I’VE ALWAYS FELT no-tillers tend to be more optimistic and happier than the general farm population. Like everyone else in farming, you don’t like low commodity prices, dealing with numerous government regulations and ever-increasing input costs. At the same time, no-tillers don’t seem to get as concerned or complain as much about things they can’t control.

Now there’s research data that shows farmers who use no-till, cover crops and other soil health measures are much happier and satisfied with their quality of life than farmers who do not. These results come from a South Dakota State University study conducted by educator Larry Gigliotti for the South Dakota Soil Health Coalition. 

The study compared South Dakota farmers who were involved in the “Voices For Soil Health” (VFSH) organization with growers who were  not participants in this group. Conducted in November of 2019, 90% of the VFSH group were using no-till and 75% were seeding cover crops.

No-Till is More Fun. A higher percentage of the VFSH group reported they enjoy greater fun and less farming stress in the way they farm compared to non-participants. 

Nearly twice as many no-tillers expect their operations to be well positioned for the next generation. Nearly 90% expect to be happy with their quality of life over the next few years compared to only about half of the conventional growers. As a career choice, 83% of VFSH growers expect to be satisfied with farming/ranching in the future compared to only 46% of traditional growers.

Banking More Dollars. When asked whether farm profitability had increased in the past year, 31% of the VFSH participants said it had compared to only 12% of the non-participants. Looking ahead, twice as many no-tillers expect profitability to increase compared to more traditional growers. One way VFSH farmers expect to boost profits is to continue to reduce fertilizer and chemical inputs over the next few years.

When asked whether their operations were more resilient to weather extremes, such as drought or intense rainfall, 80% of the VFSH said this was the case. This compares to only 60% of the non-participants. 

If the no-tillers you meet seem happier and more satisfied with life than traditional growers, this study lists a number of good reasons. With most no-tillers having an innovative spirit, saving time, earning more income per acre and having a willingness to try new ideas, they’re also optimistic about having a bright future in agriculture.