Tillage Survey News Release
For use October 1995 - September 1996
For more information, contact: Editor
at CTIC: (765) 494-9555
Farmers choose environmentally beneficial growing system
Annual Survey: No-till tops 40 million planted acres
West Lafayette, IN - U.S. farmers relied on an environmentally beneficial crop growing
system more than ever this year, according to a national survey released today by the
Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC). The annual survey shows farmers
used the system, called no-till, on a record 40.9 million acres of cropland in 1995.
No-till saves labor, fuel, and equipment costs for farmers while providing soil, water
quality, and wildlife benefits.
Total cropland acres planted this year were down 5.4 million nationwide, prompting a
decline in every crop growing system except no-till. Farmers planting soybeans led
the no-till increase by using the system to plant and manage an additional 2.2 million
soybean acres this year, compared to 1994. "The fact that no-till is the one system
that increased in use this year is significant," according to John
Hebblethwaite,
executive director, CTIC. "An overall total of 1.9 million additional cropland acres
were planted using no-till, making it obvious farmers are gaining confidence in the
economic and environmental advantages of this system," says Hebblethwaite.
The three conservation tillage systems are no-till, ridge-till and mulch-till. Following
harvest, conservation tillage farmers avoid disturbing (plowing or tilling) the soil
in their fields anymore than necessary. Instead, they leave the plant materials from
the recently-harvested crop in the field. The old stem, stalks, and leaves, called
crop residues, are left on the soil surface to provide a protective blanket. The goal
with conservation tillage systems is to keep 30 percent or more of the soil surface
covered with crop residues, even after a new crop is planted.
Crop highlights
Farmers planted an additional 2.2 million acres of no-till soybeans this year, compared
to 1994. No-till soybean acres now account for 30 percent of all soybean acres planted
in the U.S. Farmers, apparently hoping to take advantage of higher cotton prices,
planted an additional 2.3 million acres of cotton this year, compared to last. No-till
cotton increased by almost 116,000 acres or 20% this year. Farmers planted 6.1 million
fewer acres of corn in 1995, compared to last year. No-till corn planting declined by
1.2 million acres but remains at 18% of total corn acres planted in the U.S. (same as
last year). Total cropland acres planted in 1995: 278.6 million, compared to 283.9
million in 1994, for a decline of 5.4 million planted cropland acres in 1995.
Tillage system highlights
 No-till added an additional 1.9 million planted acres for a
total of 40.9
million acres
Mulch-till declined by 2.2 million acres for a total of 54.5
million acres
Ridge-till declined by almost 165,000 acres for a total of 3.4
million acres
Reduced-till declined by 3 million acres for a total of 70.1
million acres
Conventional-till declined by 1.9 million acres for a total of
109.6 million
acres.
Trends
Over the last five years, no-till has continued to post solid gains, led by substantial
increases in no-till soybeans. The no-till gains have come despite the Great Flood of
'93 and a very wet planting season in many parts of the country this year which delayed
or prevented corn planting. Ridge-till traded several consecutive years of slight
increases for a slight decline this year, which apparently represents a shift to the
no-till category. Mulch-till's numbers have stayed rather flat to down for the last
five years but it remains the largest category among conservation tillage systems.
Reduced-till was the category which lost the most acreage this year and could account
for some of the shifts to higher crop residue categories. Conventional-till systems,
which tend to involve the most intensive tilling or plowing of the soil surface, posted
a sizable loss in acres planted this year.
State highlights by tillage system
The top five no-till states, based on planted acres, are: Illinois (5.9 million acres),
Indiana (4.4 million), Iowa (4.3 million acres), Ohio (3.9 million acres), and Missouri
(2.8 million acres).
The top five no-till states, based on percentage of total cropland acres planted to
no-till, are: Kentucky (47%), Maryland (43%), Tennessee (42%), Delaware (39%) and
Ohio (38%).
The top five mulch-till states, based on planted acres, are: Iowa (6.7 million acres),
North Dakota (4.7 million acres), Texas (4.6 million acres), Nebraska (4.5 million acres),
and Kansas (4.4 million acres).
The top five ridge-till states, based on planted acres, are: Nebraska (1.5 million
acres), Minnesota (361,000 acres), Kansas (330,000 acres), Iowa (225,000 acres), and
South Dakota (119,000 acres).
State highlights by crop
Illinois leads no-till full season (single crop) soybean states (3.2 million acres
planted), followed by Indiana (2.4 million acres), Iowa (2.3 million acres), Ohio
(2.1 million acres), and Missouri (1.3 million acres). In 1995, Indiana became the
first major soybean producing state to plant more than 50% (51%) of all its soybeans
no-till. States which registered a 29 % or greater increase in no-till soybean acres
this year include: South Dakota, Kansas, North Dakota, Oklahoma and Nebraska.
Illinois, Ohio, Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska showed the greatest growth in no-till
full season soybean acres, each adding 200,000 or more acres in 1995.
Iowa is the leading no-till corn state (1.9 million acres planted), followed by Illinois
(1.8 million acres), Nebraska (1.6 million acres), Indiana (1.4 million acres), and
Ohio (1 million acres). No-till corn acres declined in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Ohio,
and Indiana this year while increasing in Kansas, Nebraska, North Carolina, Kentucky
and Alabama.
No-till small grains, lead by wheat, posted an 800,000 acre increase this year. North
Dakota, Kansas, Montana, Ohio, and Illinois each gained more than 50,000 acres of no-till
wheat and small grains in 1995.
North Carolina and Georgia helped lead the way in the southern and mid-south states
where no-till cotton increased by almost 116,000 acres this year. North Carolina and
Georgia each grew an additional 44,000 acres of no-till cotton in 1995 and Louisiana
added more than 15,000 no-till cotton acres. Virginia, Florida, South Carolina, Arkansas
and Oklahoma also contributed to the upswing. Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama
posted slight declines but Tennessee remains the leader in no-till cotton with more
than 200,000 acres planted in 1995.
These highlights are from the National Crop Residue Management Survey which is
compiled and published annually by the Conservation Technology Information Center
(CTIC) in cooperation with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
CTIC is a non-profit information/data transfer center that promotes environmentally
and economically beneficial natural resource systems.
Free CTIC catalog available!
The Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) is offering its new '95-'96
catalog free! The eight-page catalog is ideal for anyone interested in crop residue
management, watershed management, water quality, wetlands, nutrient management, and
pest management. It's packed with publications, videos, fact sheets, kits, booklets,
brochures, manuals, and data sheets! Great material for use at meetings, conferences
and special events. Terrific for equipping any audience with follow-up information on
the topics listed. CTIC will mail the catalog to you-free-in single or multiple copies.
To Top
|
