Sitting with his nephew Dan in their barn near DeKalb, Mo., this past summer, Randy Linville recalled an event to convince them it was time to give no-till a look.

Every farm faces at least some challenges adopting no-till practices. But when it comes to sticking with the practice, Ron Willis’ feelings on the matter are pretty clear.

No-tillers could lower costs and diversify income by raising cover crop seed, but knowing state and federal seed laws is important if it becomes a business.

Measured fertilizer applications, copious amounts of residue and dogged determination have all helped Leon Sowers improve the diversity and viability of his Kansas operation.

Tom Cannon has turned around his family’s farm by parking the plow, increasing rotational diversity and bringing livestock back into the picture.

Since switching to no-till practices more than a decade ago, dealing with rocky, variable and saline soils has been much easier for the Neva family.

Adopting no-till practices on any farm can produce a formidable learning curve, and that was no different for Darren Nelson and his father, Jim.

Aside from the planter and combine, drills are one of the most common pieces of equipment seen rolling across no-till fields today — about 64% of readers who participated in the 2016 No-Till Operational Benchmark Study said they own and use a no-till drill. And with cover crops picking up acreage in no-till systems, no-tillers are no longer relying on the tool just for seeding cash crops.