrate-cover-crops-in-less-than-24-hours Cover-Crops-Infiltrate-5-Inches-of-Rain-in-Less-Than-24-Hours.png Ask the Operator: Planter Walk-Through with No-Till Legend Ray McCormick [Webinar] Join No-Till Living Legend Ray McCormick live from the tractor cab Wednesday, May 15 at 7 a.m. CST!

]]> http://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13326 Wed, 15 May 2024 15:00:00 -0400 https://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13326-ask-the-operator-planter-walk-through-with-no-till-legend-ray-mccormick-webinar Ray McCormick Horsch No-Till Planter.jpg [Podcast] Part 2: Respecting & Restoring the Land with No-Till Legend Ray McCormick mpaukner@lessitermedia.com In this episode of the No-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by The Andersons, No-Till Living Legend Ray McCormick takes us on a tour of some of the farm and wetland projects he’s completed around Vincennes. ]]> http://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13250 Fri, 12 Apr 2024 06:00:00 -0400 https://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13250-podcast-part-2-respecting-and-restoring-the-land-with-no-till-legend-ray-mccormick [Video] No-Tiller's CSP Add-On: Unharvested Grain for Wildlife 2024 Conservation Ag Operator Fellow, leaves unharvested grain at the edge of his fields as part of his add-on conservation practices for his second round of Conservation Stewardship Payments.]]> http://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13230 Mon, 01 Apr 2024 20:00:00 -0400 https://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13230-video-no-tillers-csp-add-on-unharvested-grain-for-wildlife No-Tiller's-CSP-Add-On--Unharvested-Grain-for-Wildlife.png [Video] Tall Corn Stalks Help Hold Residue in Place, Make No-Tilling Easier 2024 Conservation Ag Operator Fellow, picks corn as high as possible to hold stalks intact to help hold residue come spring.]]> http://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13229 Mon, 01 Apr 2024 20:00:00 -0400 https://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13229-video-tall-corn-stalks-help-hold-residue-in-place-make-no-tilling-easier Tall-Corn-Stalks-Help-Hold-Residue-in-Place,-Make-No-Tilling-Easier.png [Video] Using Water Control Structures to Flood No Till Fields for Migratory Birds 2024 Conservation Ag Operator Fellow, explains why he uses Agri Drain water control structures to flood his no-till fields at certain times of the year.]]> http://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13228 Mon, 01 Apr 2024 20:00:00 -0400 https://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13228-video-using-water-control-structures-to-flood-no-till-fields-for-migratory-birds Using-Water-Control-Structures-to-Flood-No-Till-Fields-for-Migratory-Birds.png [Podcast] Never Till, Planting Philosophies & More with No-Till Living Legend Ray McCormick mpaukner@lessitermedia.com In this episode of the No-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Yetter Farm Equipment, No-Till Living Legend Ray McCormick talks about how he first got involved with restoring farmland into wetlands, seeding cover crops with the combine, his planting philosophies and more.]]> http://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13199 Fri, 29 Mar 2024 06:00:00 -0400 https://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13199-podcast-never-till-planting-philosophies-and-more-with-no-till-living-legend-ray-mccormick ‘It’s All About Saving the Planet’: No-Till Living Legend Takes Care of Land at All Costs mpaukner@lessitermedia.com http://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13215 Wed, 27 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/13215-its-all-about-saving-the-planet-no-till-living-legend-takes-care-of-land-at-all-costs 034-045_Fellowship_CTG_0524-1.jpg Ray McCormick leaves approximately ½ acre of unharvested corn for wildlife to fulfill an add-on conservation practice in his second round of Conservation Reserve Program funding. “I love that I can leave crops for wildlife and get paid for it,” McCormick says. “It’s not the best ½ acre in the field — it's along the trees — so it's a great deal.” Photo by: Michaela Paukner