Weeds, diseases and insects are nature’s way of adding diversity to a system that lacks it. You can try to find technologies that can control all the problems that pop up, or you can prevent most of them by providing beneficial diversity of your own. Dwayne Beck explains why no-tillers will want to rediscover rotational techniques for managing pests, especially with current cost/price ratios. The director of the Dakota Lakes Research Farm near Pierre, S.D., shares why crop rotations that are consistent in sequence or interval provide opportunity for weeds and insects. He also discusses the strengths and weaknesses of different types of rotation.

Almost all change in agriculture is and has been incremental. For the most part, no-till systems differ little from conventional systems. If we’re going to solve the environmental issues and energy issues we face, we must take a different approach. Dwayne Beck discusses how we can do things differently to solve these problems, specifically with crop rotation. The director of the Dakota Lakes Research Farm in Pierre, S.D., shares how crop rotation is more complex than simply adding wheat or cover crops. He talks about how to look at your system and find the things that let you avoid many of the problems that are now costing you lots of money and a loss of productivity.