No-Till systems offer numerous benefits that intensive or conventional tillage simply can not match:

Reduced labor requirements – As little one trip for planting compared to two or more tillage operations plus planting for conventional tillage.

Time savings – Fewer trips results in less time expended in the field.

Reduced machinery wear - Fewer trips save on machinery wear and costs.

Fuel savings – Fewer trips saves on fuel expenses.

Higher soil moisture – Crop residues reduce water evaporation from the top few inches of the soil. No-till can make as much as two additional inches of water available for growing plants in late summer.

Reduced soil erosion – Crop residues on the soil surface reduce erosion by water and wind.

Improved water quality – Crop residues help hold soil particles and associated nutrients and pesticides on the field, cutting herbicide runoff rates in half. Additionally, the microbes that live in carbon-rich soils quickly degrade pesticides, protecting groundwater quality.

Improved water infiltration – Crop residues act as tiny dams to slow down water runoff from the field, allowing the water more time to soak into the soil. Channels (macropores) created by earthworms and old plant roots that are left intact increase infiltration. All help significantly to reduce or eliminate field runoff.

Decreased soil compaction – Reduced weight with no-till can help minimized compaction. Additional filed traffic required by intensive tillage breaks down the soil structure, promoting compaction.

Improved soil tilth – No-till increases soil particle aggregation (small soil clumps) which make it easier for water to move through the soil and allows plants to use less energy to establish roots.

More wildlife – Crop residues provide shelter and food for wildlife, such as game birds and small animals.

Reduced release of carbon gases – Less tillage keeps naturally occurring carbon in the soil for use as organic matter. Intensive tillage releases soil carbon into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide where it can combine with other gases to contribute to global warming.

Reduced air pollution – Crop residues reduce wind erosion and the amount of dust in the air. Fewer trips also reduce fossil fuel emissions.