What is No-Till Farming?
The United States Department of Agriculture is celebrating No-Till November again this year. To till or not to till is a controversial subject for many growers, and the USDA is doing an excellent job promoting the no-till practice. The USDA is using social media, email, and a fun photo campaign promoting the no-till practice. No-till farming has been around for 10,000 years but has increased in popularity more recently. No-till and social media represent the modern-day grower, and it will be interesting to watch what happens with the promotion.
Reasons For No-Till Farming
According to the USDA, there are many good reasons not to till. The biggest reasons include:
- No-till improves soil health by not disturbing soil microbiology. Beneficial soil microbes are essential for growing food, fiber, and fuel.
- No-till improves the soil’s water-holding capacity and keeps soils in place, preventing harmful runoff and erosion.
- No-till saves time, money (fuel), and wear on equipment. It’s an economically-sound choice.
You don’t have to take the USDA’s word for it either. Here is an excellent video from Trey Hill, a no-till farmer in Rock Hall, Maryland, explaining how he saves time and money with No-till farming.
If you have excellent social media skills or want to watch the action, you can search and promote #notillnovember or #keepthestubble. We are going to be watching closely to see the impact this promotion makes. It’s exciting to watch change happen.
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