As a no-tiller, you know crop residue is crucial to the success of the system. It protects the soil against the forces of wind and water erosion, provides food for earthworms and microorganisms and holds valuable nutrients.

While some people have suspected that the no-till acreage has been declining, results of a recent survey in Iowa indicate it was virtually unchanged between 1997 and 1999. Even so, the number of Iowa farmers who are using valuable soil conservation practices appears to be leveling off.

Editor' Note: There was plenty of interest among attendees at the eighth annual National No-Tillage Conference in Des Moines regarding carbon credits. Because of these concerns, we asked Pete Hill to answer the most typical questions asked by no-tillers. Hill is an agronomist with Monsanto in Urbandale, Iowa, and has followed carbon sequestrian issues very closely.