Farmer Survey on Reduced Tillage

In early 2022 we surveyed Midwest vegetable growers on their use of tillage and reduced tillage practices, perceived benefits and limitations of reduced tillage practices, interest in learning more about reduced tillage, and current sources of information on reduced tillage. The survey was designed in consultation with four Community of Practice members (two farmers and two extension educators), and was determined by the UW-Madison IRB to be exempt human subjects research (no or minimal risk). The survey was distributed via email in February 2022 and closed in May 2022. Qualtrics tools were used to analyze and visualize the 97 (of 161) usable responses. Survey results are summarized below - detailed results can be found here. 

Approximately half the responses were from Minnesota and Wisconsin farmers (25 and 23 respectively), with the remainder farming in South Dakota (12), Indiana (9), Ohio (8), Illinois (7), Iowa (5), Michigan (4), Missouri (2), Kansas (1) and Nebraska (1). More than 90% of respondents use organic methods, and a quarter are certified organic. Most respondents are experienced farmers: 42 have been farming for more than 10 years, 20 for 7-10 years, 22 for 4-6 years, and 13 for up to 3 years. Twenty-two percent of respondents were members of the Climate Resilient Organic Vegetable Production listserv. 

Production scale of annual vegetables among respondents ranged from less than a half-acre (36%), 0.5-1 acre (23%), 1-5 acres (35%) and over 5 acres (6%). Just over half the farms have full-season cover crop plantings: 24% have up to a half-acre, 14% have 0.5-1 acre, 9% have 1-5 acres, and 4% have more than 5 acres in full-season cover crops. A quarter of the farms have over 5 acres in pasture and other perennial covers. Most farms produce perennial vegetables, small fruits, and/or tree fruits on a small scale (up to a half acre). 

Degree of mechanization ranges from exclusively hand tools to almost entirely mechanized, with 74% using hand tools for many to most operations, in addition to small and mid-scale machinery. Eighteen percent of farms use exclusively hand tools; unsurprisingly, increasing mechanization is associated with larger production scales and increased farming experience.  

Field operations most reliant on tillage

Respondents were asked to rate the importance of tillage for a range of field operations. Field operations that were more likely to be rated as essential were: spring preparation of planting beds (44% of respondents), incorporation of cover crop residue (34%) and weed control (33%). Farmers were more likely to see these uses of tillage as essential if they were growing annual vegetables at larger scales (Fig. 1) and if they had been farming longer (Fig. 2). As mentioned above, these factors were themselves correlated - that is, farmers who had been farming longer were also more likely to be growing annual vegetables at a larger scale.

Figure 1: Farmers growing annual vegetables at larger scales are more likely to see tillage as essential to many field operations. 

Figure 2: Farmers with more than 10 years experience are more likely to see tillage as essential to many field operations. 

Reduced tillage methods in use

Mulching with plant material, occultation tarping, and use of permanent beds were the most commonly used reduced tillage methods for vegetable production, followed by deep compost mulch and planting into cover crop residue. Other methods mentioned were: re-use of non-permanent beds; mulching with plastic, landscape fabric or cardboard; relay cropping; intercropping; and shallow tillage, for example with a wheel hoe and rake, or power harrow. Permanent bed systems, deep compost mulch, and planting into cover crop residue were more likely to be used by smaller annual vegetable operations (Figure 3). Respondents had successfully grown a range of vegetable crop families in reduced tillage systems, including cucurbits (76% of respondents), tomatoes (74%), other solanaceous fruiting crops (67%), alliums (59%), brassicas (57%), root crops such as carrots (56%), salad mix and other small leafy greens (52%) and tuber crops such as potatoes (39%). 

Perceived benefits and problems with reduced tillage

Farmers were most interested in the following benefits of reduced tillage: increased soil organic matter and biological activity; improved soil structure, and improved soil water- and nutrient-holding capacity. Several farmers commented that reduced tillage methods allowed earlier access to fields in spring, reduced the time spent weeding, and enabled more efficient use of land and time. Relatively few farmers expressed concern over potential problems with reduced tillage methods, but a greater need for hand labor led the range of concerns. Farmers commented that up-front investments in inputs, equipment, and labor to establish reduced tillage systems were obstacles. Many farmers commented on time spent fine-tuning their systems,  and expressed a need for training and knowledge sharing. Farmers expressed a need for mid-scale equipment to mechanize and scale up reduced tillage systems. Control of perennial weeds and rodents in no-till systems were also seen as obstacles. Several farmers commented that, contrary to reduced yields being an obstacle, they see improved yields in their reduced tillage systems, noting that system change occurs over multiple seasons. 

Information sources and needs for reduced tillage methods

Of the reduced tillage methods included, farmers expressed most interest in learning more about planting into cover crop residue, with one noting that "planting into cover crop residue is what I've had the most issues with". There was relatively strong interest in learning more about permanent bed systems and deep compost mulch. Farmers also expressed interest in learning about cut-and-carry mulch systems and maintaining living cover under vegetable crops. Most farmers find information on reducing tillage from other farmers, at conferences, workshops and webinars, and from books. A majority (59%) of farmers had attended trainings on reduced tillage within the past year, with another 32% expressing a desire to attend trainings. 

Figure 5: Farmer interest in learning more about a range of reduced tillage methods, and farmer sources of information on reducing tillage. 

Takeaways

• Farmers in the Midwest are using a wide range of techniques to reduce tillage in annual diversified vegetable production systems, with mulching (with organic materials), occultation tarping, and permanent beds the most common approaches. Planting into landscape fabric is also a popular practice. Plasticulture was not included as a reduced tillage method since tillage is generally required to shape and cover beds with plastic. 

• Farmers growing annual diversified vegetables at larger scales are more likely to see tillage as essential to many field operations. This group of farmers is also more likely to have been farming for longer and to be using mechanization. 

• Farmer responses and comments on benefits and obstacles to using reduced tillage methods indicate a need for investment in training, direct financial support for farmers to implement reduced tillage systems to offset up-front costs, and research into appropriate equipment and systems for mid-scale farms.