Once again, growers who seed cover crops have higher yields — and profits — than those who don’t, say the results of Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SARE) and Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC)’s fourth annual Cover Crop Survey.

Some growers in the Plains feel incorporating cover crops into no-till systems can’t work because covers will use up all of the available moisture needed for the following cash crop. But experienced no-tillers share what benefits they’ve seen from cover crops on their own farms.

The changes that transformed Russell Hedrick's no-till farm began somewhat innocently a few years ago, when he asked his NRCS conservationist for suggestions on suppressing winter weeds and controlling erosion.

In the expansive fields of eastern Colorado, no-tiller Scott Ravenkamp is fighting a silent war against fallow.

Diversity above the ground leads to robust soil health that powers profitable crop production, says no-tiller Gabe Brown.

For North Dakota no-tiller Gabe Brown, failure isn’t an option — it’s a requirement. That’s because Brown believes constant change drives an ever-improving system.