Conservation - Land
Read a commentary by John Pesek regarding Iowa's soil in the summer 2008 issue of the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture's newsletter:
Soil: Ubiquitous, underappreciated but indispensable
Will I see a yield decrease from no-till?
Any new practice comes with a learning curve, therefore results in the first years of no-till may vary. Experienced ILF cooperators report average yield reductions of 5-6 percent in corn and actually experience higher average soybean yields with no-till practices.
More importantly, even with a lower yield, no-till can be more profitable because less labor, fuel, and machine hours went into producing the crop. Generally, less equipment and horsepower is needed for no-till systems, so the fixed costs of your system can be reduced as well.
What are some considerations when making the decision to convert CRP acres into crop production?
The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) was established to protect highly erodible land by taking it out of row crop production to reduce soil erosion. Producers enter into 10 to 15 year contracts or longer depending on funding availability for the CRP. Many of the original CRP contracts have or will expire in the next few years, leaving producers with the decision of what to do next.
If the choice is made to convert these acres into crop production, it is important to remember that the soils are highly erodible. Careful planning is needed in order to sustain the soil and environmental benefits that have been established over the years that the land was under CRP. Careful selection of tillage systems that are suitable for CRP such as no-till, or permanent conservation practices (terraces, grassed waterways, buffer strips, etc.) will be essential in reducing soil erosion.
The use of annual or perennial cover crops in the crop rotation is another practice that should be considered in the conversion of CRP to row crop production. Cover crops sustain the gained benefits of soil organic matter build up, microbial biodiversity, soil structure, and other physical and biological improvements that are essential to soil and water quality.
For further information about CRP and crop production:
Tillage options after CRP - CRP Issues and Options
Planting corn or soybeans into CRP sod ground - CRP Issues and Options
CRP: It's in Your Hands (USDA-NRCS)
For information about pastures:
Converting to Pasture or Hay: Evaluating Current Vegetation; ISU Extension
Converting to Pasture or Hay: Managing Weeds and Fertility; ISU Extension
Converting to Pasture or Hay: Repairing, Replanting CRP Land; ISU Extension
Converting to Pasture or Hay: Forage Seeding Mixtures; ISU Extension
Other Resources:
- Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University
- Agronomy Extension web site, Iowa State University
- Soil Management and Conservation Practices, Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University
- Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University
- Agricultural Machinery, Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University
- Integrated Crop Management, Iowa State University Extension