Many farmers insist on tilling in the fall, despite evidence it could do more harm than good, according to an Iowa State University soil management expert.

A new study reveals that optimizing yields on existing farmlands reduces net carbon emission compared with expanding tillable acres at the expense of forests, especially in the tropics.

llinois corn yielded less than expected in most areas in 2010, and corn following corn was particularly hard hit.

It is commonly perceived that if summer weather is too hot and humid for people, then it must be ideal for corn because corn — in contrast to a crop like wheat — is a tropical crop. Up to a point, that perception is correct.

Strip-till is an appealing option for farmers in the northern Corn Belt who have heavy soils that are cold and wet in the spring, says a Pioneer Hi-Bred agronomy research communications manager.

Strip-till lost the bragging rights about yields to mulch-till in a 4-year, onfarm study conducted in Illinois. But profits from strip-till topped thos of mulch-till and no-till in the study.

With everyone from USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack to the mainstream media and celebrity chefs touting locally grown food, growing and selling sweet corn to city dwellers who pay $6 or more for a dozen ears may be a profitable niche market for strip-tillers.