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Mark McNeely

Mark McNeely

Mark McNeely is the former managing editor of No-Till Farmer and Conservation Tillage Guide magazines. His previous experience includes 25 years in industrial engine journalism and marketing. Mark holds an M.A. in journalism from the University of Wisconsin.

Articles

ARTICLES

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Carbonomics: Opening a Carbon Currency Exchange Within a Cover Crop Ecosystem

Crop diversity and biological activity in a cover-cropped farming system ensures healthy interactions between plants, roots and soil organisms, says Keith Berns.
By Mark McNeely posted on April 15, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health
Likening a healthy, robust industrial economy to the types of biological activities taking place underground in a no-till, cover-cropped farming system isn’t a stretch of the imagination.
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Early Maturities, Cover Crops Can Help Tough No-Till Soils Flourish

Research on two southern Illinois farms shows the potential of using early maturity crops to establish covers sooner and boost yields in poorly drained, drought-prone, underperforming fields.
By Mark McNeely posted on March 24, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health
Randy McElroy sees the tough soils sometimes from behind sunglasses, because when the ground dries out completely it can be a white as a sand beach in Florida.
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What ‘Corporate No-Till’ Could Mean for Your Bottom Line

Enterprising no-tillers could pocket extra cash, efficiencies by working with large corporations embracing sustainable ag to please customers.
By Mark McNeely posted on July 24, 2018 | Posted in Soil Health
The movement underway with large agribusinesses wanting to connect their sustainability programs more closely with their suppliers could mean some new advantages and opportunities for market-savvy no-tillers.
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[Podcast] Regenerating No-Till Soils After a Season of Saturated Soil

In this episode of the No-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Montag Mfg., we welcome Barry Fisher, a veteran soil health expert and regional team leader with Indiana’s NRCS office to discuss soil health strategies.
By Mark McNeely posted on May 25, 2018 | Posted in Seeding Practices, Soil Health
In this episode of the No-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Montag Mfg., we welcome Barry Fisher, a veteran soil health expert and regional team leader with Indiana’s NRCS office to discuss soil health strategies.
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Enlist Pollinators, Predator Insects to Help Fight Pests in No-Tilled Crops

‘Extending the bloom’ with buffer zones, cover crops and native prairie grass strips helps nurture the symbiotic relationship between insects, soils and flowering plants.
By Mark McNeely posted on May 12, 2018 | Posted in Soil Health
In an age of surface-applied insecticides and seed treatments, the importance of beneficial insects and natural pollinators to a thriving agricultural ecosystem can easily be overlooked.
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Carbonomics: Opening a Carbon Currency Exchange Within a No-Till Soil Ecosystem

Crop diversity and biological activity in a cover-cropped farming system ensures healthy interactions between plants, roots and soil organisms, says Keith Berns.
By Mark McNeely posted on March 10, 2018 | Posted in Soil Health
Likening a healthy, robust industrial economy to the types of biological activities taking place underground in a no-till, cover-cropped farming system isn’t a stretch of the imagination, says Keith Berns.
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No-Till, Cover Crops Improve Feed Quality, Limit Erosion and Build Soil Health

Reducing sediment and phosphorus runoff, improving soil health and reducing operational risk are goals for no-till dairy farmer Dan Brick.
By Mark McNeely | Posted in Soil Health
Managing a dairy farm that traces its roots back 170 years isn’t out of the ordinary for Greenleaf, Wis., no-tiller Dan Brick. The fact that Brickstead Dairy is Wisconsin’s 2017 Leopold Conservation Award recipient, however, is a fairly recent development.
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No-Till, Covers and Livestock Tame Volatile Weather Challenges

Howling winds, dryness and poor soil quality create tough conditions in South Africa, but Egon Zunckel is making no-till work with limited irrigation, cover crops and livestock.
By Mark McNeely posted on September 16, 2017 | Posted in Soil Health
Howling winds, dryness and poor soil quality create tough conditions in South Africa, but Egon Zunckel is making no-till work with limited irrigation, cover crops and livestock.
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Join top no-tillers, agronomists and researchers for 3 days of unrivaled learning and networking!

Attend the 2023 National No-Tillage Conference in St. Louis, Missouri, January 10-13, and discover cutting-edge ideas, techniques and strategies from the most innovative, forward-thinking minds in no-till to raise your level of no-till profitability, efficiency and efficacy. 

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Videos

Bayer Crop Science Provides the Tools Needed to Combat Corn Rootworm

Bayer Crop Science Provides the Tools Needed to Combat Corn Rootworm

For those struggling with Corn Rootworm, Bayer Crop Science has been working on a solution to curb the effects of these destructive insects. While competitor's products can offer middling protection by using BT proteins, Smartstax Pro from Bayer compliments its use of BT proteins with RNA Interference Technology which changes the makeup of the root, which when ingested denies an essential protein to the rootworm larvae, thus killing the insect before it can ravage the roots.
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