The Delaware County No-Till Initiative

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    The Delaware County No-Till Initiative - Presentation Transcript

    1. The Delaware County No-Till Initiative Cerosaletti,* P.E.1, Dewing, D.R.1, Kiraly, M.K.1 1 Extension Educators, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Delaware County (CCEDC), Hamden, New York 13820 Abstract: Need: Adoption of no-till planting methods has been slow in the southern tier region of New York State, including Delaware County, due to challenging soil types and inability of small farms to afford modern no-till planting equipment. Rising fuel costs, dwindling labor forces and the U.S. Diesel Fuel Retail Price 1994 - 2008 need to protect soil and water resources creates incentive to consider this technology. In 2006 Cents per Gallon Cornell Cooperative Extension of Delaware County (CCEDC) conducted farmer listening 500 400 sessions and surveys to determine interest in no-till production methods and interest in renting 300 modern no-till equipment. Feedback from these assessments indicated a high degree of 200 100 interest. As a result CCEDC developed the Delaware County No-Till Initiative, a two pronged 0 program that combines educational programming with access to no-till equipment. The no-till Mar-94 Mar-96 Mar-98 Mar-00 Mar-02 Mar-04 Mar-06 Mar-08 educational efforts combine written, workshop and field day educational forums to help farmers Program: Source: Energy Information Administration adopt no-till techniques successfully, with an emphasis on farmer to farmer learning. To spur adoption of no-till methods and limit farmers’ risk in trying no-till, CCEDC also secured grant High Fuel Prices funding to provide farmers rental access to new no-till corn planting and seeding equipment through a local custom service provider. In 2007, the first year of the initiative, 15 farmers tried • Farmers surveyed to determine interest in renting no-till equipment. no-till planting for the first time on 500 acres, a 250% increase in the number of farms using no-till in the county. Farmer satisfaction was high, and for 2008 program sign up has doubled Soil Loss; Water Quality • CCEDC obtains grant funds to sponsor educational efforts and to nearly 30 farmers and 1000 acres. provide access to modern no-till equipment. • CCEDC contracts with local custom operator to rent modern no-till equipment to Delaware County farmers. Two corn planters and one grain drill/seeder are available through program. Outdated Equipment • Rental rate is cost shared through grants for five years to limit farmers’ risk in adopting no-till. Impact: • CCEDC coordinates farmer sign up for program. Custom operator • In 2007 15 farmers adopted no-till for the first time, a 250% coordinates scheduling, moving and maintaining machinery. increase in the number of farms using no-till in the county. Small farms; Limited resources • Semi annual program review and planning meetings between • In 2008, 30 farmers have participated in the program. 553 CCEDC and custom operator are held to refine program. acres of no-till corn were planted, a 74% increase from 2007. Factors leading to interest in no-till and creation of Initiative Total program acreage is at 690 acres with more plantings • CCEDC implements educational and technical support to help • Increasing fuel prices farmers adopt no-till successfully. slated. • Outdated equipment on small farms that can’t justify investing in • Demand for no-till/zone till has increased such that a second new equipment custom operator is offering complete custom no-till/zone till corn planting services. • Small family farms with less labor to complete cropping tasks • Three larger farms in the county have or are contemplating • 2006 flood increases awareness of soil erosion in conventional till purchase of their own no-till/zone till equipment in 2008. • Little access to no-till equipment and experience with no-till methods • A modeling study conducted by USDA-ARS and CCEDC • A few early adopters demonstrate that it can be done in our soils predicted that no-till corn production could reduce sediment and climate. bound phosphorus losses nearly 60 lbs per acre compared to Field Days; conventional tillage on a typical Delaware County farm. • County is home to sensitive watersheds Soil health, See the crops Field Days Farmer to Farmer exchange Reduced tillage; Increased cover; New York Healthy Soils. = State Reduced runoff; Reduced erosion. No-till corn 1st year No-till Workshops; corn in killed sod Machinery operation Technical support; Planting and Pest management Delaware County No-till alfalfa, grass and oat seeding No-till corn into rolled winter rye cover crop demonstration

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    Cerosaletti,* P.E.1, Dewing, D.R.1, Kiraly, M.K.1
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