No-till farming not catching on

A survey by Iowa conservation groups shows the amount of no-till farming in Iowa hasn’t changed much in the last three years. Iowa State University Research Agronomist Rick Cruse says farmers are reluctant to change their methods because plowing fields works.He says tillage reduces risk, as almost any farmer can produce a decent crop if they are tilling the soil. Cruse says no-till methods don’t give the same guarantees.Cruse says any soil that produces well with no-till will produce well with tillage. But, he says fields that produce well when tilled, won’t necessarily produce well using no-till methods. Cruse says no-till is still a better method because it preserves soil.Cruse says some farmers feel they can’t afford to take a chance on no-till, especially those who rent land. Cruse says no-till farming requires a commitment to rotate crops, keeping the land well fertilized, and being careful in using equipment to avoid causing soil compaction.