By United Soybean Board
Sustainability in action: Iowa farmer credits no-till and cover crops with his ability to sustain yields on low-lying fields
Chris Gaesser grew up on a farm and farms full-time today with his parents. Their land, located in southwest Iowa, is sloped and rolling in every direction. As a result, Gaesser pays close attention to erosion and water-management concerns.
“We use grassy waterways and terracing on our fields to prevent erosion,” says Gaesser. He also uses buffer strips, especially near steep hills and turn areas.
In addition, they have begun adding cover crops in recent years, and roughly one-third of his land now has cover on it year-round. When he began using them, his primary area of concern was erosion, but he has since noticed other benefits from their use.
“When we first started using no-till and cover crops, heavy rains were taking a toll on our fields. Now we’re starting to see other benefits. We really like the weed-suppression boost we get from using cover crops,” says Gaesser. “The cereal rye is especially good at that.”
Gaesser also uses no-till methods on his land, which he credits with helping maintain yields on his low-lying fields and bottom areas.
“Even if those fields go under water, the no-till seems to help us sustain quality yields,” he says.
On a longer timeframe, Gaesser is starting to test for nitrogen, with the goal of reducing N applications on his cover crop fields in the future.
Trusted Sources of Information
Gaesser and his family have a great relationship with their local agronomist, whom they credit for helping provide important information about different management practices. He also finds information in soy checkoff publications and articles.
But like a lot of other farmers, one of his most trusted sources is other farmers like him. If they’ve had success, they can share information with him, increasing his own chances at success with the same practices.
Message to Other Farmers
For any farmer interested in adopting new practices on their fields, such as no-till or cover crops, Gaesser advises them to start small and see what works.
“Start small, try a couple of things over a couple of years, just to see what’s going to work on your fields,” he says. “Also, what worked this year might not work next year, so move slowly when trying new things.”
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