While many no-tillers don’t want to come down hard on growers still using excessive tillage, some of our readers maintain the May 1 dust storm tragedy in central Illinois could have been prevented.

WHEN PAUL OVERBY returned home to the family farm in Wolford, N.D., in 1993 after a 12-year career in politics and non-profit fundraising, he was immediately presented with a riddle. The year before, Overby’s father had had his best crop ever, achieving 80-bushel barley and 45-bushel wheat, on average, in a wheat/barley/flax rotation.

As a No-Tiller, do you know how much value — if any — no-till practices bring to your land? In terms of actual dollars, what is the value of increasing soil organic matter, improving water infiltration or installing drain tile? And are these factors top of mind when purchasing or renting land?