Conservation Farming on the Texas High Plains Barry Evans Kress, Texas Barry Evans Kress, Texas

Change is difficult !! My goals:  To capture and conserve all rainfall  Achieve maximum efficiency with irrigation water  Reduce erosion from wind and water My goals:  To capture and conserve all rainfall  Achieve maximum efficiency with irrigation water  Reduce erosion from wind and water Try to eliminate West Texas dust storms from my farm !!

How to achieve Need a cover crop Must recognize that a cover crop does not maximize water use efficiency Rotate cotton and grain sorghum Do not till the ground Need a cover crop Must recognize that a cover crop does not maximize water use efficiency Rotate cotton and grain sorghum Do not till the ground

Benefits of No-Till Increases organic matter Organic matter acts like a sponge to hold rainfall and reduce runoff and evaporation Reduces tractor hours per acre Increases organic matter Organic matter acts like a sponge to hold rainfall and reduce runoff and evaporation Reduces tractor hours per acre

Benefits of Organic Matter Keeps dirt from blowing Increases water infiltration Reduces soil temperature Keeps dirt from blowing Increases water infiltration Reduces soil temperature

Problems with No-Till Reduces soil temperatures Hard to achieve a good stand with early planting Soil moisture increases where residue is heavy Can create inconsistencies in the field that also hurts plant population Reduced direct profit from acres devoted to rotation crop Reduces soil temperatures Hard to achieve a good stand with early planting Soil moisture increases where residue is heavy Can create inconsistencies in the field that also hurts plant population Reduced direct profit from acres devoted to rotation crop

Good farming practices and environmental stewardship go hand in hand.

They can go hand in hand. It is not a question of Environment vs. Ag Production