KindHarvest summary: Indiana’s annual conservation transect survey shows that farmers are keeping more ground covered over winter and reducing soil disturbance. The statewide field observations provide a practical picture of how conservation practices are spreading beyond individual demonstration farms.
What the survey found
Farm Progress reported almost 1.5 million acres of overwinter living cover in autumn 2021, close to the state’s 2020 record. The survey counts cover crops and small grains such as wheat. It also found that about 70% of farmed acres were not tilled that autumn and a further 18% used reduced tillage.
The reported environmental estimates were substantial: living covers prevented about 2.1 million tons of sediment, 5.1 million pounds of nitrogen and more than 2.5 million pounds of phosphorus from reaching waterways. Farmer Kurt Theurer also described improved weed control, more earthworms, deeper root penetration and rising soil organic matter after combining no-till with cover crops.
Why it matters
The survey links farm-level choices with landscape-scale outcomes. It suggests that keeping living roots in the soil and reducing tillage can support water quality, soil structure and nutrient retention when practices are adopted across many farms.
Source and credit
This KindHarvest Team brief is based on Farm Progress reporting published 14 September 2022. Read the original article at Farm Progress.