Concerned about diesel costs? Consider less tillage.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the national average cost of diesel is $5.14 a gallon as of November 28, 2022, up nearly $1.50 compared to last year. Farmers are paying almost $2.25 a gallon more in some geographies for diesel fuel this year. And according to a report by Texas A&M Agriculture and Food Policy Center, farmers paid 86% more for fuel and lubricants this year than they did in 2021. For operations looking for ways to reduce their diesel bill, it may be an opportune time to try a new tillage strategy.
 
Tillage and fuel costs
The USDA estimates that farmers practicing conventional tillage use slightly more than 6 gallons of diesel fuel per acre each year. In contrast, continuous no-till operations require less than 2 gallons per acre. By switching to no-till, a farmer tilling 100 acres could save 416 gallons of diesel fuel, nearly $2,150 each year based on current diesel prices.*

According to USDA estimates, farmers who practice seasonal no-till – for example, no-tilling soybeans in a corn/soybean rotation – can save more than 3.2 gallons of fuel per acre. That pencils out to almost $1,650 in fuel savings annually on a 100-acre operation.

Farmers may also reduce fuel costs by switching from aggressive tillage to less intensive methods. In addition to fuel costs, farmers can potentially reduce equipment and labor expenses by switching to conservation tillage methods.

Why is conventional tillage used?
Conventional tillage is used for several reasons. Tillage helps warm and dry soils for timely planting and creates a favorable seedbed for maximum seed-to-soil contact, improving germination and emergence. Additionally, tillage can help manage and incorporate residue and crop nutrients into the soil to improve organic matter and fertility. Tillage may also be used to reduce weed pressure before planting. While all these benefits may favor a crop’s strong start, reduced tillage strategies may provide similar results and improve soil health for long-term yield stability.

What are the benefits of reduced tillage?
Reduced tillage is gaining popularity on the farm. According to the latest USDA Census of Agriculture published in 2017, the number of acres under reduced tillage increased by 28% from 2012. During the same period, the number of farms practicing intensive tillage declined by 35%.

Why are more farms adopting conservation tillage? For many, it’s for the soil health benefits. Reduced tillage promotes increased soil microorganism activity, which helps break down crop residue, increases nutrient cycling and improves soil structure. Additionally, conservation tillage increases soil’s water-holding capacity and filtration. Leaving residue on fields also helps reduce wind and water erosion, leaving nutrient-rich topsoil in fields to support healthy crop growth.

A 2021 report by the Soil Health Institute surveyed 100 farms in nine states to evaluate the economics of adopting soil health practices and systems, including reduced tillage and cover crops. Here are a few notable takeaways from that report.

• It costs farmers an average of $24 per acre less to grow corn and $16.57 per acre less to grow soybeans using a soil health management system.
• Across all 100 farms, soil health management systems increased net income for 85% of farmers growing corn and 88% growing soybeans.
• Based on standardized prices, the soil health management system increased net income for these 100 farmers by an average of $51.60 per acre for corn and $44.89 per acre for soybeans.
• Of the farmers interviewed, 67% reported increased yields from using a soil health management system.

 
Make small changes
Making changes to a production plan can be daunting, but the tillage strategy doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Finding opportunities to make small changes can help manage risk and allows farmers to try out new tillage methods without making huge commitments. For example, on my operation, which had been deep-tilled for many years, I decided to try shallow vertical tillage on a field this year. I planted that field to oats, allowing me to no-till into it next season. This small change helped to build confidence in my tillage practice changes and manage operational risk.
 
Farmers interested in changing their tillage strategy can take the first step by adjusting their current practices. Starting with just one field can give farmers an idea of how new tillage practices fit their operation so that they can adjust over time.
 

1. Reduce the number of passes: Reduced tillage doesn’t have to mean switching from conventional to no-till. Reducing the number of tillage passes across fields can improve soil health, decrease fuel and labor costs, and reduce equipment wear and tear.
2. Consider seasonal reduced tillage: Farmers not ready to adopt a continuous reduced tillage strategy may consider a seasonal option where at least one crop in the rotation is managed using reduced or no-till methods, like in a corn-soybeans rotation. This can potentially offer economic and agronomic benefits without fully committing to continuous reduced tillage.
3. Try strip-tillage: Strip-tillage combines many of the benefits of conventional tillage with the advantages of reduced tillage. Practicing strip-till can create a 6 to 8-inch band of black soil for planting and help minimize fertility costs by banding in fertilizer. In addition, strip-tillage can help conserve soil moisture by maintaining most of the field’s residue. Some ag retailers have access to strip-till bars, so some farmers maybe be able to try new tillage methods without investing in new equipment.  
4. Adjust tillage depth: There are many implement options to control the aggressiveness of primary tillage and manage the amount of residue left on the soil surface. Deep tillage of more than 12 inches has a much higher potential for destroying soil structure and increases wind and water erosion risks compared to shallower tillage methods. New equipment, such as high-speed disks with shallow tillage depth, allows farmers to cover their acres twice as fast as traditional deep plow methods. Reducing tillage depth can help provide soil health benefits and lower fuel and labor costs while providing a smooth seedbed for planting.   

 
Finding success with reduced tillage
Some farmers may see initial yield losses as they switch to reduced tillage methods because they aren’t used to managing fields with extra residue. Help avoid the potential for yield loss by using planting equipment with no-till coulters and trash whippers to improve the seed-to-soil contact. Fertility management can be more difficult in the first few years of reduced tillage as the soil organic matter increases. Over time, organic matter in the soil will begin to stabilize, and fertility will be easier to manage. Yield potential should likely also increase over time as soil health improves.
 
Reduced tillage could affect other management decisions, such as seed selection and weed management. More residue in fields can increase disease pathogens, and cooler soils at planting make an effective seed treatment a wise investment. Farmers should consult with their ag retailer to choose hybrids with a strong disease package to help manage some of these challenges.
 
For farmers starting with reduced tillage, consider planting no-till soybeans into corn residue as an option. Soybeans are often more forgiving of soil conditions and nitrogen immobilization than other row crops.
 
One size doesn’t fit all
Reduced tillage offers agronomic and environmental advantages, but every farm’s situation is different and will require upfront planning to reap the benefits. Each operation must consider the end goal to develop a plan that aligns with its production objectives. The key is to start small and take one step at a time to improve soil health.  
 
Truterra offers participating and qualified farmers in select regions access to a soil health assessment to get a real-time snapshot of a particular field’s soil health. Farmers can build a plan to improve soil health and monitor changes over time using information from the Truterra^™ soil health assessment. Farmers can contact their local ag retailer to learn more about how Truterra can help improve soil health.
  * Based on U.S. Energy Information diesel prices for the week of November 28, 2022