Why conservation tillage?

Excerpt

COST-EFFECTIVE conservation makes good sense anytime. Today, when many farmers and ranchers—and public agencies—are having a tough time financially, conservation systems that can do more for less are urgently needed. Clearly, the time has come for conservation tillage.

The impetus for much greater acceptance of conservation tillage comes from several sources:

First, the soil and water resources upon which agriculture depends are endangered. Nearly 3 billion tons of soil are lost each year from U.S. cropland. Farmers in many states are concerned about drought. They are looking for techniques to conserve soil moisture.

Second, various forms of conservation tillage can reduce erosion on many soils 50 to 90 percent. On most farms, there are added benefits: lower costs for equipment, labor, and fuel; increased soil moisture retention; more productive land; greater land use flexibility; and less potential for water pollution.

Third, because it reduces trips over the field, conservation tillage is being adopted faster than any other practice in the history of farming. In 1972, 30 million acres. In 1982, more than 100 million acres. By the year 2010, as much as 95 percent of all U.S. cropland may be farmed with conservation …