https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-iqGOTalIQ
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.
If you liked this article, visit our blog for more articles like this.