1. Tillage and Planting Cost Comparisons
Jayson K. Harper
Professor of agricultural economics
Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology
The Pennsylvania State University, USA
Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce

2. Three systems to compare
Conventional tillage involves disking, plowing and other methods of tilling up crop residue left behind after harvest.
Conservation tillage is any method of soil cultivation that leaves the previous year's crop residue on fields before and after planting the next crop, to reduce soil erosion and runoff. To provide these conservation benefits, at least 30% of the soil surface must be covered with residue after planting the next crop.
No-till planting methods eliminate tillage entirely and leave 70% residue or more.

3. Advantages of Conventional Tillage
Buries crop residue
Aerates the soil
Provides mechanical weed control
Incorporates fertilizer

4. Advantages of Conservation Tillage
Lowers fuel cost
Lowers labor requirements
Reduces machinery investment
Reduces soil loss
Conserves soil moisture
Less soil compaction
Improved timeliness

5. What about system costs?
Comparing the COST of Tillage and Planting Systems
Conventional Reduced
Cost Item tillage tillage No-till
Seed, fertilizer same same same
Herbicides, insecticides lowest ◄ highest
Machinery operating costs highest ► lowest
(fuel, labor, repairs)
Total variable costs same same same
Machinery ownership costs
(depreciation, interest, highest ► lowest
insurance, housing)
Total cost highest ► lowest

6. Machinery Operation and Ownership Costs
Operation and Ownership Costs (€/ha)
Conventional Reduced
tillage tillage No-till
Moldboard plow € € 34.40
Chisel plow € € 16.80
Disk € € € € 17.30
Field cultivator € € € € 10.20
Boom sprayer € € € € € € 9.70
Planter (row) € € € € € € 21.90
Grain drill € € € € € € 32.50

7. Machinery and Equipment Investment Costs
Investment cost (€/m)
Conventional Reduced
tillage tillage No-till
Moldboard plow € 4,800 - € 5,600
Chisel plow € 2,300 - € 2,900
Disk € 3,100 - € 3,100 € 3,100 - € 3,100
Field cultivator € 2,100 - € 3,100 € 2,100 - € 3,100
Boom sprayer € 600- € 900 € 600- € € 600- € 900
Planter (row) € 3,200 - € 4,300 € 3,200 - € 4,300 € 3,600 - € 4,900
Grain drill € 2,400 - € 3,400 € 2,400 - € 3,400 € 4,700 - € 5,700

8. Machinery Fuel Consumption
Fuel consumption (l/ha)
Conventional Reduced
tillage tillage No-till
moldboard plow
chisel plow
disk
field cultivator
boom sprayer
planter
drill

9. Tools to assist farmers evaluate tillage system cost
Data Input screen ----►

10. Cost Comparisons ----►
Machinery Selection:
Tillage equipment ----►
Sprayers/spreaders ----►
Planting equipment ----►
Cost Comparisons ----►

11. So…how can farmers afford to change planting systems?
Equipment rental or sharing
Dealer, government agency, farmer cooperative
Custom operator (hired service)
New technology without investment
Higher efficiency, improved timeliness
Retrofit existing equipment
Government conservation incentives?
Equipment cost share
Crop consultancy cost share
Cover crop subsidy/green farming incentives

12. Summary
Conservation tillage has many production advantages over conventional tillage
Depending on the on-farm availability of labor, management, and capital, conservation tillage may have significant economic advantages over conventional tillage
Encourage farmers to use available farm management tools to help determine the economic benefits on their farming operation
Enterprise budgeting (cost of production)
Machinery cost analysis
Partial budgeting