Report completed by Pennsylvania No-Till Alliance
By Diego Flammini, Farms.com
A new report shows that farmers in Pennsylvania are conscious about soil and water health, and have adopted many conservation methods of farming to ensure both resources stay as healthy as possible.
The study, “Pennsylvania Farmers’ No-Till and Best Management Practices” was conducted by the Pennsylvania No-Till Alliance and funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.
The study looked at 497 farmers in the state, and their no-till and best management practices. The farmers also attended Cooperative Extension seminars, meetings and other agricultural events.
The report included 10 conclusions after their research, including:
- Farmers understand the potential drawbacks of no-till farming, but think the benefits outweigh the costs and remain committed to it.
- Some farmers think agriculture is being blamed for what’s going on in the Chesapeake Bay and feel their efforts for environmental protection aren’t being acknowledged.
- The age of farmers in Pennsylvania is similar to the US national average. Farmers are getting older and the younger generation has fewer people going into agriculture as a career.
In addition, the study also provided recommendations going forward, including:
- Raising awareness about the need of local conservation efforts.
- Provide information to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation about the work farmers do to protect the Bay.
“This report confirms the good work of Pennsylvania’s agriculturalists as stewards of our natural resources,” said Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding.
Tell us your thoughts about the findings in Pennsylvania’s no-till report. Are you a farmer who participated in the study? Do you currently practice no-till farming? Is it something you would consider?