User:Lupineflower/No-till farming

Benefits and issues
Maybe part of the introduction:

No-till farming can also be considered a conservation practice that can be implemented to help import soil and water quality. By reducing the amount of disturbance caused by farming methods to the soil can lead to an increase in sustainability and profitability. Implementing no-till in fields allows matter more organic matter left behind int he soil, that can be upwards of 90% of plant material left in the soil. No-till operations see effective increases in controlling soil evaporation, minimizing erosion, as well as helping sequestering carbon In areas that receive minimal amounts of annual rainfall, in particular may benefit from no-till or minimal tillage practices. Not only can no-till farming methods increase economic profits, but it poses public benefits such as soil erosion mitigation, improved air quality, soil moisture retention and a higher biodiversity within the soil. By integrating no-till practices beginning in 2015 extending until 2100 it is projected to increase the accumulation of carbon within the soil or soil organic carbon (SOC) by between 6.6 and 14.4 Gt.

Profit, economics, yield
Studies have found that no-till farming can be more profitable than conventional farming practices.

A problem with no-till farming is that if production is impacted negatively by the implemented process then the profitability of the practice also may decrease in relation to increasing gas prices and high labor costs. As the prices for fuel and labor continue to rise, it may be more practical for farms and farming productions to turn toward a no-till operation. In spring, poor draining clay soil may have lower production due to a cold and wet year.

In some cases it may reduce labour, fuel, irrigation and machinery costs. No-till can increase yield because of higher water infiltration and storage capacity, and less erosion. Another possible benefit is that because of the higher water content, instead of leaving a field fallow it can make economic sense to plant another crop instead.

A problem of no-till farming is that in spring, the soil both warms and dries more slowly, which may delay planting. Harvest can thus occur later than in a conventionally tilled field. The slower warming is due to crop residue being a lighter color than the soil which would be exposed in conventional tillage, which then absorbs less solar energy. However, that is being affected by climate change, so warmer temperatures may offset these effects. But in the meantime, this can be managed by using row cleaners on a planter.

To fully gain the economic and ecological benefits of implementing no-till practices would require sixteen to nineteen years. For the first decade of no-till implementation often will show trends of a 37% revenue decrease, although after the decade period, as study periods increase in time, profit begins to increase. Implementation periods greater than ten years in length usually show a gain in profit, rather than a decrease in profitability.

-maybe find some sources/backup what is written in this section

-expand on the economic aspect

-stats and numbers to back up the points

-economic impacts or benefits of no-till farming

Environmental Policy
A legislative bill, H.R.2508, also known as the NO EMITS act, has been proposed amend the Food Security Act of 1985, that was introduced by Representative Rodney Davis of Illinois. Davis is a member of the House Committee on Agriculture. This bill proposes suggestions for offsetting emissions that are focused in agricultural means, doing so by implementing new strategies such as minimal tillage or no tillage. H.R.2508 is currently under reference by the House Committee of Agriculture. H.R.2508 is also backed by two other representatives from high agricultural states, Rep. Eric A. Crawford of Arkansas and Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska. H.R.2508 is proposing to set up incentive programs to provide financial and mechanical assistance to farmers and agriculture plots that transition their production processes, as well as providing contacts to lower risk for producers. Funding has also been proposed for Conservation Innovation Trails.

Farmers within the U.S. are encouraged through subsidies and other programs provided by the government to meet a defined level of tillage conservation. Such subsidies and programs provided by the U.S. government include: Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). The EQIP is a voluntary program that attempts to assists farmers and other participants help through conservation and not financially suffer from doing so. Efforts are put out to help reduce the amount of contamination from the agricultural industry as well as increasing the health of the soil. The CSP attempts to assist those who are looking to implement conservation effort into thier practices by giving suggestions on what might be done for their given circumstance and needs.