Here's is digital coverage of the life and accomplishments of Bill Richards, the 93-year-old Circleville, Ohio no-tiler and former NRCS chief who passed away recently. Richards was one of the first farmers in the U.S. to no-till an entire farm operation. He inspired countless growers across the country and internationally to adopt and evolve no-till practices.
After pioneering no-till practices on his Circleville, Ohio farm – becoming one of the first to do it on an entire farm operation – Richards was tapped to serve as chief of the NRCS, then known as the Soil Conservation Service.
'Grandfather of No-Till' Bill Richards & retired Ohio State ag engineer Randall Reeder discuss how Richards increased no-till acres as chief of the Soil Conservation Service
Staying true to the impact that farmer-to-farmer education has on encouraging adoption of no-till, the USDA changed the course of ag history by appointing a no-tiller to a key position in the early 1990s. The No-Till History series is made possible by Calmer Corn Heads.
The plow is as American as the Fourth of July. Such famous farmers as Thomas Jefferson and Daniel Webster helped perfect it, and today’s politicians still speak of realigning our national priorities in terms of “swords into plowshares.”The No-Till History series is made possible by Calmer Corn Heads.
Peter Myers, the chief of the Soil Conservation Service (SCS), is a genuine farmer (cropping 1,100 acres at Matthews, Mo.) who believes in the many benefits of no-tillage. We think you’ll find his answers to our No-Till Farmer questions of special interest. The No-Till History series is made possible by Calmer Corn Heads.
Washington’s interest in no-till increased dramatically in the 1980s and 1990s as several veteran no-tillers took over the role of Chief of the Soil Conservation Service (SCS), which is now known as the Natural Resources and Conservation Service (NRCS) in Washington. The No-Till History series is made possible by Calmer Corn Heads.
The still “coming of age” no-till practice received two significant shots in the arm when no-tillers were tapped for influential posts in D.C. Instead of bureaucrats, the USDA smartly veered from the norm to appoint two practical farmers, Missouri’s Peter Myers and Ohio’s Bill Richards, to help convince farmers of the merits of reducing tillage. The No-Till History series is made possible by Calmer Corn Heads.
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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.
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