No-Till Agriculture

Soil is the basis of Iowa’s economy. Annually, we lose about 5 tons of soil per acre per year to erosion. Reducing erosion is critical to the success of our farm-based economy. One way to reduce erosion is to keep corn stalks and roots in the ground which anchor the soil and prevent the wind and water from carrying it away. This method of agriculture is called “no-till” which means that the land is not turned or tilled at harvest. This video shows three different fields and the extent to which soil has eroded.

• Why is there more dirt coming off the field where the corn was tilled?

• Why would a farmer want to leave corn stalks in the ground?
• What are the disadvantages of leaving corn stalks in the ground?

Students could:

• Observe the video and then ask questions and investigate ways in which erosion occurs.
• Start a conversation with a local farmer that uses no-till agriculture to understand the pros and cons of this method.
• Evaluating this solution to reducing soil erosion. Factors that they should consider are costs, time to implement, machinery needed, and ease of implementation. 
• Look ahead to the spring planting and examine if leaving corn in the ground has any effect on this process. 
• Research how leaving the organic matter in the soil benefits the soil and the farmer.

• Modern Farmer | No-Till Farming: What’s the Deal?: An easy to read article on the pros and cons of no-till farming.
• USDA | ARS Scientist Highlights Till vs. No-Till Farming: Article outlining the pros and cons of till and no till farming.
• AgPhD | The Pros And Cons Of No-Till: Video on the pros and cons of no-till farming.