Data from several surveys conducted this year by No-Till Farmer shows no-tillers are years ahead of growers using other tillage practices when it comes to cover crop adoption. In fact, no-tillers are so far ahead that I wonder whether the majority of growers using intensive tillage really see the value of cover crops.

To make my point, I’m relying on an analysis of data from several recent surveys that demonstrate how no-tillers have recognized the many benefits of cover crops much faster than growers using intensive tillage. Generally speaking, no-tillers are more innovative and quicker to try new ideas, and they’ve seen the higher economic returns and soil-building benefits that are earned from cover crops.

No-Tillers Are on Top

Data from our 12th annual No-Till Farmer No-Till Operational Benchmark study that included over 600 no-tillers showed 81% seeded cover crops in 2019. Results from our first-ever Cover Crop Benchmark Study that included data from over 1,400 farmers using cover crops with various tillage practices revealed that 83% seeded cover crops in 2019. Even looking back to 2008 when the first No-Till Farmer Benchmark Study was conducted, 49% of no-tillers were already seeding cover crops. 

By comparison, data from the 2017 Ag Census conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture doesn’t paint as bright a picture for cover crops. It showed cover crops were seeded on only 7% of U.S. cropland in 2017. While the Ag Census data shows 15.4 million acres of cover crops were seeded on 153,400 farms in 2017, that averages only 100 acres per farm.

More Cover Crop Acres for No-Tillers

To further demonstrate how far ahead no-tillers are, we also looked at the data from this year’s Cover Crop Strategies Cover Crop Benchmark in terms of the major tillage practices being used. This survey included data from over 1,400 growers using all tillage practices — not just no-till.

Among growers who listed no-till as their primary tillage practice, 79% were seeding covers. This compares with only 3% for mulch tillers and 13% for farmers using conventional tillage.

The no-tillers seeded an average of 481 acres of cover crops in 2019. This compared with 312 acres for mulch tillers and 325 acres for conventional tillers.

When we looked at expenses among these cover croppers, no-tillers averaged $20.90 per acre for seed. This compares with seed costs of $20.46 per acre for mulch tillers and $22.42 for conventional tillers. Application costs (other than seed) averaged $13.04 for no-till, $14.99 with mulch tillage and $13.76 for conventional tillage.

We also looked at the N saving benefits gained with covers among tillage systems. The estimated nitrogen credit savings was $28.21 for no-till, $40.21 for mulch tillage and $30.70 for conventional tillage. With more cover crop experience, the chances are good that no-tillers are doing a better job of accurately accounting for these N credits.

When it came to cover crops reducing weed, disease and insect concerns, no-tillers estimated pesticide savings at $10.13 per acre. This compared with only $8.95 for growers using mulch tillage and $7.74 for conventional tillage.

No-Till is Key to Cover Crop Success

Another cover crop survey done this year was sponsored by USDA’s Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education, the Conservation Technology Information Center and the American Seed Trade Assn. It included 1,172 row-crop, horticulture and vegetable growers in all 50 states. 

Some 48% of these growers seeding cover crops used continuous no-till, 14% rotational no-till, 19% reduced tillage and 9% conventional tillage. Among growers not seeding cover crops, 22% were doing continuous no-till, 21% rotational no-till, 26% reduced tillage and 27% conventional tillage.

Once again, this shows no-tillers have proven to be more innovative than the general farm population.

Some 93% indicated the main reason for seeding covers was to improve soil structure and health. Some 81% rely on covers to improve weed management and 71% use covers to trim soil erosion.

When it comes to cover crop adoption, there’s no doubt that no-tillers are the leaders. And if we are to reach the U.S. predictions of 40 million acres of cover crops by 2029, it’s going to be no-tillers who make it happen.