There is a dogmatic push to move all farmers toward “no-till” practices for better soil health. But, are the concerns around tillage justified, given organic farmers have increased soil organic matter for decades with tillage and cover crops?  “No-till” outside of organic agriculture includes the termination of cover crops with herbicides, along with the continued use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. An unexpected side-effect of this chemical “no-till” includes increased run-off of surface applied fertilizers, soil acidification, and greater herbicide use. This has led some scientists to wonder whether the focus on soil health should be centered around the use of synthetics instead of tillage. 

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In light of all these new findings, this session discusses what practices we should be encouraging farmers to adapt to mitigate climate change.