Less is better for soil, profitability

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Nine years of data analysis from Illinois farms found the most profitable acres were one-pass light tillage for corn and no-till soybeans.

Precision Conservation Management released its summary of in-field conservation practices data that compares various tillage systems and analyzes the profitability of each corn and soybean field enrolled in the program.

According to PCM’s 2015-2023 data, the most frequently observed tillage systems on the most profitable acres were one-pass light tillage for corn — one pass with low-disturbance tillage — and no-till for soybeans. More than two tillage passes were never more profitable.

This same trend was seen for fields with both high and low soil productivity ratings throughout Illinois.

In both cases, less than 4% of the most profitable fields were managed with three or more tillage passes. Strip tillage has also shown promise as a profitable option with corn production in recent years.

Reducing tillage can have a significant impact on soil erosion and water quality. PCM began as a response to the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy in 2015, which guides state efforts to improve water quality at home and downstream by reducing nitrogen and phosphorus levels in our lakes, streams and rivers.

With the approaching interim goal of a 15% reduction in nitrate-nitrogen and a 25% reduction in total phosphorus by 2025, Illinois farmers are encouraged to consider how their farming practices will impact future regulations for farmers.

The long-term goal in the strategy is a 45% reduction in total nitrate-nitrogen and phosphorous losses by 2035.

“If you’ve seen any of the data coming out the NLRS reports or participated in any of its conference, we still have a long way to go with agriculture and non-point source pollution,” said Greg Goodwin, PCM director.

Data from cover crop practices were also included in the program with the following summaries:

Cover crop before soybeans — There is no statistical difference in soybean yield between fields with cover crops and those without. Lower direct costs in cover crop systems generally come from reduced herbicide cost and occasionally lower fertilizer costs. Yield differences and reduced herbicide costs do not entirely offset the cost of cover crop seed and planting.

Interviewed farmers indicated that revenue from another source should be used to cover the cost of cover crops. They include Environmental Quality Incentives Program and Conservation Stewardship Program, pay-for-practice programs like PCM and carbon markets.

Cover crops before corn — Agronomics make cover crops more difficult. Corn is less tolerant of stress compared to soybeans. Cover crops sequester nitrogen that’s needed by corn. The timing of the cover crop planting and termination becomes more difficult. Costs are more difficult to control.

Participation

In 2023, there were 496 farmers enrolled across Illinois, including 6,624 fields across 499,999 acres. Participation by the end of the 2023 crop year increased to about 520 farmers representing 8,500 fields and 513,893 acres across 35 to 40 Illinois counties.

The program has also expanded into key watersheds in Kentucky and Nebraska with support from their respective corn grower groups.

Experience

“For the last several years I have been considering the switch to strip till on my farm. The idea of resource conservation has played a large role in my management decisions over the last several years. I believe there could be a time in the future where conservation practices are required. I view what I am doing now as practice for those times,” said farmer Zach Wells, of Champaign County.

“PCM has enabled me to take on additional conservation practices with their datasets and large network of agriculture professionals to provide clarity and direction.

“PCM is kind of like the person who is holding the flashlight while you are working on a piece of equipment. They make it a lot easier to see what you are doing.”

“Between now and 2025, we all have to do something different on each acre to achieve the goals of the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy,” said Dirk Rice, a Champaign County farmer.

“We can’t do what we’ve always done and avoid negative publicity or difficult regulations like we see in surrounding states.”

PCM surveyed enrolled farmers in 2024 and found that 64% of farmers who don’t already use reduced tillage practices agree that they are likely to reduce or eliminate tillage due to information they have received from PCM.

Farmers enrolled in PCM receive annual data analysis for their farm in addition to access to conservation experts and guidance on cost-share programs available to farmers.

About PCM

The conservation efforts are supported by the Illinois Corn Growers Association and Illinois Soybean Association along with over 30 other partners.

“We work to help farmers understand how conservation practices impact farm and net returns, address water quality concerns, help to prevent further agricultural regulation and position farmers to benefit from positive conservation outcomes,” Goodwin said.

“Our team of conservation specialists work one-on-one with farmers to provide technical support. We have a data collection platform where we work with farmers to help pull in their management data on a pass-by-pass basis and pull this into our platform.

“It breaks this down from an economic standpoint and a sustainability standpoint and works to provide agronomy resources and expertise to help them understand any questions they may have related to making a practice change or connect them to expertise when we aren’t confident we’re the right resource for them.”

Payments, Support

PCM representatives understand a farmer’s time is valuable and provide some compensation. Enrollees are paid $500 to start the program and an additional $250 after 12 months in the PCM program.

“In addition to that and getting technical assistance and support of our specialist breaking down that report for you, you’re also going to get access to exclusive program offers, cost-share and other practice assistance and be made aware of USDA NRCS programs, as well as private program offerings out there that may be more locale-based,” Goodwin said.

“We’re trying to help farmers understand the gamut of different offerings available to them, knowing that there’s more cost share opportunities and incentive programs and carbon market programs out there than ever before.

“That can be a very difficult space to try to navigate on your own. So, look at us as a technical resource. We can help to provide understanding and break that all down for you and understand stacking rules and things of that nature.

“In addition, we also offer peer-to-peer education opportunities. We host a lot of field days where we pull in farmers that are doing specific types of management, whether that is strip-till, cover crops, trying to reduce inputs, things of that nature, you can hear from those farmers, as well as from our staff and see how our data demonstrates those practices are working.”

Data Security

PCM takes a data-security approach. Any management data that’s shared with PCM is owned by the individual farmer.

“We do have a data-use agreement that allows the use of it in an anonymized aggregated way. So, we can break down insights to help others who do not participate in the program, learn from what we are learning from out farmers,” Goodwin said.

“But as far as individual data security, we take that extremely seriously — and I can’t overstate our approach there.”

PCM also offers personalized data analysis with an annual report that’s broken down one on one for each field by the conservation specialists.

“We’ll spend as much or as little time going over that with you as you’re willing to spend with us. A lot of farmers find this really insightful based on survey feedback that we have,” Goodwin said.

“Roughly two-thirds are likely to make practice changes based on the information they receive through our program.

“No practice change is required when you sign up to work with our program. We are actively trying to recruit farmers across the spectrum, but specifically conventional-oriented farmers so we can have a great basis for comparison for the data.”

To learn more, visit www.precisionconservation.org.