At the turn of the century, strip-tillage and no-tillage were used on less than 1% of California’s annual crop land. Tillage practices in the state had in fact, changed very little for the prior 90 years.
Since that time however, a variety of motivations have now led to major reductions in overall tillage disturbance in several cropping sectors, as well as increased use of several variations on the strip-tillage theme in vegetables, but particularly in silage corn production, and more recently, on organic farms.
Working with the Conservation Agriculture Systems Innovation (CASI) Center, Jeff Mitchell, cropping extension specialist with the University of California-Davis, has been active in leading the evolution of new, reduced-disturbance systems with many farmer and private sector partners.
Mitchell provides research and results on up-to-date advances in the use of strip-till in California and shares concrete examples of how farmers in the Golden State are understanding and embracing effective strip-till systems.
Return to National Strip-Tillage Conference Video Series
The 2019 National Strip-Tillage Conference Video Replay is brought to you by Ingersoll Tillage Group.
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On this episode of Conservation Ag Update, brought to you by Martin-Till, precision specialist Chad Baker, co-owner of Baker Precision Planter Works in Orangeville, Ill., helps a first-generation no-tiller with planter setup, and later encounters a couple problems with a strip-tiller’s new 24-row planter. Plus, veteran agronomist Brad Forkner checks in with a couple tips for farmers to keep in mind before they take the field.
Montag products have proven results with patented precision metering application for significant savings of nutrients and cover crop seed, and for achieving best conservation practices.
