US National No-Tillage Conference 2019

27th Annual US National No-Tillage Conference, Indianapolis, January 2019. Report by Ian Gould (Oakbank Game and Conservation Ltd) in Direct Driller Issue 5. ~1,000 attendees.

Key Speakers

David Brandt — Ohio (1,100 acres)

  • No-till since 1971; cover crops since 1978 — one of the most experienced practitioners globally
  • Standard cover crop mix: 10+ species, including 4 different legumes
  • Long-term rotation planning including where cover crops fit; feeds into herbicide planning to avoid residual chemical problems
  • Not organic but learns from organic principles: uses very little fertiliser or pesticide
  • “I didn’t realize microbes were so important a few years ago… the more microbial activity we have, the better off we are”
  • Cover crops moderate soil temperatures: air at 100°F → neighbours’ soil at 118°F, Brandt’s soil at 86°F

Rick Clark — Indiana (7,000 acres)

  • Emphasis on keeping good data for better decision-making
  • “Good data leads to good decisions which lead you to a position of strength”
  • Cover crops to “Armour the soil” — a good return on investment

Trey Hill — Maryland (13,000 acres, Chesapeake Bay watershed)

  • Initially sceptical about cover crops; necessity drove him to “Plant Green” one year — never looked back
  • Key learning: consistency in the cover crop is crucial — variable stands after termination cause variable cash crop establishment
  • Struggles with slugs sometimes but benefits outweigh the issue
  • “He loves his soil so much now, he never wants to see it”

Steve Groff — “Cover Crop Coach”

  • Developed the Tillage Radish; now focused on best practice and farmer education worldwide
  • Core advice: “Know what you are trying to accomplish!” — without a clear goal, you can’t know if you’re succeeding
  • “Every day counts” for planting — be organised early, drill as soon as possible after harvest
  • Most useful tool: the spade — “showing beats telling”

[Source: dd-issue-05, 2026-04-11]

Key Themes

  • Strong focus on profit per acre rather than simply yield
  • Enterprise stacking (crops + livestock) diversifies income and spreads risk
  • Growing interest from outside agriculture: water quality organisations (Chesapeake Bay), corporations (Wrangler Jeans, General Mills) seeking environmental credentials
  • USDA/NRCS actively promoting best practice alongside scientific community
  • Shift into non-GMO and direct-to-consumer markets for price premiums
  • Positivity and openness for sharing information despite difficult economic times for US farmers

[Source: dd-issue-05, 2026-04-11]

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