Organic No-Till Production - Transition to Organic Partnership Program

Reduced tillage or no-till can provide multiple environmental benefits, particularly in the area of soil health, as well as reducing machinery, labor and fuel costs. With organic no-till, herbicides cannot be used to terminate cover crops, as is practiced in conventional no-till. Iowa State University has worked with the Rodale Institute (RI) in conducting research on organic no-till soybeans, corn and vegetables since 2005
Midwest

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4842, 4842, Organic No-Till Production, CROP3178.pdf, 678130, https://cms.organictransition.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/CROP3178.pdf, https://cms.organictransition.org/resource/organic-no-till-production/crop3178/, , 7, Reduced tillage or no-till can provide multiple environmental benefits, particularly in the area of soil health, as well as reducing machinery, labor and fuel costs. With organic no-till, herbicides cannot be used to terminate cover crops, as is practiced in conventional no-till. Iowa State University has worked with the Rodale Institute (RI) in conducting research on organic no-till soybeans, corn and vegetables since 2005, , crop3178, inherit, 4841, 2024-02-12 15:58:30, 2024-02-12 15:58:56, 0, application/pdf, application, pdf, https://cms.organictransition.org/wp-includes/images/media/document.png
2023

Organic No-Till Production
Why Organic No-Till?
Reduced tillage or no-till can provide multiple
environmental benefits, particularly in the area of soil
health, as well as reducing machinery, labor and fuel
costs. With organic no-till, herbicides cannot be used
to terminate cover crops, as is practiced in conventional
no-till. Iowa State University has worked with the
Rodale Institute (RI) in conducting research on organic
no-till soybeans, corn and vegetables since 2005.

Methods For Organic
No-Till Soybeans
Organic no-till requires a cover crop (typically, rye for
soybeans; hairy vetch for corn; and a mixture of hairy
vetch/rye for vegetables) planted in the Fall. A small
grain planting rate of 2 to 3 bu./acre is required for a
minimum of 8,000 lb./acre biomass and good mulch
coverage in the following Spring/Summer after the
cover crop is rolled/crimped. Soybeans can be planted
into standing rye at boot stage or later in the spring,
or simultaneously with rolling when 50% of rye has
reached anthesis (pollen shed). The roller/crimper is
filled with water to weigh 2,000 pounds and then is
either pushed or pulled by a tractor to crush cover
crops. This roller/crimper (Figure 1) can be purchased
from I & J Manufacturing (Gordonville, PA) or
fabricated using plans published on the RI website (see
References). A high soybean planting rate of 170,000
to 220,000 seeds/acre and planting into warm soils will
allow for rapid crop emergence. If planting first, then

Figure 1. Rodale roller/crimper terminating hairy vetch.

rolling, avoid damaging soybeans in V2-V3 stage when
two or more pairs of trifoliate leaves are present. This
can be accomplished by rolling soon after planting into
standing rye. A later planting date (e.g., June 1) may be
required to match planting with rye anthesis. Rolling
at a later date may result in crooked stems on soybean
plants.

Research Results Show No-Till
Benefits
Iowa State University and USDA research has shown
greater soil quality in organic no-till soybean trials,
connected to maintaining soil microbial populations
from the lack of tillage, and carbon additions from
cover crop residues (Table 1). Nitrate leaching was
also reduced in cover crop based systems compared
to completely tilled fields. When sufficient rolled
cover crop mulch remains in the field, soil quality is
protected and weed management should be improved
compared to a weaker rye stand (Figure 2).
Table 1. Soil Quality, Demonstrated by Microbial
Biomass Carbon and Nitrogen.
Site

MBC NT

MBC CT

MBN NT

MBN CT

Iowa

194

185

Minnesota

218

191

Pennsylvania

190

170

Wisconsin

174

162

Michigan

173

166

North Dakota

273

264

*Values Measured in mg/g; *CT=Organic tilled; NT=Organic no-till

Figure 2. When sufficient rolled rye mulch remains in the field at mid- to
late-season, soil quality is protected and weed management should occur.
CROP 3178 January 2023

Soybeans grown in rolled hairy vetch/rye had the same
level of weed populations as a tilled organic soybean
field (Table 2). While yields were 13% less in organic
no-till, compared to tilled organic fields, there were
less machinery and fuel costs in the no-till system1.
Diverse organic rotations alone, however, will increase
soil carbon, even with tillage, due to carbon additions
from manure applications and small grains/alfalfa in the
rotation (Table 3).

Examples from an Iowa Farm:
Organic No-Till Soybeans Offer
Great Potential
In a study at the Levi Lyle Farm in Keota, Iowa,
comparisons were made between organic no-till
soybeans planted and rolled simultaneously on June 2,
2020, with either a Rodale or a Dawn™roller (Figure
3). On August 21, an electric WeedZapper™(Old
School Manufacturing, Sedalia, Missouri) was used
on half the plots to demonstrate the effectiveness of
electricity controlling any weeds above the soybean
canopy. The weed-zapping reduced weed populations
by a factor of four (Table 4). Yields were 1.7 times
greater where weeds were zapped. Other post-rolling
weed management equipment can include high-residue
cultivators, such as a Hiniker™ cultivator, which will
leave ample rye residue while slicing off weeds in
between the rows. Planting in narrower rows (either
15- or 7-inch) may lead to more rapid canopy closure
and greater weed management, but the tight row
spacing will prevent high-residue cultivation if weeds
become too prevalent.

Organic No-Till Corn is Challenging
in Iowa
Because corn has high nitrogen and water demands
compared to soybeans, adequate soil nutrition and
weed management can be challenging in organic notill corn. Iowa State University research has shown
that organic no-till corn can be harvested as silage,
producing 6.5 tons per acre, after planting and rolling
simultaneously into a cover crop of hairy vetch. On
the Lyle Farm in 2021, organic no-till corn yielded
9.2 tons/acre where the hairy vetch cover crop was
subjected to a propane flame burner treatment four
days after corn planting. The flaming was used to
curtail vetch re-growth, but very little cover crop
residue remained after the treatment, thus defeating the

Figure 3. Another roller/crimper is the Dawn ZRX™ which has
rollers over each row.

Table 2. ISU research on organic no-till soybean
weeds and yields.
Broadleaf
Grass
Weeds/m2 Weeds/m2

Treatment

Yields
(bu./acre)

Tilled Organic

2.8b

2.8

47a

Rolled rye/hairy vetch

2.7b

2.8

41b

Rolled wheat/winter pea

6.5a

2.3

41b

Statistical difference

*Means (average) with a is statistically greater than means with b or c
NS = No statistical difference between weeds

Table 3. Soil carbon change over 10 years in the
LTAR, Neely-Kinyon Memorial Research and
Demonstration Farm, Greenfield, IA.
Rotation
Residue

C-S-O/A

C-S-O/A-A

C-S

41.5 Mg C ha

41.1

58.5

Composte C

17.5

Total C inputs

59.0

58.6

SOC 1998

40.9

SOC 2007

43.6

46.2

40.7

-1

SOC 98-07

2.7

5.3

SOC/10y

0.27

0.53

Table 4. Effects of weed-zapping on weeds and yield
in organic no-till soybeans at Levi Lyle farm, Keota, IA.
Broadleaf
Weeds
(plants/m2)

Grass
Weeds
(plants/m2)

Yields
(bu./acre)

ZRX Non-Zapped

17.00d

19.33d

33.37

Rodale Non-Zapped

9.67c

12.33c

ZRX Zapped

3.67b

8.6b

Rodale Zapped

2.33a

4.67b

P value = 0.05

0.0014

0.0194

Treatment

55.63

*Means (average) with a is statistically greater than means with b or c
NS = No statistical difference between weeds

purpose of maintaining high residues for soil quality.
In the non-flamed treatment, yields were less, at 6.7
tons per acre, similar to Iowa State University research.
In both studies, no manure was applied. A side-dress
injection of manure-based fertilizers for organic no-till
corn may provide some relief for mitigating nutritional
deficiencies.

Organic Irrigated No-Till Vegetable
Production is Feasible
In an ISU study, irrigated organic tomatoes were
compared in a typical tilled organic system and
an organic no-till system, where tomatoes were
transplanted into a rolled/crimped hairy vetch/rye cover
crop (Figures 4-6). The organic no-till system was
competitive with the tilled system, averaging 24 tons/
acre over two years, compared to 25 tons/acre in the
tilled systems¹. The no-tillage irrigated tomato returns
to management in the year of highest yields averaged
$21,657/acre compared to $22,466/acre in the tilled
system. Costs of production were similar between the
two systems, emphasizing the importance of yields in
determining economic returns.

Figure 4. Hairy vetch or a hairy vetch/rye mixture can be rolled
for organic no-till corn or vegetables.

Soil Quality Improves Under
Organic No-Till
As shown in Table 1, soil quality improvements have
been observed in organic no-till systems. In 2015,
organic matter in the experimental area at the Lyle
Farm in Keota, Iowa, ranged from 2.5 to 3%. As of
fall 2021, the OM reached 4%. This bodes well for the
organic no-till system, as carbon additions from the rye
biomass and reduced tillage will contribute to organic
matter increase and long-term soil fertility.

Figure 5. A no-till transplanter can be used to plant vegetables
into a rolled hairy vetch/rye cover.

Economic Returns Depend on
Costs and Yields
Competitive organic no-till soybean yields require these
three factors: sufficient rye biomass from a high seeding
rate to support adequate weed management, good
soybean seed emergence, and adequate precipitation to
fill pods. If weeds become too extensive, be prepared
to cultivate with a high-residue cultivator or weedzap. Care must be taken with both weed-zapping and
cultivation to not damage soybeans. Economic returns
will be dependent on yields and operation costs if using
additional tools.

Figure 6. In Italy, a roller/crimper has been modified to include
knives on the rear of the roller to cut through the hairy vetch/
rye mulch to facilitate vegetable planting or transplanting.

Table 5 shows a difference of $381.62 in returns when using a weed-zapper that can help increase yields if weeds
are abundant. Despite many years of organic no-till studies, the challenge remains to balance improving soil
quality with maintaining optimal yields.
Table 5. Economic analysis of organic no-till soybean production, Keota, Iowa, 2020 (dollars per acre).
Income

Zapped

Not Zapped

Organic Soybean Sales
(cleaned)

49.5 bu.

$19.64

$972.18

29.7 bu.

$19.64

$583.31

Organic Soybean Sales
(screened)

5.5 bu.

$17.64

$97.02

3.3 bu.

$17.64

$58.21

Total Income

55 bu.

$1069.20

33 bu.

$641.52

Preharvest
Fixed Costs

Variable Costs

Fixed Costs

Variable Costs

$9.00

$7.70

$9.00

$7.70

Roller Crimper

$2.60

$2.30

$2.60

$2.30

NT Drill (Sb)

$9.00

$7.70

$9.00

$7.70

NT Drill (rye)

Weed Zapper

$40.00

Total Machinery Costs

$20.60

$57.70

$20.60

$17.70

Soybean Seed, Price Per Bushel

1.0

$37.00

1.0

$37.00

Rye seeds, Price per Bushel

2.0

$38.08

2.0

$38.08

Crop Insurance

$8.70

Misc. Expenses

$10.00

Interest on preharvest variable
costs (8 months @ 5.8%)

$5.86

$4.31

Harvest
Combine

$8.30

$4.10

$8.30

$4.10

Haul

$2.37

$2.09

$1.42

$1.25

Handle

$0.96

$1.08

$0.58

$0.65

Total Harvest Costs

$11.63

$7.27

$10.30

$6.00

Labor
(hours per acre at $14.75/hour)

0.76

$11.21

Land (cash rent equivalent)

$219.00

Total Costs

$262.44

0.63

$9.29
$219.00

$164.61

$259.19

$121.79

Returns over Variable Costs

$904.59

$519.73

Returns over Total Costs

$642.16

$260.54

Returns to land, labor, and
Management

$872.37

$488.83

Returns to land and
Management

$861.16

$479.54

Returns to Management

$642.16

$260.54

Support for Organic No-Till
Through NRCS
Technical and financial support for organic no-till
production may be provided through the USDANatural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and
their cost-share programs, including Environmental
Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Conservation
Stewardship Program (CSP).7-17 Visit your local NRCS
office to set up an appointment to determine if you
are eligible for EQIP or CSP sign-up. You will learn
about Technical Service Providers (TSPs) available to
assist you in developing a conservation plan, and for
opportunities to improve soil, water, plant, animal,
air and related resources on your agricultural land.
To qualify for the Organic Initiatives (OI), producers
must be certified organic, transitional, or exempt from

certification. Payments are made to eligible participants
after conservation practices and activities identified in
an EQIP plan are implemented. The OI contracts have
been up to $20,000 annually, and/or up to $80,000 over
a six-year contract, depending on the year. A TSP will
visit your farm to review your resource concerns and
talk about your goals. Examples of practice standards
that may relate to organic no-till production are listed
in Table 6. As part of your nutrient management plan,
for example, you will be asked to present results from
a recent soil test. EQIP pays on the percentage of the
average cost of implementing a practice, typically 75%.
Applications are accepted year-round, but funding
is based on annual allocations from federal sources.
Contact your local NRCS office to sign up for potential
assistance with your conservation plans.

Table 6. Potential NRCS Practice Standards of Importance for Organic No-Till Production.
Practice Standards

Keywords/Purpose

Short Description

Conservation Crop Rotation

Reduce erosion
Improve soil health and organic
matter content
Improve water quality
Improve soil moisture
Reduce pest pressures
Provide seed and forage for livestock
Food and cover for wildlife (pollinators)

A planned sequence of crops grown on
the same ground over a period of time,
including small grains, and/or perennial
legume crops

Cover Crops

Same as above plus, minimize
compaction

Grasses, legumes, and forbs planted for
seasonal vegetative cover

Field Operations Emissions Reduction

Combine tillage operations
Timing of field operations
Modify crop culture and harvesting
Improve air quality

Adjusting operation to
reduce particulate emissions

Forage Harvest Management
*If grain is insufficient

Obtain objective-meeting yield and
quality
Control insects and disease
Manage species for regrowth
Maintain habitat

Management of grasses and legumes

Nutrient Management

Budget, supply and conserve nutrients
Reduce/minimize pollution
Proper manure utilization
Protect air quality/reduce emissions
Maintain or improve soil conditions

Managing the amount (rate), source,
placement (method of application), and
timing of plant nutrients and soil
amendments

Pest Management Conservation System

Reduce plant pest pressure
Reduce beneficial injury
Reduce pesticide use and drift

IPM and natural conservation strategies
to manage pests and their impact

Residue and Tillage Management,
No-Till

Reduce erosion
Soil health and quality
Reduce energy use
Increase plant-available moisture

Minimal soil disturbance year-round, no
full width tillage allowed

Residue and Tillage Management,
Reduced Till

Same as above plus, reduce tillageinduced particulate emissions
Reduce energy use

Managing soil disturbance, limited
activity (field surface may be tilled prior
to planting)

Acknowledgments
Appreciation is expressed to the USDA-NRCS for the
Conservation Innovation Grant, “Innovations in Cover
Crop-Based Organic No-Till Systems to Improve Soil
Health and Nutrient Management” awarded to the
University of Wisconsin, Iowa State University and the
Rodale Institute.
Written by Kathleen Delate, professor and extension
organic specialist in horticulture and agronomy at Iowa
State University; Olivia Hanlon, program specialist with
Farm, Food and Enterprise Development (FFED) with
ISU Extension and Outreach; Craig Chase, program
director, FFED; Josiah Pollock, program specialist,
organic agriculture program and Karenna Petersen,
research assistant, organic agriculture program.
Photography by Kathleen Delate.

USDA-AMS. 2020. Midwest Organic Grain and
Feedstuffs Bi-Weekly Report, Oct 21, 2020. acrobat.
adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:977bb9315c0c-4c6d-8a7e-538cb2decca8
6

USDA-NRCS Index of Conservation Practice Standards
Iowa, July 2022. Available at: efotg.sc.egov.usda.gov/api/
CPSFile/37208/IA_IDX_August_2022
7

USDA-NRCS Practice Standards (related to organic notill). efotg.sc.egov.usda.gov/api/CPSFile/18313/328_IA_
CPS_(Con)servation_Crop_Rotation_2015;
8

USDA-NRCS Cover Crop. efotg.sc.egov.usda.gov/api/
CPSFile/29962/340_IA_CPS_Cover_Crop_2021;
9

CPS Field_Operations Emissions Reduction. 2016.
efotg.sc.egov.usda.gov/api/CPSFile/18822/376_IA_CPS_
Field_Operations_Emissions_Reduction_2016 ;
10

Iowa CPS Forage Harvest Management. 2009. efotg.
sc.egov.usda.gov/api/CPSFile/19187/511_IA_CPS_Forage_
Harvest_Management_2009;
11

Iowa CPS Nutrient Management. 2013. efotg.sc.egov.
usda.gov/api/CPSFile/19493/590_IA_CPS_Nutrient_
Management_2013
12

References

Delate, K., D. Cwach, and C. Chase. 2012. Organic no–till
system effects on soybean, corn and irrigated tomato
production and economic performance in Iowa, USA.
Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems 27(1):49–59.
doi: 10.1017/S1742170511000524.
1

Frasconi, C., Martelloni, L., Antichi, D., Raffaelli, M.,
Fontanelli, M., Peruzzi, A., et al. 2019. Combining roller
crimpers and flaming for the termination of cover crops
in herbicide-free no-till cropping systems. PLoS ONE
14(2): e0211573. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0211573
2

Ohio Farm Custom Rates. Ohio State University,
Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources, Columbus,
OH. Available at:farmoffice.osu.edu/sites/aglaw/files/
site-library/farmmgtpdf/Ohio%20Farm%20Custom%20
Rates%202022%20July17.pdf
3

Plastina, A. 2020. Estimated Costs of Production in
Iowa-2020. Iowa State University, Ames, IA. Available at:
www.extension.iastate.edu/agdm/crops/pdf/a1-20-2020.
pdf
4

Rodale Institute. Organic No-Till Roller Plans. Available
at: rodaleinstitute.org/education/resources/rollercrimper-blueprints/
5

Iowa CPS Residue and Tillage Management No Till.
2017. efotg.sc.egov.usda.gov/api/CPSFile/26551/329_IA_
CPS_Residue_and_Tillage_Management_No_Till_2017
13

Iowa CPS Residue and Tillage Management Reduced
Till. 2017. efotg.sc.egov.usda.gov/api/CPSFile/26554/345_
IA_CPS_Residue_and_Tillage_Management_Reduced_
Till_2017
14

Iowa CPS Pest Management (Con)servation System.
2021. efotg.sc.egov.usda.gov/api/CPSFile/30460/595_IA_
CPS_Pest_Management_(Con)servation_System_2021
15

USDA-NRCS. 2022. Environmental Quality Incentives
Program (EQIP): Is EQIP Right for Me? Available at:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/
programs/financial/eqip/
16

USDA-NRCS. 2022. NRCS Conservation Stewardship
Program (CSP): Is CSP Right for Me? Available at: www.
nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/programs/
financial/csp/
17

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