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No-till is a viable option for some grain producers Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Agri News staff writer
SHELDON, Iowa -- Farmers are looking for ways to conserve the soil for future generations while maintaining yield and profitability off of the land.
No-till is an option for producers across the upper Midwest
Jerry Hatfield, the director for the USDA Soil Tilth Lab near Ames, spoke last week at a meeting in Sheldon about no-till's benefits.
"I have become very concerned with the amount of topsoil farmers have lost over the last few years," said Hatfield. "Never before have we asked our soils to produce food, fiber, feed, and now fuel."
Hatfield said soil is an invaluable resource. However, water remains the No. 1 issue when it comes to soil.
Hatfield realizes that in order to produce maximum yields, producers need to get water through the plant.
"Everytime farmers till the soil, they lose half of an inch of water in the soil during the spring," said Hatfield. "Tillage tends to disrupt the natural cycles within the soil."
The world is experiencing an increase in the intensity of rain events and therefore farmers need to work at increasing the infiltration of the soils in order to decrease the amount of runoff and erosion.
One of the biggest benefits of no-till is the increase in the amount of organic matter in the soil.
"The organic matter in the soil is a sponge-like material that is water-loving," said Hatfield. "With the organic matter, farmers are able to increase the water-holding capacity. Organic matter is a vital part of the soil because it is the glue that holds it all together."
Farmers can see a loss of 50 bushels of corn per acre after short-term water stress, and with corn prices where they are, this could make a difference.
"Producers need to manage their soils' water-holding capacity by decreasing the evaporation rate, increasing the organic matter, and promote soil structure to allow the crops to explore soil profile," said Hatfield. "Farmers can achieve this by utilizing the no till system."
The proper crop residue will create a more optimum biological system.
"Conservation of the soil may not be the most attractive, but it is the very first step to protect our precious resources for future generations," said Hatfield.
"The soil is a living creature and we need to start treating it like that," said Joel DeJong, an ISU extension crop specialist.
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