Around 23 billion tons of fertile soil are lost worldwide each year. If that rate continues, in 150 years, all fertile soil will be lost. However, farmers can reverse this trend with more sustainable practices, such as no-till systems.
The Benefits of No-Till Farming
No-till agriculture means that fields are not tilled before planting. Instead, farmers create a narrow channel to plant seeds, causing minimal soil disturbance. In contrast, conventional agriculture often results in wind and water erosion, as tilling is a major driver of soil degradation. Additionally, healthy soil plays a key role in sequestering carbon dioxide. Notably, a study by the Rodale Institute found that no-till farming combined with organic practices increased soil carbon by 9 percent over 2 years and 21 percent over 6 years.
Expanding on this research, Oregon State University analyzed how farming practices impact carbon levels over 60 years. They specifically examined the effects of including spring peas in wheat rotations and reducing or stopping tilling. They found that using a no-till wheat-pea rotation stored 60 percent more carbon compared to conventional methods. The researchers concluded that widespread adoption of no-till rotations could improve soil health, yield, water retention, and carbon sequestration.
No-till systems reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In 2020, agriculture accounted for 11 percent of U.S. emissions, a 6 percent increase from 1990. No-till farming reduces the frequency of tractor passes across the field, thereby reducing fuel use. American farmers using no-till saved 812.4 gallons of fuel, enough to power more than 3.2 million households.
No-till has economic benefits for farmers. Farmers who employ conventional tillage use just over six gallons of fuel per acre every year. No-till needs less than 2 gallons per acre. Nationally, that adds up to almost 282 million gallons of diesel fuel saved annually through no-till practices. Saving fuel saves money. If one farmer with 1,000 acres of crops switches to no-till, they save 4,160 gallons of diesel fuel and $8,500, assuming the average diesel price is $2.05 per gallon.
No-Till Faces Challenges
There are challenges to the widespread adoption of no till. No-till fields in spring, which can warm and dry the soil more slowly, delaying planting. However, row cleaners attached to a planter can reduce the impacts. With climate change likely to accelerate springtime warming, this may be moot.
Farmers need costly, specialized equipment for no-till farming. That can be a deterrent for some farmers. No-till is also limited to specific crops, but farmers can use other practices, such as conservation tillage and strip tillage, instead.
No-till uses more herbicides because it does not eliminate weeds through tillage. No-till and minimum-till account for around 28 percent of the nation’s cropland. Most of it is produced for livestock feed and biofuels. The majority (93 percent) of no-till or minimum-till corn and soy crops rely heavily on herbicides. At least 26 million more pounds of herbicide are used in the U.S. because of no-till corn and soy.
Organic no-till farming is a more sustainable option than conventional no-till farming. It uses other means to manage weeds without using herbicides. These methods cover crops, crop rotation, and free-range livestock.
Photo by Chesapeake Bay Program on Flickr under a Creative Commons license
