No-till has been a staple tool in conservation practice for decades. However, there seems to be a wide continuum of definitions of no-till among farmers and conservationists. At the root, it is agreed that reducing tillage prevents erosion and topsoil losses, helps to keep nutrients (phosphorus in particular) in the field and out of runoff, and contributes to maintaining and improving soil health.

But how no-till is implemented and what it means on the ground quickly diverge, based on individual needs and opinions.

At the recent Iowa Learning Farms Leadership Circle meeting held at Iowa State University, 22 Iowa farmers and landowners gathered to share their thoughts on conservation, ask questions of agency representatives and discuss conservation topics of importance. During the conversation one of the key questions asked by the moderator was “What does no-till mean in your community?”

“While we didn’t hear 22 distinct definitions from the participants, it was clear that there is some ambiguity in defining what no-till means,” said Jacqueline Comito, Iowa Learning Farms director and moderator at the meeting. “The good news is that each recognized the benefits of less tillage, and seem committed to continuing reduced tillage practices, in concert with other conservation efforts such as cover crops and edge-of-field practices.”

No-till means no tillage

Some farmers who reported practicing no-till for 30-plus years were very adamant that no-till means no tillage. One Marshall County farmer went so far as to say, “The only tilling you do is with the planter!” while another countered, “If it’s low disturbance, then it’s still no-till.”

Others considered no-till with more situation-dependent viewpoints, which included:

In reply to the idea of tilling end rows, one participant firmly stated, “If you are tilling your end rows, you are not doing no-till.” And another posed the question, “If I spread dry fertilizer with cover crop seed, then vertical-till it in — is that tillage?”

This question reflects the impact technology growth and innovation have had on the no-till world. Vertical tillage tools have been in use for years, and there is a perception among some farmers that the light tilling done with these implements — which chop residue and can help pin it to the soil — is a complement to, or a form of, no-till.

The USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service clearly disagrees. In the article "Vertical Tillage is Not No-Till," NRCS asserts that “Any tillage, regardless of its depth, will undo all of the benefits of any previous no-till farming if it fractures the consolidated soil and breaks the macropores. This includes losing any improvements in soil quality gained by previous investments in no-till.”

Meeting of the minds

Where the group had consensus is that all reduction of tillage is a good thing. And it was clear participants felt that no-till is just one piece of a more complex set of practices that address erosion, soil health, nutrient loss and downstream water quality. Most reported using some combination of cover crops, edge-of-field practices such as bioreactors or saturated buffers, prairie plantings and grass buffers, alongside conservation tillage practices.

In her introduction, Comito also asked how Iowa can break through the seeming plateau of 35% to 40% no-till adoption that has held steady for years. Later in the day, when responding to questions about how they speak to neighbors and peers regarding conservation practice adoption, several themes emerged.

Primary factors in making the no-till decision include economic drivers, habit and history, and visualization. For each of these factors, the group seemed to converge on the concept that it is crucial to first understand the motivations and personality of the audience or individual you are trying to convince to adopt no-till or other conservation practices.

Addressing the economic factor, a farmer from Webster County declared, “If you want to save $50 per acre on soybean ground, stop tilling it!” While another participant allowed that despite the positive data regarding no-till, if there weren’t economic incentives to keep farming the traditional way, everyone would be doing no-till.

Family convention and multigenerational traditions also impact the decisions. And while some family members — it’s not always the younger ones — may have the desire to move in the direction of conservation, they can be overruled by others who prefer to stick with what they’ve done for years.

Converting skeptics

The group did home in on the best way to convince skeptics. According to a Story County farmer, “We can be overwhelmed by data and information. We need to make sure the information and persuasive arguments are presented in relevant ways that connect with the listener and show the difference, not just tell the difference.”

At the end of the meeting, there was still no single definition for being a no-till farmer — and maybe the answer to the question should be, “It depends.” Every farm, landowner and farmer has personal and business priorities that shape how they implement no-till in ways that work for them. However, a key conclusion from the group centered on the power of showing others the benefits through demonstrations such as rainfall simulators, field days — or simply turning over a shovelful of organic-rich soil in a no-till field.

Staudt is a conservation outreach specialist with Iowa Learning Farms, and director of Water Rocks! Established in 2004, Iowa Learning Farms is building a culture of conservation by encouraging adoption of conservation practices. Farmers, researchers and ILF team members are working together to identify and implement the best management practices that improve water quality and soil health while remaining profitable. Partners of Iowa Learning Farms include Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Iowa Department of Natural Resources (USEPA Section 319), ISU’s Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa Natural Resources Conservation Service, Conservation Districts of Iowa, Iowa Farm Bureau, Practical Farmers of Iowa and Growmark Inc.