The science behind sugar application is pretty simple, says Persia, Iowa, farmer Bill Darrington. For example, applying roughly 1 pound per acre during a pre-emergence herbicide application can alter the carbon-nitrogen ratio in corn residue and help it breakdown faster.

Spring planting is off to an encouraging start in many areas after a prolonged stretch of wet weather, especially in the Midwest. Last week, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey estimated that about 13% of the state’s corn had been planted.

One of the primary benefits farmers often point to with strip-till is yield consistency. In talking with both experienced and new strip-tillers, many often cite year-over-year corn yield averages that may vary by only a bushel or two, compared to more dramatic variability with other tillage methods.

With the environmental impact of farming practices on the national radar, strip-tillers often credit their transition to the practice — and specifically banding nutrients — as potential insulation from future restrictions for when, where and how much fertilizer can be applied.

As a niche farming practice, strip-till requires an intimate understanding of how different parts of the system correlate to an overall objective, whether it’s increasing yields, improving soil health, targeting fertilizer application — or all three.

Developing a strip-till system isn’t an easy process. Just ask Brian Watkins who took nearly 15 years to confidently transition from no-tilled corn to strip-till, on his 7,000 acre operation near Kenton, Ohio.

Incorporating cover crops is a growing trend among strip-tillers as a way to retain nutrients in the soil, limit erosion and promote growth of organic matter content. According to our 2015 Strip-Till Operational Benchmark Study, about 48% of respondents plant cover crops in strip-tilled fields, up more than 4% from the year prior.

While strip-tillers are always looking to add a few more bushels per acre, it’s worth noting that increasing yields isn’t always the primary objective for adopting the practice.

Attending the National No-Tillage Conference always presents an opportunity to network and learn from some of the most innovative farmers and conservation-minded academics.

I’ve never been one for making (much less keeping) New Year’s resolutions. But there are always improvements — personal and professional — that I’ll aim to make throughout the year.