Constantly evaluating the form, rates and placement of nutrients can make the difference between profitability and not farming at all. This is a philosophy that strip-tiller Donn Branton and his son, Chad, subscribe to on their 1,500-acre operation in LeRoy, N.Y., since adopting the strip-tillage more than 12 years ago. Deep placement of fertilizer, multiple nitrogen applications and nutrient management trials have contributed to a 40-bushelper-acre boost in some corn fields. “Every decision we make on the farm is an investment,” Branton says. “We’ve stuck with strip-till, cover crops and other practices because they improve our soil, yields, the environment and our bottom line.” Branton will share results of on-farm nutrient management experimentation and detail his strategies for improving your yields and soil health with a conservation-minded fertility program.

For the last 10 years, Woodville, Ont., strip-tiller Dustin Mulock has been building and refining a combination no-till/strip-till system. Integrating different pieces of equipment, fertility methods and cover crops put him on a productive path to bio strip-till. This approach complements his twin-row, strip-till setup for corn and soybeans and has helped increase yields by 25%, while also naturally building nutrient levels in his mostly sandy loam soil. Mulock will detail the development and results of his bio strip-till system, to include fertilizer application equipment modifications and experimentation with more than a dozen different cover crop species.

Incorporating cover crops in strip-till is an increasingly popular part of a comprehensive system. But selecting the most beneficial varieties or mixes along with the most practical seeding methods can be a challenge. Clare, Ill., strip-tiller Trent Sanderson has utilized cover crops for several years on his family’s 2,000-acre operation, and recently started his own cover-crop seed dealership. He will discuss the soil and nutrient retention benefits of his experimentation with cover cropping methods in strip-till to include interseeding cereal rye with a homemade machine.

Farming in an area that drains directly into the Western Lake Erie Basin, Gibsonburg, Ohio, striptiller David Myerholtz intensively manages nutrient application on his 1,500-acre corn, soybean and wheat operation. With an emphasis on the 4Rs of nutrient management, he’s adapted cover crops, split nitrogen applications and variable-rate fertilizing to reduce erosion and runoff. Myerholtz will share his experience and evolution with developing a comprehensive fertility program based on the four cornerstones of nutrient management in strip-till.

Building a sustainable strip-till system and strengthening soil structure are cornerstones of Tim Smith’s corn and soybean operation in Eagle Grove, Iowa. A commitment to the NRCS’s Mississippi River Basin Initiative (MRBI) has helped Smith limit erosion, reduce fertilizer application costs and increase equipment and fuel efficiency. “The biggest return with strip-till is greatly reduced soil loss,” he says. “My soil holds up better in adverse conditions by having more residue on top to preserve structure.” Smith will share how the addition of cover crops, refinements to his nutrient management practices and the introduction of a bioreactor have contributed to a comprehensive strip-tilling strategy.

Since 2007, Dr. Joel Gruver has been a professor of Soil Science and Sustainable Agriculture in the School of Agriculture at Western Illinois University in Macomb, Ill. He’s conducted intense research tied to cover crop usage in conservation-tillage systems and organic grain production. Gruver will focus on the integration of cover crops within strip-tillage systems and explore key opportunities and challenges based on recent research results and the experiences of innovative farmers using both strip-till and cover crops. He will also discuss the impact of cover crops on nutrient availability and soil moisture dynamics within strip-tillage systems and also consider the compatibility of cover crops with current strip-till technology and potential new technologies.

Kelly Cooper will share the cover-cropping experiences of strip-tillers within the Conservation Cropping System Project. The project manager from Forman, N.D., will share a number of practices, including both traditional cover cropping and a form of biological strip-till where radishes and peas are planted in 30-inch rows to create a natural strip to plant into in an effort to reduce in-row erosion. View