Conservation Tillage in US Agriculture

Conservation tillage was used on nearly 36 % of planted hectares in 1996 in the United States. This level has remained relatively unchanged since 1993. The use of conservation tillage varies by crop and is dependent on site-specific factors including soil type, topsoil depth and local climatic conditions. A number of economic, demographic, geographic and policy factors have affected the adoption of conservation tillage. While it is not possible to quantify exactly the impact of these factors, it is clear that management complexities and profitability are key factors impeding the further adoption of conservation tillage.