Print This PageConservation Tillage Brochure
Commodity prices for the world's staple crops, such as corn, soybeans, wheat, rice and cotton, can fluctuate greatly.
The Importance of Agriculture
Agriculture is the very lifeblood of all peoples who inhabit the world. Yet farmers
everywhere are under siege on numerous fronts. Commodity prices for the world's
staple crops, such as corn, soybeans, wheat, rice and cotton, can fluctuate greatly.
At the same time, the cost of producing crops continues to climb.
Another assault on the farmer comes from unchecked urban and suburban sprawl, as cities continue to expand and grow to accommodate expanding populations. The pressure on farmland is enormous, and it's disappearing at an alarming rate around the world.
In many parts of the world, such as Southeast Asia, Japan and Africa, farms are often very small, between one acre and one hectare (2.47 acres) in size. The challenge to these small farmers to produce enough food for their families and still have enough remaining to sell at the market is huge. These farmers are more at the mercy of drought, torrential rains and crop pests such as weeds and insects. Due to the mass migration of people from the countryside to growing cities, labor is often in short supply. And these farmers also face pressure from the sprawl associated with growing cities and towns.
This makes it all the more essential to get the highest possible agricultural productivity from the arable farmland that remains in the world. Again, the stress is on the farmer, with far-reaching ramifications for everyone who needs food on the table.
Using conservation tillage, farmers are able to ease their economic plight by cutting crop production costs by 10 percent or more. This saving alone has enabled many farmers to survive both current and past economic crises in the agricultural economy over the past two decades.
Crop yields in conservation tillage systems have also been proven, in most cases, to be equal to or better, as well as more consistent, than those produced with conventional tillage methods. More efficient use of finite water resources is yet another benefit for the farmer, as well as the public at large. As competition for water resources between urban and agricultural interests intensifies, it is now more crucial than ever that farmers make every drop of irrigation water and soil moisture count.
Using conservation tillage, farmers are able to ease their economic plight by cutting crop production costs by 10 percent or more.
Saving Water With Conservation Tillage
In many countries, clean water is not readily available and must be transported
long distances or diverted from water sources that are far removed from farms. Often
it is necessary to use what little water is available for drinking, cooking and
washing, instead of for agricultural interests. Many times, due to poor water quality,
the water that is available is not suited for all of these needs.
The crop mulch in conservation tillage systems shades the ground and slows evaporation. The improved soil structure resulting from less plowing increases movement of water into the soil following rain or irrigation and holds it there. Farmers can often get by with less irrigation, and more soil moisture is available to crop roots during dry periods. There are also quality of life benefits for the farmer. Conservation tillage means less time is spent doing tillage. More time can be spent on other aspects of crop production. More time can be spent with family or on recreation.
