Best Farming Practices Seen From Aussie & U.S. No-Tillers

Transcription

1 19th 18th 20th Annual National No-Tillage Conference Cincinnati, Des St. Louis, Moines, Missouri Ohio Iowa * * * Jan , 13-16, 11-14, Best Farming Practices Seen From Aussie & U.S. No-Tillers Bill Crabtree: Twitter NoTillBill Crabtree Ag Consulting January 12, 2012

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3 19th 18th 20th Annual National No-Tillage Conference Cincinnati, Des St. Louis, Moines, Missouri Ohio Iowa * * * Jan , 13-16, 11-14, Best practices - thoughtful title! Rolf Derpsch ZT, diverse rot, max res Don Yule (Qld) need controlled traffic Dwayne Beck need three crop types Graham Shields need to strip till Neil Wandell no pulse and ur dead Toll Temby 1/3 fallow 4 risk Bill Crabtree rotary hoe waxy sands

4 19th 18th 20th Annual National No-Tillage Conference Cincinnati, Des St. Louis, Moines, Missouri Ohio Iowa * * * Jan , 13-16, 11-14, But first: an overview of Australian farming with images of my farm and some general comments

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13 2 L/ha T No treflan No treflan 4 L/ha T Hoe + harrows Not sown, but burnt Hoe - harrows

14 Avon%Valley,%29 th %January%2011%

15 Crop%overview%for%W%Australia% Farm%size%is%5,000-15,000%acres%commonly% Seeders%are%commonly%40-60%foot% Rainfall%belt%is%12-20%inches% 1/3%rain%occurs%in%summer%storms% Evap%is%strong% %impossible%for%warm%s%crops% Soils%are%70%%acidic%sand%over%clay%% We%grow%wheat,%barley,%canola,%oats,%lupins% Sheep%are%less%common% %wool%crashed%1990% Frost%risk%is%a%very%big%constraint% RR%canola%only%in%2010% %it%became%legal% Ryegrass%and%radish%are%resistance%challenge%

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19 Chance%to% enjoy%nature%

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30 19th 18th 20th Annual National No-Tillage Conference Cincinnati, Des St. Louis, Moines, Missouri Ohio Iowa * * * Jan , 13-16, 11-14, There s not one nature-way to no-till Discs are not the way Diverse rotations can cost big $ Cover crops use water for dry areas Controlled traffic and freeze-thaw Livestock and droughts = disaster Legumes not essential

31 19th 18th 20th Annual National No-Tillage Conference Cincinnati, Des St. Louis, Moines, Missouri Ohio Iowa * * * Jan , 13-16, 11-14, NT conservation farming It is more, it is improving and building Renovating, regenerating, energised It is quite different from organic farming We don t use tillage and cause erosion We are building soil But it needs good agronomic knowledge

32 Aggrieved organic wheat grower s crop at Kojonup WA

33 19th 18th 20th Annual National No-Tillage Conference Cincinnati, Des St. Louis, Moines, Missouri Ohio Iowa * * * Jan , 13-16, 11-14, Good crop agronomy is: Excellent weed control Timeliness of operations Knowledge of species and varieties Awareness of soil type x water factors Nutrition and pest levels x probabilities Awareness and anticipation of issues

34 19th 18th 20th Annual National No-Tillage Conference Cincinnati, Des St. Louis, Moines, Missouri Ohio Iowa * * * Jan , 13-16, 11-14, The best no-till farmers share: Full stubble retention Strong weed control, take no prisoners Excellent timing of operations Precise seed and fertiliser placement Diverse herbicide rotations Reduced pesticide use don t kill friends

35 19th 18th 20th Annual National No-Tillage Conference Cincinnati, Des St. Louis, Moines, Missouri Ohio Iowa * * * Jan , 13-16, 11-14, Cont best no-till farmers: Grow GM crops WA legal in 2010 Good people-management skills GPS and perhaps some variable rate Are flexible and may need to: Use controlled traffic Strip Till, hoe openers (Canada, Aust) Mix clay into waxy sands

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39 19th 18th 20th Annual National No-Tillage Conference Cincinnati, Des St. Louis, Moines, Missouri Ohio Iowa * * * Jan , 13-16, 11-14, Things to think about: Know what is limiting your yields It may not be a lack of legume think C In a no legume rotation are FreeLNFB This is the subject of my Friday talk Cover crops likely have a role to play lets learn where & when they may fit

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42 19th 18th 20th Annual National No-Tillage Conference Cincinnati, Des St. Louis, Moines, Missouri Ohio Iowa * * * Jan , 13-16, 11-14, We need to be sustainable Herbicide resistance important for US and Argentina; both lack diversity; RR. In contrast to Dwayne Beck, I believe RR wheat would help with weed control New chemistry would help, resistance will prompt this!

43 19th 18th 20th Annual National No-Tillage Conference Cincinnati, Des St. Louis, Moines, Missouri Ohio Iowa * * * Jan , 13-16, 11-14, Sustainable.. GM crops will continue to assist We must reduce regulation costs globally Caution with over-speaking mother nature, but no-till is the best way I know We can improve our N fixation without legumes see my next talk!

44 Thanks for listening