Strip-Till Farmer

Strip-Till & Cover Crops Bring Soil Back to Life in Dry Country

Thu, 28 May 2026 12:00:00 -0400

“For the first shovel out of the ground to find an earthworm, that’s just unheard of in Arizona,” Robert Boyle says. Managing editor Noah Newman shares more observations from his visit with the Strip-Till Innovator in Coolidge, Ariz.

Shining a Light on Mental Health in Agriculture

Thu, 14 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Time flies during planting season, and this year has been no exception. But let’s pause for a moment and talk about something that doesn’t get covered enough in agriculture throughout the year — mental health.

Should Your Farm Sign a Carbon Contract?

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

"To date, farmer uptake of these programs has been very slow, in spite of the promise to pay farmers for participation. I believe a lot of the reluctance stems from the uncertainty about these programs," says Todd Janzen in his latest blog.

Forage Matters: Cover Crops, Grazing & Nitrogen Fixation

Mon, 04 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Legumes do have the ability, when conditions are right, to fix large amounts of nitrogen, no doubt about that. To capture the most of that fixed nitrogen, the legume should be cycled back into the soil through plant decay or by grazing and cycling through the animal and back to the soil.

What You Need to Know About the FAA's New DETER Program for Drones

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

For farmers who use drones for crop scouting, imagery, or spraying, this program marks an important shift in how drone rule violations are handled — and why staying compliant matters more than ever. Adam Gittins explains what the DETER program is, why it was created, and how it applies to ag drone operators.

Focus More on ‘Profit Bushels’ Per Acre

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

I studied agronomy at Iowa State after growing up on a diverse farm, and while I was there, decided to double major in horticulture, which turned out to be the greatest thing I’ve accidentally done.

In a World Where All Corn & Soybean Acres Are Strip-Tilled …

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

While scrolling X (formerly known as Twitter) the other day, I came across an interesting discussion between a few longtime strip-tillers from different regions.

Benchmark Breakdown: How 3 Strip-Tillers Achieved the Highest Soybean Yields

Sat, 11 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

With soybean acreage (and yields!) on the rise, I figured it would be interesting to examine the methods of 3 strip-tillers who reported the highest average soybean yields in our Benchmark Study.

AI in the Spotlight at FEMA Supply Summit & Showcase

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 13:00:00 -0400

I just got back from the FEMA (Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association) Supply Summit and Showcase. My top takeaway from the week can be summed up with two letters. AI.

Driving a Tractor at 35 Miles Per Hour and Saving $25,000

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

We hooked the strip-till machine up to our JCB 8330 FastTrac tractor and headed South. Some quick math showed we could potentially save almost $25,000.

20 Years Ago, Self-Propelled Sprayers Became a Necessity with Canadian No-Tillers

Sat, 21 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Twenty years ago, when I was leading sales and marketing at Spray-Air Technologies Canada, the pull-type sprayer market didn’t just soften — it imploded.

Boosting Soil Pore Space Humidity Key to No-Till Success

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

No-tillage is still awaiting the discovery of a “silver bullet” before it will become cemented as the irreversible replacement for conventional tillage on a global scale.

Survey Says ... Almost 25% of No-Tillers Also Strip-Till

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

In the past, the idea of transitioning to strip-till with baby steps was almost unheard of, Andy Thompson says, and the unwritten strip-till code was to buy a rather complicated and expensive tool that was meant to replace all other tools previously used to perform everything needed for the crop. That’s no longer the case in 2026.

In a World Where All Corn & Soybean Acres Are Strip-Tilled … ‘Solid Win for Conservation’

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

I came across an interesting discussion while scrolling X the other day. What would happen if all acres of corn and soybeans in the U.S. went to 1-pass strip-till?

Pondering the Potential of Smart Glasses on the Farm

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 15:00:00 -0500

Noah Newman stops by a Best Buy on his lunch break to check out the Meta AI Glasses he's been hearing all about. Could these smart glasses be potential game changers for farmers, technicians and precision specialists?

Squid Juice, AI & Optimism: Noteworthy Nuggets from National Farm Machinery Show

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Here are some of the top things we saw — and heard — at the 2026 National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville, Ky.

The Machine Age: What If Your Fully-Aware Tractor Won’t Allow a Tillage Pass?

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 14:28:15 -0500

After sitting in my file folder of “half-baked” essay ideas over the past year, I did what I should have done sooner. I went to the source and asked AI (ChatGPT) a specific question.

Pushing Production & Profits to the Next Level with Strip-Till

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Attention to profit was a major consideration in our move to no-till back in the late 1980s.

Updating the Model Ag Data Use Agreement

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

"The coming wave of new platforms and products that focus on regenerative agriculture and use of artificial intelligence tools require that companies update their data collection policies," says Todd Janzen in his latest blog.

Strip-Till a Hot Topic at the No-Till Conference

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

About 68% of strip-tillers are no-tilling some of their acres, according to our latest Strip-Till Farmer Benchmark Report. So, I figured there’d be at least some cross-over interest when I decided to add a “strip-till 101” classroom to January’s 2026 National No-Tillage Conference agenda.

How Farm Equipment Dealers Are Anticipating 2026 Machinery Sales

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

It’s no surprise that farm equipment prices will likely continue to rise to during the coming year. In fact, 89% of farm equipment dealers expect prices will rise by 1-6% this year.

Reflecting on 10 Years of Practicing Ag Law

Sat, 03 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Ten years later, the dust has settled on the ag-tech boom, and yet we have not seen major disruption to ag supply chains. Instead, we have seen gradual evolution and improvement to long-standing models, made more efficient by digital tools and connectivity.

Farmers Share Ideas on Best Ways to Apply Nitrogen

Fri, 26 Dec 2025 10:00:00 -0500

Farmers from across the world delivered Christmas presents to a no-till beginner in the form of practical insights from the field. And it’s clear from these insights that there’s more than just one way to get the job done with N in no-till.

Strip-Till & No-Till Interest Growing Among Ukraine Farmers

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Dealing with military issues, labor shortages, shifting to larger-acreage operations in western Ukraine areas and other concerns, growers are taking a closer look at no-till and strip-till.

Iran Headed Toward ‘Soil Bankruptcy’ — What Does it Look Like?

Sat, 13 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Perhaps it’s time for the world community to lean on Iran a little harder to not only improve its political relations with the world but encourage conservation farming methods as well. Time is of the essence.

These 3 Classrooms at the No-Till Conference Will Be EPIC …

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

In all seriousness, every breakout classroom at the upcoming National No-Tillage Conference (Jan. 6-9 in St. Louis) will be “epic." But as the resident “strip-till and precision guy” in the office, I’ll highlight 3 strip-till/precision related sessions I’m really looking forward to.

When AI Becomes a Drafter of Contracts

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500

"A farm lease drafted by AI with the basic terms like duration, rent, tenant use, etc., could reduce unknown obligations if questions arise years after the lease was signed," says Todd Janzen in his latest blog.

Where is Our Generation’s 'Farm Aid'?

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Our government hasn’t adequately adapted to the changing realities of global trade. There needs to be more serious discussion in Washington about what practices our government chooses to incentivize.

GUEST VIEWPOINT: Agriculture at a Crossroads: Can Irrigation Technology Save Harvests?

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500

As precision irrigation systems become smarter, more automated, and integrated with renewable energy sources, they will play an increasingly vital role in building a sustainable agricultural future.

Farmer Ready to Give up on Strip-Till After 2 Lackluster Years ... Should He?

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500

I was perusing the Strip-Till Community Forum on Facebook the other day and came across a post that sparked a deep conversation.