Dl4-Lancastar Farming Saturday, March 22,1986
Tri-Valley farmers discuss no-till
HARRISBURG Speakers at
the recent Tri-Valley No-Till
meeting reported many benefits of
no-till planting. Based on their own
experiences and recent
technology, no-till planting of all
commonly grown crops can be
successful.
According to Jeff McClellan of
Chevron Chemical Company
successful no-till planting requires
careful planning and
management. Adequate lime,
fertilization and weed control
programs are a must McClellan
added that labor and fuel savings
are very important benefits. Labor
savings can result in reduced labor
costs as well as improved
timeliness of planting. He also
explained that moisture con
servation is improved with no-till
plantings in adequate residue.
Moisture conservation can greatly
improve yields, especially on the
more shallow droughty shale soils
of our area.
Lynn Hoffman, manager of the
Penn State Agronomy Farm at
Rode Springs emphasized that no
till itself is not normally the cause
for weed control problems. In
some cases, Hoffman explained
that he could do a better job of
controlling weeds under no-till
conditions. However, he added that
a high level of management is
essential and should include the
following:
1. Proper lime fertilization.
2. Use of crop rotations.
3. The use of cover crops.
4. Utilizing the proper chemical
at the proper time.
5. Use of special herbicide
program to cure existing weed
problems.
In general Hoffman indicated
that prior commonly accepted
weed control programs are not
always effective today. The use of
new and varied herbicide
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programs can be more effective
than changes in tillage programs
that are commonly thought to be a
cure for weed control.
Soil compaction has been found
to have significant reductions in
crop yields according to William
Fleet, Eastern Regional
Agronomist of Pioneer Hi-Bred
International, Inc. Fleet indicated
that in many instances the effects
of compaction are masked by
improved management. This
would be especially true where
moderate compaction is occurring.
In general, he pointed out that
compaction commonly results
from;
1. Early planting.
2. Repetitive unnecessary tillage
(especially overuse of a disk).
3. No rotation or the lack of hay
in a rotation.
4. Harvesting under adverse
conditions.
5. Spreading manure, fertilizer
and lime.
6. Larger and heavier equip
ment. (more times does not reduce
compaction but distributes it)
Fleet indicated that soils with
mixed textures (sands, silts or
clays) were more subject to
compaction than soils with a
predominant single texture. Also
soils higher in organic matter are
less subject to compaction. A
concept not realized by many
farmers is the effect of soil com
paction on the ability of a soil to
withstand drought. Compaction
also results in reduced nutrient
uptake, including nitrogen.
Fleet explained that reduced
plant root growth, and decreased
available moisture capacity in
compacted soils is primarily
responsible for increased drought
stress in compacted soils. He
added that in our soils in the
Northeast, this is especially true.
ITATIVI
Soil Compaction
Common symptoms of soil
compaction, other than obvious
ruts left in a field would include:
1. Standing water.
2. Surface crusting.
3. Shallow rooting systems.
No-till Economics
The economics of no-till was
discussed by Vernon Brose of the
Cooperative Extension Service in
Sunbury. Brose explained that one
of the major benefits of no-till was
the reduction in size of tractors and
other equipment. Fuel efficiency,
overhead costs and reduction in
potential compaction would result
in direct savings and increased
profitability of crop production.
Decreased time spent in the field
would improve timeliness, reduce
fuel and labor costs and also could
increase net income for a given
crop.
The Cooperative Extension
Service, upon request, can provide
economic inputs to help farmers
evaluate how no-till could affect
their specific farm operation.
Meeting co-chairmen Jim
Welshans and Joel Myers noted
that more than 75 individuals at
tended the event. Anyone requiring
no-till assistance this spring should
contact their agricultural agencies
in Dauphin, Northumberland or
Schuylkill Counties.
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Farm Bureau calls for
equitable spending cuts
WASHINGTON - Farmers and
ranchers realize that federal
spending must be cut, but they
want it done fairly and equitably,
according to the president of the
American Farm Bureau
Federation.
AFBF President Dean Kleckner,
in letters to all U.S. represen
tatives and senators, said that
cutting federal spending is never a
popular idea, but it must be done,
and done equitably.
Under the Gramm-Rudman-
Hollings Balanced Budget and
Emergency Deficit control Act of
1985, Kleckner said, “Some en
titlement programs such as farm
price support programs will be
reduced sharply in the 1986 fiscal
year, but eight other entitlement
programs, ranging from Social
Security to food stamps, have been
exempted.”
Agriculture’s reduction of $1.3
billion is about 22% of the total
domestic spending cuts under
Gramm-Rudman-Hollings in fiscal
1986, Kleckner said. If the other
programs were not exempt from
cuts, “agriculture would not hove
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been hit so hard.”
Kleckner made four points in fa
letter calling for
action to reduce the size of fa
federal deficit. First, he asked fa
a “fair” reduction in federal
spending by placing all govern,
ment programs “on the table 11
“Exempting certain programs
from reductions only makes it
harder on other areas that are cat
(such as agriculture).”
Second, Kleckner called for j
freeze in cost-of-living (g,
justments in all federal «
titlement programs for three
years. Third, Kleckner called for
Congress to enact a constitutional
amendment to balance the budget
His final point; “Do not increase
taxes to balance the budget or |g
pay for tax reform. An oil import
fee, a gasoline tax or a value-added
tax will only add to a farmer’s cost
of doing business.”
Kleckner urged Congress to
“take responsible actions to
reduce federal spending” ty
making all federal programs
subject to the Gramm-Rudman
Rollings reductions.
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