Study shows more Growers Reducing or Eliminating Tillage

Reprinted from Farm & Ranch Guide, April 6, 2001

ST. LOUIS - Conservation tillage was used on an additional 12.3 million acres in the United States last year, according to a tracking analysis by Doane Marketing Research. Inc.

Conservation tillage (con-till) was used on more than 65 million acres in 2000, including 31.9 million soybean acres, 23.2 million corn acres, 5.8 million cotton acres and 4.2 million wheat acres. Doane found that U.S. growers have totally eliminated tillage on 24.1 percent of corn acres and 27.3 percent of soybean acreage.

"With higher costs for labor, diesel and irrigation, I'm not surprised that more growers are looking at the economic and agronomic benefits of conservation tillage," says Ross Bushnell, Monsanto director of U.S. Marketing. "Besides saving up to 3.5 gallons of fuel and $5 worth of machinery wear and tear, a grower can gain an extra half-hour of time for each acre shifted from conventional tillage to no-till. Farmers today appreciate every extra minute they can spend improving their farm management, expanding their acreage or earning off-farm income."

The growth in no-till corn and soybean acres parallels the use of products specifically designed for use in reduced-tillage systems, the Doane study shows. Corn acres receiving a burndown treatment grew by 44 percent between 1998 and 2000, while soybean acres receiving a burndown treatment grew by more than 17 percent during the same period. Even in cold northern climates with low no-till adoption, the study found more growers are trying strip-till and other modified tillage techniques.

"Our research shows conservation tillage is now used on more than a third, or 36.7 percent, of U.S. acreage. That's more than 109 million acres," says Dan Towery of the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC). "While the CTIC and Doane studies used different methodology and definitions, they both show that no-till is clearly on an upswing. We project that no-till could grow from 52 million acres to 88 million acres nationwide by 2005."

Tony Jones of Mt. Olive, N.C., converted half of his cotton acreage to no-till in 2000 and will use no-till for all 2,800 cotton acres in 2001. "I have increased production by one-third, and I haven't had to make any more equipment purchases," he says. "After we made a 100 percent commitment to no-till, it worked like a charm. We see substantial savings through planting with no-till, but the efficiency is the biggest benefit. We can do so much more with less equipment and labor."

Towery says farmers have access to several new technologies that are no-till enablers."We've got better equipment that can handle high residue, including planters, drills and air seeders, plus new seed that performs well even in cold, damp soil," Towery says. "With Roundup Ready soybeans, cotton and corn, farmers can start fresh with a preplant burndown and control weeds without spring cultivation."

Bushnell says Monsanto is committed to offering technologies that make it easier for growers to reduce tillage without sacrificing yield. The company also has several efforts underway to help growers expand their con-till acres:

• Asgrow and DeKalb have identified several Roundup Ready corn and soybean varieties that offer excellent emergence, vigor, disease-resistance and yield in high-residue systems.

• Monsanto's Centers of Excellence demonstration farms test conservation-tillage techniques to help determine the best management practices for each area, not just a "one size fits all" recommendation.
• The Bottom-Line Booster Guarantee shares the risk for Midwest Growers who enroll by March 31 to try the Roundup Ready soybean system in reduced tillage. If it's not more profitable than a conventional seed and tillage system, Monsanto will refund the difference up to $20 per acre.