No-Till Farmer editors encounter a variety of articles, social media posts, podcasts and videos that offer a unique look at the grower's world from the lofty digital realm. Here is our favorite content from the past week from across the web:
- Conventional to Regenerative Iowa Farm Tour
- No-Till Eases High Diesel Expense
- Why No-Till Took Off and What Comes Next
- Five Policy Changes to Save Agriculture from Itself
- Howard Buffett's Case for No-Till
Conventional to Regenerative Iowa Farm Tour
In this Farm Tour, host Joy Van Wyngarden visits farmer Justin Wehling on his family farm in Bremer County. Justin started with a conventional corn-and-soybean system built around tillage and chemical inputs. Today, he’s experimenting with no-till, small grains, diverse cover crop mixes, planting green, roller crimping, reduced herbicide use and new crop rotations—all while keeping profitability at the center of his decisions. Justin and Joy head into the fields to see those practices firsthand, comparing soil moisture under different management, looking at weed suppression from cover crops, discussing the economics of cereal rye and digging into what has and hasn’t worked along the way.
No-Till Eases High Diesel Expense
Iowa farmers share how they are preparing for harvest with high diesel prices. Implementing no-till practices has reduced diesel needs for Mark Mueller, Iowa Corn Growers Association President and farmer. Ben Reinsche, owner of Blue Diamond Farming Company, shares his thoughts on year-round E15 availability and his predictions of farmers' diesel purchasing.
Why No-Till Took Off and What Comes Next
In this episode, Bill sits down with Professor Ken Flower to explore a remarkable career spanning Zimbabwe, the UK and Western Australia, and a lifetime of work in agronomy, weed science and farming systems. The conversation dives into the evolution of no-till farming, why early systems often struggled, and the key changes that helped no-till become a practical and widely adopted approach. Ken also reflects on the major differences between farming systems in Zimbabwe and Western Australia, particularly around input use, scale and efficiency.
Five Policy Changes to Save Agriculture from Itself
David Montgomery, author of "Dirt: The Erosion of Civilization," lays out policy changes he believes need to be made in order for American agriculture to thrive. With a focus on food policy and soil health practices, Montgomery pictures a more resilient and sustainable foundation for the future of agriculture. Read his thoughts here!
Howard Buffett's Case for No-Till
Warren Buffett spent decades building one of the world's biggest business empires. His middle son, Howard Graham Buffett, chose a very different path. Rather than following his father into investment and finance, Howard became a farmer and conservationist. Howard has used no-till methods for decades and has spoken publicly about their potential benefits. In an interview with Mid-America Farmer Grower, he said, “I'm a real believer in no-till because I've seen it work.” He also discussed lower fuel use and fewer tractor hours as practical benefits of the method. Read the full story here!
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