Rockwell City, Iowa, no-tiller and strip-tiller James Hepp went from being a crop insurance adjuster to fulltime farmer after crafting an arrangement with a retiring farmer. The 1st-generation farmer is a rarity among the multi-generation farms prevalent in the Hawkeye State. A self-proclaimed “underdog” in the farming world, Hepp went “all in” on no-till, strip-till and cover crops with limited experience and modest machinery. The recipient of Iowa Farm Bureau’s Young Farmer Leadership Award discusses what to expect in the first few years of a no-till/strip-till system, shares on-farm data to show how conservation practices impact real-world budgets and also details his checklist of ways to boost ROI on your farm.

You’ll Learn: Surprising ways to make soil health pay, how to cut your learning curve when getting started & why the reallocation of resources is an overlooked key to boosting ROI.


The 33rd Annual National No-Tillage Conference returns to Louisville on Jan. 7-10, 2025. Whether you're new to no-till or refining your system, this event delivers fast-paced learning from top no-till farmers, agronomists and experts. With over 12 General Sessions, 23 expert-led Classrooms and 34 Roundtables to choose from, plus opportunities to earn pesticide recertification and CCA credits, the 2025 No-Till Conference is a must-attend event for anyone looking to enhance their no-till farming practices.

View the full speaker agenda and topics here.

For more information about the 2025 National No-Tillage Conference, to register for the event and to book your hotel room visit no-tillfarmer.com/nntc. Use code SPEAKER50 for $50 off your registration.

The Conference extends its thanks to our 2025 sponsors: Precision Planting, Ag Leader, Montag, Martin-Till, Yetter, Bio Till Cover Crops, ForGround by Bayer, Copperhead Ag, The Andersons Plant Nutrient Group, HORSCH, Titan International, and Midwest Bio-Tech.

Rockwell City, Iowa, no-tiller and strip-tiller James Hepp went from being a crop insurance adjuster to full-time farmer after crafting an arrangement with a retiring farmer. The 1st-generation farmer is the recipient of Iowa farm Bureau’s Young Farmer Leadership Award.