Crops Conservation No-till November The Illinois United States Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources Conservation Service campaign to keep stubble on fields. By Megan Schilling Megan Schilling Resides In: Des Moines, IowaMegan joined the Successful Farming team in 2019 as the Agronomy & Technology Editor to write about conservation, agronomy, and digital solutions. In 2020, Megan transitioned to Digital Content Editor and works across digital and print platforms. Megan previously served as Executive Director for the Iowa AgriTech Accelerator, a mentor-led program for agtech startups. Prior to that role, she managed internal communications for a financial technology startup in Ames, Iowa. Successful Farming's Editorial Guidelines Published on November 1, 2021 Close Photo: David Ekstrom This fall, the USDA and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Illinois are celebrating No-till November and encouraging farmers to keep stubble on the fields. Illinois State Conservationist Ivan Dozier says, "There are still many farmers who till fields up during the fall and expose the soil to harsh winter winds and weather, but there are so many good reasons not to." Read more: Agronomy tip. Prevent stubble damage to equipment in no-till operations. The Illinois NRCS shares these reasons to go no-till: No-till improves soil health by not disturbing soil microbiology. Beneficial soil microbes are essential for growing food, fiber, and fuel. No-till improves the soil's water-holding capacity and keeps soils in place, preventing harmful runoff and erosion. No-till saves time, money (fuel), and wear on equipment. "Join us by tagging us in your posts showing off your beautiful untilled fields, or a #KeepTheStubble selfie using our cutout beard," Dozier adds. Ivan Dozier. Read more: No-till saved their farm. Frustrated by back-to-back years of drought, Alan Johnson bucked a trend 40 years ago and tried his hand at no-till. It made all the difference. According to the 2017 Census of Agriculture, no-till was used on 37% of U.S. acres for which a tillage system was reported. That number is up from 35% in 2012. In addition: Reduced till (excluding no-till) was used on 35% of U.S. acres for which a tillage system was reported, an increase of 12% since the 2012 census. Intensive tillage was used on 28% of U.S. acres for which a tillage system was reported, down from 38% in 2012. Read more: Tillage tips. Here are some factors to consider when tilling – or not tilling. Download Keep the Stubble Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit