State-by-State Tillage Data

Understanding the Tables

This section provides data on the amount of cropland acres that were planted using a conservation system known as “no-till.”

The tables list the total number of no-till acres and percentage of no-till acreage in every state, except where figures were not available. The tables also show the number of no-till corn and soybean acres in each state.

Note: An acre of land is a little bit smaller than a football field.

What is No-Till?

Tillage is when farmers disturb the soil in the fall or spring to get it ready for planting. But with no-till, farmers leave the soil undisturbed from harvest to planting. That way, most of the crop residue (dead plant material) is left on the ground to protect soil from erosion.

Crop residue shields the soil from raindrops and slows down runoff water. It “stops the drops” and “slows the flow.”

Of all of the conservation tillage systems, no-till gives the most protection from erosion.

Where Do These Numbers Come From?

Tillage numbers come from the National Crop Residue Management Survey, which is run in each state by the Natural Resources Conservation Service. It is coordinated nationally by the Conservation Technology Information Center.

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Download a printer friendly version (PDF).

Download a printer friendly version (PDF).