In the late 1940s and early 1950s, many farmers in south-central Nebraska began drilling irrigation wells as they began flood irrigating row crops in furrows.

Saskatchewan farmers recognize the value of leaving direct seeded crop stubble standing, since it traps more snow than cut or chopped stubble. It’s especially important in western Canada where as much as one-third of the annual precipitation can come from winter snows, says Saskatchewan Soil Conservation Association agrologist Tim Nerbas.