Mention crop rotations to no-tillers outside the Midwest and chances are good that they’re growing more than two crops. Instead of just going with no-till corn and soybeans, growers who direct seed in the Pacific Northwest include a large number of crops in their no-till rotations.

Farmers in the Dakotas are nuts about rotations. No-till rotations improve soil quality, enhance yields, decrease the amount of fertilizer needed—and help farmers manage pest problems.

Bob Mcnabb's no-till wheat field just outside the western Manitoba community of Minnedosa was as lush and green as any in these parts. But there was still something noticeably different about the crop.