Frank Lessiter

Frankly Speaking

Cover Crops Can Stretch No-Till Water Use

By Frank Lessiter posted on September 24, 2025 | Posted in Soil Health

As growers in numerous areas of the country tackle serious drought concerns, it’s a good time to look at the water-saving benefits to be gained with cover crops.

Frankly Speaking

Our Tribute to Amy Johnson, an Amazing Co-Worker

By Frank Lessiter posted on September 11, 2025

A dedicated and valuable member of the Lessiter Media family, Amy earned the respect of hundreds of folks she worked closely with from around the world.

International No-Till, Strip-Till and Cover Crops Research Journal - September 2025

Each month, the conservation ag group at Cornell University offers an analysis of the latest scientific papers dealing with conservation agriculture research from around the world. For this on-going web series, our editors will be selecting several research papers from the Cornell list that will be of special interest to North American no-tillers, strip-tillers and cover croppers.

By Frank Lessiter posted on September 8, 2025 | Posted in Investing in Regenerative Ag, Soil Health

In this edition:

Integrated soil health management influences soil properties: Insights from a U.S. Midwest study.
Furrow Irrigated Long-Term No-Till and Conventional-Till Soil Evaluation in the Mid-South USA.
Cross-Effect Between Cover Crops and Glyphosate-Based Herbicide Application on Microbiote Communities in Field Crops Soils.
Responses of soil reactive nitrogen losses and nitrogen pools to straw mulching.

International No-Till, Strip-Till and Cover Crops Research Journal - July 2025

Each month, the conservation ag group at Cornell University offers an analysis of the latest scientific papers dealing with conservation agriculture research from around the world. For this on-going web series, our editors will be selecting several research papers from the Cornell list that will be of special interest to North American no-tillers, strip-tillers and cover croppers.

By Frank Lessiter posted on August 8, 2025 | Posted in Investing in Regenerative Ag, Soil Health

In this edition:

Conservation Soil Tillage: Bridging Science and Farmer Expectations-An Overview from Southern to Northern Europe.
Comparison of bacterial communities of agricultural soils subjected to different types of tillage in the Valle del Mezquital, Mexico.
Soil Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Nitrogen Dynamics: Effects of Maize Straw Incorporation Under Contrasting Nitrogen Fertilization Levels

International No-Till, Strip-Till and Cover Crops Research Journal – May 2025

Each month, the conservation ag group at Cornell University offers an analysis of the latest scientific papers dealing with conservation agriculture research from around the world. For this on-going web series, our editors will be selecting several research papers from the Cornell list that will be of special interest to North American no-tillers, strip-tillers and cover croppers.

By Frank Lessiter posted on June 4, 2025 | Posted in Investing in Regenerative Ag, Soil Health

In this edition:

Effects of Conservation Agriculture on Soil Nitrogen Oxide N₂O Emissions and Crop Yield in Global Cereal Cropping Systems
Monitoring the Spatial Distribution of Cover Crops and Tillage Practices Using Machine Learning and Environmental Drivers across Eastern South Dakota
Potential Long-Term, Global Effects of Enhancing the Domestic Terrestrial Carbon Sink in the United States through No-Till and Cover Cropping
Global Synthesis of Cover Crop Impacts on Main Crop Yield
Development and Testing of a Precision Hoeing System for Re-compacted Ridge Tillage in Maize

Yes, He's a Regenerative Agriculture Skeptic

By Frank Lessiter posted on January 17, 2025

When the principles of regenerative ag are broken down to their core components, Shane Thomas sees it as a bundling of practices with the aim of “regenerating” the soil (an outcome), including increasing organic matter (soil carbon) encouraging biological activity and mitigating soil erosion.

A Terrific National No-Tillage Conference Program — Offering Many, Many Profit-Building Reasons on Why You Need to Attend

Expect an energetic 4 days of non-stop learning in Louisville from leading no-tillers, agronomists, researchers & suppliers who will be sharing their most valuable ideas to help you get the most out of your 2025 no-till cropping program.

By Frank Lessiter posted on December 18, 2024 | Posted in Seeding Practices, Soil Health

A longtime attendee at the National No-Tillage Conference (NNTC) recently told me our 2025 lineup of topics and speakers is among the very best in the entire 33-year history of this event.

Frankly Speaking

Hey AGCO, Don’t Forget North America

By Frank Lessiter posted on December 8, 2024 | Posted in Investing in Regenerative Ag

While AGCO seemingly has good intentions when it comes to promoting conservation practices, it also looks like they have little interest in promoting numerous soil-saving concepts in North America.

Among Farmers With Dairy, How Well Do the Cows Adapt to Daylight Saving Time?

By Frank Lessiter posted on November 18, 2024

Whether it is “spring ahead” or “fall back” time, the schedules of farmers are somewhat impacted by the twice-a-year shifting of the clock. And for farmers spending time in the milking parlor, there’s a question on how cow behavior and milk production is affected.

International No-Till, Strip-Till and Cover Crops Research Journal – November 2024

Each month, the conservation ag group at Cornell University offers an analysis of the latest scientific papers dealing with conservation agriculture research from around the world. For this on-going web series, our editors will be selecting several research papers from the Cornell list that will be of special interest to North American no-tillers, strip-tillers and cover croppers.

By Frank Lessiter posted on November 13, 2024 | Posted in Investing in Regenerative Ag, Seeding Practices, Soil Health

In this edition:

Further Adoption of Conservation Tillage Can Increase Maize Yields in the Western U.S. Corn Belt
A New Theory for Soil Health
Weed Communities after Decades of Mineral Fertilization and Tillage Treatments in a Corn–Soybean Rotation
Changes in Soil Microbial Parameters after Herbicide Application in Soils under Conventional Tillage and Non-Tillage