Switching to conservation tillage on all row crops in the Southeast over the past 5 years has resulted in savings of over $100 million to growers.

Using research data from long term or older research studies, we developed a business model using a sod-based rotation to improve yields and reduce pest problems and pesticide use. Information gathered from growers and use of research data in this model showed that converting to a sod-based system took 4 years but that farm profits each year getting fully implemented into the system. By fully implementing this program, net farm profits for peanut, cotton, hay farmers were more than double conventional farm practices. It is expected that this could have more impact on farming in the Southeast than any other trend in recent history. This work will continue and is available to growers on the WEB to look at try.

A major effort in our extension and research program has been in the area of conservation tillage of all major row crops (corn, peanut, cotton, soybean) grown in the Southeast. Erosion problems, both water and wind, are a real concern on the erodible sands of the Coastal Plains when intensive tillage is practiced. Most of the research in the southeast shows significant yield increases if the compaction layer is broken, which is a layer from 6-14 inches deep. This layer is normally broken through deep plowing or ripping. When soils are loosened then deep and heavy rain occurs, several tons of topsoil are lost leaving unproductive soil where the topsoil was lost and at the bottom where sand accumulated. Many of these fields have deep gullies that are hard to get equipment across. Over the past 10-15 years equipment was adapted for "strip till" planting which is no-till plus in-row sub soiling. We were able to develop management practices and then publications from data collected from research and demonstration plots. With the event of Roundup Ready crops and other new products, the main concerns of no-till or strip till planting of crops were eliminated. Until the early 90's, no more than about 5% of the growers in the southeast were using strip tillage to plant their crops. At that time, cotton acreage was beginning to increase dramatically. The measurable goal was to increase the use of conservation tillage or strip till planting from 5% of the acreage to 75% of the acreage in 5 years.

Approach, Results and Impact: Because we had extensive data on strip till cotton management practices and were noted as leaders in this area, we teamed up with industry (especially Monsanto and KMC, but many others), Natural Resource Conservation Service, and other organizations to promote strip tillage, use of cover crops, and other practices associated with conservation tillage. Several state and regional meetings have been held since the mid 90's that targeted cotton growers. In response to that, several growers in the southeast states bought strip till rigs and began telling about their successes and problems. The number of acres switching to conservation tillage increased dramatically, going from about 5% in the mid 90's to as much as 75% by2002 in some counties. Farmers found out that they could save soil, oil, and toil and decrease overall cost of production. Long term sustainability is insured by saving our natural resources and short term profits of around $70 per acre have been realized by the change from conventional tillage to conservation tillage practices on cotton. (Impact) With Florida and the southeast producing about 2.1 million acres of cotton, and approximately 70% of that using conservation tillage, the resulting direct savings is over $100 million. One can see why the adoption rate to this new technology was so high and so fast.

During the past several years, we have concentrated on showing the advantages of strip till planted peanuts. Peanuts have had the most intensive tillage operations of any of the southern row crops. Many university people also recommended turning land prior to planting peanuts to bury plant litter that might harbor disease. Years of teaching necessity of deep tillage had to be overcome. We again, were part of the team that worked with the conversion of cotton to conservation tillage. Our research over the last several years has shown reduced disease pressure, less virus pressure and generally equivalent yields with strip tilled peanuts planted into a small grain cover crop. We had about 20 years of experience from our program to draw on to put together a total management package for conservation till planted peanuts.

Our research has shown that whether peanuts are planted using conservation tillage or conventionally did not matter near as much as choosing the proper variety. Getting farmers minds off of the type of tillage and focusing on proper variety selection, while using conservation tillage techniques has been challenging. Many generations of peanut farmers have farmed conventionally and peanuts have generally been a profitable crop paying bills at the end of the season, causing conversion to strip tillage to be slow. Our measurable goal was to increase acreage of strip till peanuts from less than 1% of the acreage in the mid 90's to 25% of the acreage by 2002. With several state and regional meetings and attendance of over 2200 peanut farmers, and about 25% of the acreage is planted in this manner. The CTIC (Conservation Tillage Information Center), which is our national conservation tillage support service, reported that the southeast is now the faster growing area for conservation tillage due to the big educational efforts by the universities and industry. Data from research and peanut producers who have converted to strip tillage show an increase profit of about $45/acre. (Impact) If that is calculated from the 25% of the acreage over 600,000 acres in the southeast, a total cost savings of almost $7 million is realized by our growers. The biggest hurdle is over in getting growers in all areas to try strip till or conservation till planted peanuts. There are many success stories out there now that will result in an increase in conservation tillage over all row crops in Florida and the southeast.  [[Marois, Wright, Rich]]

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