For this episode of the No-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by SOURCE by Sound Agriculture, we're joined by Steve Wilkens who farms about 1,000 acres of Wisconsin ground that his family has worked since the 1850’s. In 2021, Wilkens recorded a yield of 315.4 bushels per acre, enough to claim second place in the Wisconsin No-Till Non-Irrigated category for the National Corn Grower’s Association Corn Yield Contest.

Another month, another announcement on a major climate smart ag initiative from USDA.

The study took samples from three different types of long-term tillage systems: no-till, chisel-disk plowing, and moldboard plowing, which researchers defined as low, medium and high disturbance. They also collected samples from both corn and soybeans, as well as samples collected at different growth stages in each plant.

Canadian company Clean Seed Ag Technologies showcases the new Smart Seeder Max, a no-till one pass precision planter. The blades allow for the cutting action of a coulter, fracturing the soil just enough to allow for seeding and fertilizer placement. The Smart Seeder Max boasts a unique variable rate delivery system, which applies precise rates for up to five different products, independently at each opener over the span of the entire no-till drill.

The new soybean seed treatment pre-mix from Syngenta, CruiserMaxx APX provides the highest level of performance of Pythium and Phytophthora protection. Every seed is granted the same amount of active ingredients to help prevent major seed-borne diseases and early-season insects and give the soybeans every opportunity to thrive.

Salin 247 presents their prototype small scale, fully autonomous electric planter. Thanks to its 10kw battery, the planter is capable of running continuously for more than an 1 hour per charge, while reducing compaction and maintaining soil health. While the prototype is a hybrid model allowing for up to 12 hours with its gas generator, the ultimate goal is a fully electric, battery powered planter.