Summary Table

IAMP-No tillage from a more intensive tillage
(NRCS Code 329)

Description

Seeding directly into or through previous crop residue without any other mechanical soil disturbance and managing residues on the soil surface year-round.

Benefits

Reduce erosion, improve soil health, organic matter, reduce off-site losses and availability of easily transported nutrients, reduces pressure from some pests, reduces expenses associated with tillage operations.

Soil Carbon Impacts

Improve soil carbon retention by reducing exposure of soil organic matter (SOM) to O2 and allowing soil organic matter to stabilize. The breakdown of crop residue will over time increase SOM.

Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Impacts

Reduce CO2 emissions from soil by reducing exposure of SOM to O2 and adding SOM to soil stocks over time.

Considerations for Success

  • Requires equipment that may not be readily available. Ask your soil and water conservation district if direct seeding equipment is available to rent.
  • This practice is not applicable to potatoes, sugar beets, and hops.
  • But could be used for other crops in a potato rotation.
  • In some soils, contributes to acidification caused by injected N fertilization without tillage.
  • Will likely require additional weed control and associated costs.
  • Where soil compaction is present and significant, may experience issues with infiltration and fertilizer applications. May consider beginning with reduced tillage and taking additional measures to address compaction, such as planting tap-rooted cover crop mixes.

IAMP Preferences/Considerations

The IAMP project incentivizes practices that result in a net reduction in GHG and increase in soil carbon. To make a lasting impact on GHG reduction and increased soil carbon, no-tillage should be adopted permanently throughout the cropping rotation.

Specific Details

IAMP has several requirements to document that the no-tillage practice was implemented correctly and to document the effectiveness of the practice from the current cropping strategies employed in the field. The cost of analysis of any required soil sampling and analysis will be covered by the IAMP project. For an overview of all required sampling for each IAMP practice, see IAMP required sampling. Implementing partners will be assisting with the collection of any sampling related to the practice. Each of these requirements is described below.

  1. Baseline strip: Producers can either maintain a minimum strip of 80 ft in length and a minimum width of 20 ft where the historic baseline tillage practices are still applied or identify a nearby field that will continue to receive the same historic baseline tillage practices as a comparison to the rest of the field. The actual dimensions of the strip can vary to be compatible with the width of implements used to manage the field.
  2. Soil Carbon sampling: Paired soil sampling points in the baseline strip and in the treated field at the start of the project and at the end of the project is required to track the changes in soil carbon over the duration of the project, see the IAMP Soil Sampling Protocol.
  3. Soil Nutrient sampling: Paired soil sampling points in the baseline strip and in the treated field prior to planting is required every ft down to 2 ft to assess the impacts of the practice on available soil nitrogen, and identify any nutrient deficiencies/benefits from the implemented practice, see the IAMP Soil Sampling Protocol.
  4. Erosion limits: Planned tillage activities must me the following NRCS criteria.
    1. The soil tillage intensity rating (STIR) value equivalent calculated using RUSLE shall be no greater than 20.
    2. Soil erosion rates predicted by RUSLE are less than soil tolerance levels (T).
    3. Crop rotation and residue management must result in a positive trend in the soil conditioning index (SCI). SCI change simulated with baseline and proposed plan using RUSLE.
  5. Grower supplied field management information:
    1. Crop yield maps (if available for both the baseline strip and the remaining field).

Criteria/Verification

  • Uniformly distributed residues over the entire field for the entire year (Removing residue from the row area prior to or as part of the planting operation is acceptable).
  • Direct measurement of ground cover (through analysis of images or direct measurement) following tillage.
  • The soil tillage intensity rating (STIR) value equivalent calculated using RUSLE. Documentation for verification will be provided by the implementing partner. STIR value shall include all field operations that are performed during the crop interval between harvest and termination of the previous cash crop and harvest or termination of the current cash crop (includes fallow periods). The crop interval STIR value shall be no greater than 20.
  • Soil erosion rates are less than soil tolerance levels (T).
  • Crop rotation and residue management must result in a positive trend in the soil conditioning index (SCI). SCI change simulated with baseline and proposed plan using RUSLE.

Incentive Payments

$60/acre/year of implementation.

Stacking or Companion Practices

No-tillage is compatible with other incentivized IAMP practices: Biochar, Cover crops, Conservation crop rotation (>2 crops), Intercropping, Nutrient management (Basic, Enhanced and Precision), Prescribed grazing, Soil carbon amendment.

Sources