Finding the No-till information you need on the Internet can sometimes be a challenge. But beginning with a few solid farming resources can help you focus your quest for the right information.

The Internet can supply a variety of information at little or no cost to the end user. Stephen Rose, a senior instructor with New Horizons, in Cincinnati, Ohio, found a number of services which can be valuable tools for no-tillers for less than $100. About 80 to 95 percent of the services he found are completely free.

Farming Statistics

By utilizing the search engine tools, which were discussed in part one of this series (on page 10, in the June 2001 issue) Rose was able to find statistics including the number of beef cattle in the U.S. by thousands and a complete cattle inventory from 1867 to 2000. “This is simple stuff that could come in useful,” he says.

Many farm outlook reports can also be viewed on the Internet. “Instead of waiting for reports to be broadcast on the radio or television, this allows you to grab data when you’re looking for it and when it’s convenient to you,” Rose says.

Crop yield statistics are also available online through many colleges. Some have put together yield averages for different parts of the country on different crops including corn, soybeans, wheat and grain sorghum, Rose says.

Harvest reports with a breakdown of numerous crops and price paid indexes are available on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) site…