To Wisconsin Grower, Sustainability is Key to Protecting Farming’s Future (1-17-08)

For Wisconsin corn producer Tom Novak, growing corn may be a family tradition, but the way it’s grown isn’t. Novak’s experience has taught him farming is not a static industry, but one where new research and technology take growers to fields their grandparents couldn’t imagine. An end to major soil disruption is one example.

“The moldboard plow was put to death on our farm nearly 20 years when I was still a college student,” Novak remembers.  “There really wasn’t ever a reason to moldboard-plow our soils in the first place, but it was what Grandpa did since the 1940s and it was a ‘tradition’ carried on by the next generation until the third generation started asking questions.”

As many corn growers have done, Novak experimented with various tilling methods before deciding to do what comes natural – no tilling.

“We adopted conservation tillage for awhile then started no-tilling soybeans into corn stalks in the early 1990s, then tried no-tilling corn into soybean stubble,” Novak said. “We finally completed the circle by no-tilling corn into corn fields.  No-tilling all of our crops and rotations works without yield loss or soil loss on all of our well-drained sandy loam and loam soils.”

In addition, Novak’s farm has worked with the University of Wisconsin’s Extension program on nitrogen studies and succeeded in netting strong results with reduced fertilizer inputs.

“We have shown consistently in our area that we can be 20 to 40 units of nitrogen per acre below university recommendations if the nitrogen is applied side-dress when the corn is 12 to 20 inches tall,” Novak said.

Novak’s story may be anecdotal, but it is reflected in trends seen across the United States. According to the Conservation Technology Information Center’s 2006 tillage survey, nearly one-third of reported acres were farmed no-till in 2006 (31.5 percent), up from 7.4 percent in 1990.

Why is this important? No-till planting is the most cost-effective practice to reduce tillage trips to protect and enhance the environment. Long-term or continuous no-till significantly reduces soil erosion by retaining a cover of crop residue on the soil surface. No-till practices also benefit the soil by rebuilding soil composition through the slow decomposition of crop residue. Better soil quality and greater moisture holding capacity also resulting in improved infiltration, and increased soil organic matter highlight the value of modern tillage practices. Conservation tillage also reduces pesticide and fertilizer runoff.

And when it comes to nitrogen, growers are seeing more “bang for the buck” when it comes to nitrogen efficiency. Higher yields mean less nitrogen per bushel. But the exciting news is just around the corner. Early in the next decade, life sciences companies are expected to introduce corn hybrids containing biotechnology traits designed to further dramatically increase corn nitrogen utilization efficiency.

U.S. corn growers, many of whom, like Novak, have farmed for generations, know that farming means proper stewardship of the land, water and air, and that sustainable practices are a key element of long-term success.

For more information, click here to download the NCGA Sustainability white paper.