Researchers at the University of California, Davis, have found a way to reduce the amount of nitrogen fertilizers needed to grow cereal crops. The discovery could save farmers in the United States billions of dollars annually in fertilizer costs while also benefiting the environment.
For Waco, Neb. no-tiller Scott Gonnerman, less is more when it comes to fertilizer, insecticide and residue disturbance, setting the framework for generations to come on his family-run operation.
Innovation can take many forms in agriculture. For Waco, Neb., no-tiller Scott Gonnerman, simplicity and tradition are his chosen pathways to progress on his 250-acre operation.
Minnesota farmers Nancy and Jerry Ackermann credit strip-till, split nitrogen applications and cover crops for helping them reach 200-bushel corn yields on 140 pounds of nitrogen.
Nancy and Jerry Ackermann have been strip-tilling corn and no-tilling soybeans and alfalfa on their 1,200-acre farm in southwest Minnesota for 15 years. Coming from conventional tillage practices, the transition began on a small 50-acre test plot.
By using cover crops, reduced equipment passes and subsurface irrigation, Sano Farms has improved their organic matter from 0.5% to 3% and grow 50-ton-per-acre tomatoes with fewer inputs.
Manured fields are good candidates for the pre-sidedress soil nitrate test, but nitrogen credit following legume crops is unpredictable and will likely depend on the stand density and timely termination.
Indiana strip-tiller Doug Davenport has spent 15 years experimenting with slight changes in fertilizer application, cover crops and equipment setups to get the most from his strip-till system.
Doug Davenport's 4,000-acre operation reinforces the idea that one size does not fit all for farming. The Kingman, Ind., strip-tiller has spent many years — and plans to spend many more — figuring out field-by-field the best management practices on his farm.
Chris Teachout compares his cover crop philosophy to taking a new gun out on a bear hunt: No hunter uses a new gun on the big hunt without practicing with it first to work out all the kinks.
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On this edition of Conservation Ag Update, brought to you by CultivAce, longtime no-tiller Jim Leverich explains why 20-inch corn rows are paying off big time on his Sparta, Wis., farm.
Needham Ag understands the role of technology in making better use of limited resources within a specific environment by drawing on a wealth of global experience to overcome the challenges facing today's farmers, manufacturers and dealers.
The Andersons grows enduring relationships through extraordinary service, a deep knowledge of the market, and a knack for finding new ways to add value as we have done for nearly 70 years.