Transitioning to conservation tillage with Dr. Jennifer Wells

The Growing Climate Solutions Act recently passed in the Senate by an overwhelming majority of 92 to 8 and is now headed to the House of Representatives. This is a huge step in ensuring that carbon market ecosystems are here to stay as a real solution to fight climate change. If passed by the House, this act would help growers participate in carbon markets in several ways.
 
First, it would provide additional funding to the USDA to research, identify and highlight practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and/or sequester carbon. Reduced tillage and cover crops are currently the two key practices that sequester carbon, but there is still a lot to learn in this space. With the additional research resources and efforts, agriculture would be able to make reduced tillage and cover crops more adoptable and successful on a broader scale, as well as find other practices to sequester carbon.
 
Second, the bill would create a USDA certification carbon measuring process for third-party companies. This would create a uniform and verified process for all companies so the farmer can be sure the credits they generate are measured consistently.
 
Lastly, it would create a farmer advisory board to work with the USDA to make sure the carbon markets are delivering a financial value to the farmers and not only adding value to the carbon buyers. Farmers and ag retailers are finally getting the recognition they deserve as the world is figuring out that soil health can play a key role in climate change.²
 
A key component of soil health is tillage management. While every field cannot be no-till, it is worth taking the time to consider if your fields could benefit from some type of conservation tillage. Conservation tillage is taking the approach to try to minimize the frequency or intensity of tillage operations to gain economic and environmental benefits. In addition to the environmental benefits to sequester carbon and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, conservation tillage also helps farmers by relying less on farm machinery reducing costs fuel and labor costs, as well as improve soil health, reduce runoff and erosion, and minimize weed pressure.^1,3

Not every field is the same, so we recommend selecting one or two fields to start with so you can, learn as you go and expand each year. The USDA has published 6 tips for switching to no-till that can also be applied to implementing conservation tillage as well.⁴

1. Start planning at least one year before implementation. Once you have chosen the field you want to transition, evaluate the field, and determine your goals. Do you need to manage compaction? Do you want to increase water holding capacity? Then, consider all the factors that will need to change to achieve these goals. For example, do you need to implement cover crops that break up the soil to help with impaction? Consider the changes needed to your pest and nutrient management practices. Will you need to make changes to your equipment?
2. Pick an easy entry point and crop. Don’t start with the field with the most problems. Choose one where you have a good chance of succeeding year one. Also, pick a more forgiving crop the first year. For example, soybeans will compensate much more in less than ideal conditions than corn.
3. Pick the right seeds. No matter the crop, doing research on your seed before planting will help you be more successful. Make sure the emergence and vigor ratings on the hybrid or variety chosen are very strong to ensure a good stand can be established thru the crop residue in the field. Also, utilize a seed treatment to help ward off pests thru the germination and seedling stage.
4. Set up your planter correctly. Transitioning to no-till will require some new equipment purchases, such as a no-till drill. Conventional drills are designed to sow into tilled, uniform soil conditions. No-till drills are designed for tougher conditions such as firmly compacted, uneven or residue covered soils. The biggest differences are the addition of row cleaners, furrow openers and press wheels on the no-till drill. When setting up your no-till drill, it is important that the row cleaners are moving residue and not soil, the planter is level and the depth gauging wheels should have uniform pressure. This will ensure seed is placed at the same depth across the field.
5. Plant according to the soil conditions, not the calendar. It is in all of our nature to get excited in the spring and want to get out in the field as soon as possible. However, it is important that we monitor soil temperature and moisture and not just a date on the calendar. Replants are very expensive, so make sure soil conditions are optimal prior to planting.
6. Seek advice and recommendations from other successful no-tillers. The best way to get tips and tricks on transitioning to no-till is to talk to growers who have gone thru the process. Ask questions and learn from their mistakes. Another good resource is your state extension office. Learn as much as you can from research trials that were done in your area.⁴

While transitioning to no-till or conservation tillage can seem overwhelming, it can make a huge difference in your soil health. If you are interested in learning more about what no-till or reduced till could mean from a sustainability and cost perspective on your farm, reach out to your Truterra retailer and ask them to run a profits and insights simulation on your field. This will also generate a list of NRCS programs that you could be eligible for to help offset some of the costs of the transition. To find your closest Truterra retailer, visit our website at www.truterrag.com.
 


Sources
¹https://sarep.ucdavis.edu/sustainable-ag/conservation-tillage
²3 ways the Growing Climate Solutions Act will help farmers and rural communities thrive | Growing Returns (edf.org)
³UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program. 2017. "Conservation Tillage." What is Sustainable Agriculture? UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. http://asi.ucdavis.edu/programs/sarep/what-is-sustainable-agriculture/practices/conservation-tillage
⁴https://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/9299-tips-for-switching-to-no-till