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Meeting looks at financial side of conservation tillage

Learn why more than farmers benefit from a shift to reduced tillage.

Tom J. Bechman, Editor, Indiana Prairie Farmer

October 6, 2023

1 Min Read
a Hagie sprayer in a conservation-tillage field near a tree line
DOWN TO THE PENNY: Many farmers in conservation tillage systems can tell you exactly how much it costs them to raise crops — and it’s typically less than with conventional tillage systems. Tom J. Bechman

The economics of soil health systems is regularly identified as information critical to farmers and those who work with farmers. You have a chance to attend special training designed not only to explore annual returns on investments in soil health practices, but also to uncover the longer-term ramifications on economic resiliency and potential economic opportunities.

Circle Nov. 30 on your calendar, and set aside 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. EST to attend this one-of-a-kind meeting looking at the dollars and cents of conservation farming. It will be held at the Hendricks County Fairgrounds in Danville, Ind. Sponsored by the Conservation Cropping Systems Initiative, the meeting is geared toward bankers, farm managers, financial planners and farmers who want to look at the true bottom line of conservation farming.

Hans Schmitz of CCSI is planning the meeting. He says CCSI is bringing together a group of individuals representing farmers, farm management and the ag banking industry to provide their insights into financial impacts of soil health systems.

Speakers and panelists expected to participate include:

  • Alan Weber, co-author of Cover Crop Economics from Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE)

  • Pat Karst, vice president of Halderman Real Estate and Farm Management

  • Brenda Sermersheim, vice president of agricultural banking at German American Bank

  • Ken Rulon of Rulon Enterprises, Hamilton County, Ind.

  • Aaron Clark of Cloverleaf Farm, Warren County, Ind.

  • DeSutter Farms, Fountain County, Ind.

For planning purposes, registration is necessary. There is no fee to attend this meeting. Please register online.

Information from the CCSI Newsletter was used in this article.

Read more about:

No till

About the Author(s)

Tom J. Bechman

Editor, Indiana Prairie Farmer, Farm Progress

Tom J. Bechman is editor of Indiana Prairie Farmer. He joined Farm Progress in 1981 as a field editor, first writing stories to help farmers adjust to a difficult harvest after a tough weather year. His goal today is the same — writing stories that help farmers adjust to a changing environment in a profitable manner.

Bechman knows about Indiana agriculture because he grew up on a small dairy farm and worked with young farmers as a vocational agriculture teacher and FFA advisor before joining Farm Progress. He works closely with Purdue University specialists, Indiana Farm Bureau and commodity groups to cover cutting-edge issues affecting farmers. He specializes in writing crop stories with a focus on obtaining the highest and most economical yields possible.

Tom and his wife, Carla, have four children: Allison, Ashley, Daniel and Kayla, plus eight grandchildren. They raise produce for the food pantry and house 4-H animals for the grandkids on their small acreage near Franklin, Ind.

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