Many benefits of a cover crop being integrated into a crop rotation are long term and multi-year. The longer the system is in place, the more resilient the soil and the more benefits are realized.
Our farm hit a plateau in the 1990s. Yields were flat and we just weren’t making the gains we thought we should be. It’s not that we sought out no-till as the magic solution; we just knew we had to try something different, as conventional tillage wasn’t cutting it.
Cover crops involve some expense, but Rulon Enterprises in Arcadia, Ind., finds they do more than pay their way in their no-till system of 20-plus years.
There's no cash in cover crops, Ken Rulon says, just tremendous value. And if no-tillers stick to the system, they can see both yield and cost benefits in the long run.
The National No-Tillage Conference returns January 12-15, 2027!Build and refine your no-till system with dozens of new ideas and connections at the 35th Annual National No-Tillage Conference in Indianapolis, Jan. 12-15, 2027. Experience an energizing 4-day agenda featuring inspiring general session speakers, expert-led No-Till Classrooms and collaborative No-Till Roundtables. Plus, Certified Crop Adviser credits will be offered.
I'm in Yakima, Washington this week at FIRA USA where there's always lots of great ag technology on display. Why don't we go take a look at the newest edition of the Aigen robot. We'll hear from Kenny Lee, the CEO of Aigen.