Soil Health

No-Tiller Plants Entire Corn Crop with Driverless Tractor

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 08:00:00 -0400

On this episode of Conservation Ag Update, brought to you by Titan International, we catch up with young Kentucky no-tiller Quint Pottinger to see how he autonomously planted his entire crop in 2026.

NRCS Promises Farmers Will See Modernized Approach

jdobberstein@lesspub.com — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

NRCS Chief Colton L. Buckley told No-Till Farmer he is prioritizing field staff to improve field engagement and technical expertise.

My Strip-Till Journey: Lessons Learned from the Field & the Mind

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 10:00:00 -0400

After more than 30 years in strip-till, Dean Sponheim has seen the wins, setbacks and hard lessons learned that only time can teach.

Free Tool Helps Growers See Impact of Regenerative Practices on Drought Resilience

Sat, 06 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

As drought risk intensifies across U.S. farmland, the Soil Health Institute (SHI) has launched a new, science-based tool to help farmers and advisors understand how soil health management can improve water availability and crop resilience.

[Video] Conservation a Top Priority for 2026 Strip-Till Innovator

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 08:00:00 -0400

We head inside the office of 2026 Strip-Till Innovator Robert Boyle in Coolidge, Ariz. Boyle details the Conservation Farmer Award he received from all the conservation districts in the state and explains why conservation is always at the forefront in his strip-till operation.

[Video] Action-Packed Strip-Till Field: Corn, Triticale, Cover Crops, Twins Rows & Autonomy

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 08:00:00 -0400

2026 Strip-Till Innovator Robert Boyle gives us the rundown on one of his more complex strip-tilled fields in Coolidge, Ariz. Boyle harvested triticale, oats, peas, vetch, clovers and kale for silage in mid-February, then strip-tilled corn into it.

Cover Crops, Strip-Till Spark Desert Soil Revival

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — Fri, 29 May 2026 08:00:00 -0400

On this episode of Conservation Ag Update, brought to you by Titan International, we pay a visit to Strip-Till Innovator Robert Boyle’s farm in Coolidge, Ariz., for an up-close look at how he’s transforming his soils with cover crops and diverse rotations.

NRCS Announces $65 Million for Conservation Innovation Grants

Wed, 27 May 2026 13:08:22 -0400

USDA today announced the availability of $65 million this year for new tools, approaches, practices and technologies to further natural resource conservation on private lands through the Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) program.

CTIC Seeking Participants for New Mentoring Program

Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Through Success from the Ground Up, Cargill provides financial support to soil health organizations focused on providing access to training and technical information that can help remove barriers for row crop farmers who want to rebuild the health of their soils, plant cover crops, and make better use of their water. 

Sand County Foundation Launches Learning Cohort for Farmers, Ranchers

Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Sand County Foundation is launching a peer-based conservation learning cohort program for farmers and ranchers in four Midwestern states.

[Video] Minnesota Growers Hit the Road for Strip-Till Learning

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — Wed, 20 May 2026 08:00:00 -0400

In this video, Alan Kraus, soil health specialist with Rice and Steele SWCD, joins Strip-Till Farmer managing editor Noah Newman for a conversation about how the trip came about, strip-till trends in the area and his biggest takeaways from attending the last couple National Strip-Tillage Conferences.

Young Farmer Saves Soil, Crushes Weeds with Strip-Till & Rye

Tue, 19 May 2026 01:00:00 -0400

Over in Mt. Sterling, Ill., young farmer Wade Yingling and his dad, Bruce, are capturing success with strip-till and cover crops, with a little vertical tillage mixed in as well.

Farmers Slash Inputs by $170 Per Acre with No-Till & ‘Neighborly Grazing’

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — Fri, 15 May 2026 01:00:00 -0400

On this episode of Conservation Ag Update, brought to you by Titan International, Latimer, Iowa no-tillers Landon and Anne Plagge describe the soil health practices that propelled them to the 2025 Leopold Conservation Award, including a unique cover crop grazing system.

Deadline Approaching to Sign Up for Conservation in Action Tour

Thu, 07 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Regular registration for the Conservation in Action Tour expires Friday. Learn more about America’s premier on-farm experience before rates go up.

New Program Incentivizes & Promotes Strip-Till Adoption in Michigan

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — Thu, 07 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The Accessing Subsidized Strip-Till Equipment Trial (ASSET) program offers farmers about $52 per acre if fully enrolled — $32.60 per acre for cover crops and $19.32 per acre for strip-till.

Should Your Farm Sign a Carbon Contract?

janzen@aglaw.us — 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.

Farmers Share Key Takeaways from Feed in Focus Sustainability Program

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — Sat, 02 May 2026 14:09:00 -0400

The program has engaged 43 farmers in Idaho, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin, covering 50,000 acres and 43,000 cows so far.

[Video] Dairy Conservation Navigator is a One Stop Shop for Conservation Resources

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — Fri, 01 May 2026 08:00:00 -0400

We caught up with Bridgett Hilshey from Dairy Management Inc. at the Dairy Sustainability Alliance Spring Meeting in Oak Brook, Ill., for a first look at the new Dairy Conservation Navigator.

Strip-Till 101: Tips & Tricks from the Great Plains

Sat, 25 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

This article from Oklahoma State Extension explores how farmers are implementing and benefiting from strip-till in the region.

Choose-Your-Own Tour Brings Strip-Till, Conservation to Life

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Farmers explored a range of conservation practices, from drainage water recycling and oxbow restoration to strip-till and cover crops during a choose-your-own-adventure field tour designed to bring real-world solutions to life across western Iowa last week.

Relay Cropping, New No-Till Drill Among Early #Plant26 Highlights

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 01:00:00 -0400

On this episode of Conservation Ag Update, brought to you by Titan International, we share some #Plant26 highlights from across the U.S., including a young strip-tiller in Nebraska, a cutting-edge no-till drill in Pennsylvania and an innovative intercropping system in Indiana.

No-Till, Strip-Till and Cover Crops Research Journal - April 2026

lessitef@lesspub.com — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 12:00:00 -0400

In this edition:

Conservation Agriculture: Helping to Return to Within Planetary Boundaries
Soil Structure Changes Under Reduced Tillage and Cover Cropping Enhance Carbon Mineralization in Mediterranean Croplands
Cover Cropping Increases the Abundance of Mycorrhizal and Endophytic Fungi Structures Associated with Ecosystem Functioning
Conservation Agriculture: A Review of Plant Residue use with Zero Tillage and Crop Rotation
Unlocking Climate Resilience by Exploring the Mitigation Potential of Improved Rotation with Cover Cropping

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.

Strip-Till Family Builds Winning Formula for 300-Bushel Yields

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

“We’ve been doing high-yield plots for about 6 years now,” Mark Schleisman says. “Every year, we try something new and learn what we can do across all our acres. Some things work and some don’t.”

Strip Cropping Corn with Livestock Pasture Raises Yields, Profits

mpaukner@lessitermedia.com — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Strip-tiller devises mobile grazing system that guides livestock down cover-cropped strips between corn.

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

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — 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.

Lack of Fall Water Leads to Allelopathic Crop Concerns

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

"Soybeans planted into heavy corn residue looked really tough during the spring and summer. While they do every year, 2025 seemed especially pronounced. Why? And is there anything we can do about it?" Read more in this latest piece from independent agronomist Joe Ailts.

The Mechanics of Soil Fertility: Use of Sugar in Field Crops

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Adding sugar increases microbial growth, creating population booms that will momentarily increase mineralization, but then immediately immobilize residual nitrogen.

Does AMF-Treated Corn Impact Nitrogen Use Efficiency?

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

"While too small to see with the naked eye, microbial good guys establish a highly complex underground network of spider-web-like filaments that connect plant root tips with areas of the soil profile that the roots cannot reach," says independent agronomist and farmer Joe Ailts.