Under the category “What will they think of next?” I present “No-Till November.” The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service is asking farmers to keep their stubble — on the field.
The USDA NRCS is calling on men and women across the country to put their tillage equipment in the shed and let the land remain full of cornstalks and soybean stubble. Worried that your field may be unsightly, with uneven growth patches? In November, there is no judgement. Just let the land do its thing. Sit back, relax and allow the soil to rejuvenate.
This latest campaign may not become an internet movement that sweeps the urban nation — shoot, many don't even know what no-till means — but every good campaign needs a nifty slogan. I think NRCS nailed it.
For J.R. Flores, Missouri state conservationist, it is about bringing soil health awareness to farmers and ranchers. “No-till farming, especially in conjunction with using cover crops, is the best thing that farmers can do to improve soil health, ” he says.
Flores cites four basic principles for soil health:
1. Keep the soil covered as much as possible.
2. Do not disturb the soil.
3. Keep plants growing throughout the year to feed soil organisms.
4. Use plant diversity to increase diversity in the soil.
No-Till November meets all of those requirements.
However, Flores would like to see the campaign last throughout the year. He says that managing for healthier soils leads to increased organic matter, more soil organisms, reduced compaction, and improved nutrient storage and cycling. Healthy soils absorb and retain more water, making them less susceptible to runoff and erosion, which means more water is available for crops when they need it.
“No-till is the basic management tool behind building healthier soils,” Flores says. “The other principles are important, too, but making the decision to limit fall tillage is the key first step for farmers to take to improve soil health. No-till November is a good place to start.”
This may be the one campaign where you will not hear complaints about stubble all month long.
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