The four no-till innovators honored this year have accomplished much, some during the past 20 to 30 years, while others much more recently.

Back in 1973, I never thought I would be a lifetime farmer. But when Dad decided to retire, corn was $4 a bushel and nitrogen was just 3 cents per pound. The future looked bright for agriculture. Most times, it still does.

While many strip-tillers would have preferred to build strips and put down fertilizer in the fall, a late harvest prevented much of the work from being completed.

I’m the fourth generation to manage McClure Farms in the area of southwestern Kansas that is depicted as the heart of the 1930’s Dust Bowl.

Iowa corn grower Jeff Reints has used full tillage, no-till, zone-tillage and fall strip-till, but he has settled on spring strips for raising corn.

If you haven't heard of Richard Follmer, just know that you've probably used a version of his invention if you've used a strip-till unit recently. The owner of Progressive Farm Products in Hudson, Ill., invented the midmount, dual-placement strip-till toolbar that is being used by thousands of Corn Belt farmers.

I was pleased when the Illinois Department of Agriculture reported in late 2006 that no-till acres in the state had, for the first time, exceeded the number of conventionally tilled acres.

What producer doesn’t want to make the most efficient use of their fertilizer dollars? But more than ever, no-tillers are looking for ways to slash fertilizer costs while maximizing corn, soybean and wheat yields, says Phil Needham.