Crop growers will get an update on the latest advancement in strip tillage at this year's fall field day at Iowa State University's Agricultural Engineering and Agronomy Research Farms, to be held Sept. 8.

Just as the name suggests, "strip till" allows producers to till and plant into narrow strips, leaving crop residue undisturbed between the rows. There are a lot of advantages, according to Meaghan Anderson, field agronomist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

"There's a lot of interest in reducing our tillage use or finding out ways to keep more crop residue on the surface," Anderson says. "Strip till is a really appealing option for corn because you get some of the benefits of the tillage and of no-till."

The event begins with registration from 9 to 9:30 a.m., followed by presentations and demonstrations, and a complimentary lunch at noon.

Matt Darr, an ISU professor in agricultural and biosystems engineering, will give a brief introduction to strip tillage and talk about its potential for central Iowa farms. He will detail how farmers can get set up for strip tillage or improve what they are already doing.

"Strip till provides unique opportunities for producers to lower cost of production and move toward more conservation tillage practices," Darr says. "We'll share insight into how to get started with strip-till systems, what you should consider when evaluating strip-till equipment options, and best practices for managing strip-till systems year over year."

Chad Hart, an ISU professor in economics and Extension grain markets specialist, will talk about considerations for reduced tillage and carbon market potential, followed by a trip to the field for demonstrations and discussion.

Field demonstrations will include several equipment manufacturers, such as Soil Warrior, Lynx Ag, Orthman and Kuhn Krause, demonstrating how their strip-till equipment works in a field of oat stubble.

Those who attend can quality for two soil and water CCA continuing education units.

RSVP to Anderson by Sept. 3 to assure your spot and a complimentary lunch, at [email protected] or 319-331-0058.

The ISU Ag Engineering and Agronomy Research Farms are at 1308 U Ave., Boone, Iowa.

Source: Iowa State University Extension, which is responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and its subsidiaries aren't responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.