b'The problem is, if you grow 40, 80 or 180 acres of wheat and you don\'t have anywhere to sell it, that\'s a pretty painful experi-ence, Ehrhardt says. Thats the challenge of every one of these crops, making sure that farmers have markets for them.Collaborating for a Climate-Smart FutureIn agriculture, every challenge is a new opportunity. As the inter-est in no-till farming increases, theres an opportunity for seed companies, livestock producers and all of agriculture to work together to create more demand for the small grains and other crop varieties that allow for successful no-till crop rotations. One potential market is feed companies that supply livestock producers. Imagine if 25% of everybody\'s bacon cheeseburger came from animals that had been fed a significant part of their ration with small grains, Ehrhardt says. All of a sudden, the landscape in southern Minnesota and northern Iowa changes a lot, you see a lot more small grains out there because farmers can afford to grow small grains because they have a place to sell them.For this to be effective, Ehrhardt says there has to be an incentive for livestock producers and feed companies to essen-tially redo their rations. There has to be incentive for seed com-panies to develop region-specific, no-till-friendly varieties, traits Mac Ehrhardt is the Owner and Board Chairman of Albert Lea Seedor treatments to push the entire industry toward more sustain-House (ALSH) in Albert Lea, Minnesota. Founded in 1923 by Louable practices. Ehrhardt, the ALSH has been family owned for three generations.He makes the argument that if consumers are given the They supply elite genetics and leading-edge technology, includingoption to choose meat, eggs and dairy products that were raised seed-treatments for corn, soybeans, alfalfa, and many other crops.with small grains in the ration as a means of supporting con-servation farming practices and climate-smart commodities, a market could be created. It opens a greater pathway for livestock producers and seed companies to get involved with the climate-The challenge for no-till is that a corn-soybean rotation issmart farming conversation that is otherwise limited as the focus not enough. While corn-soybean rotations perform better thanis overwhelmingly on crop production. corn on corn, adding a third crop like a small grain or vegetableThe reality is no-till farming is a cornerstone in conservation to a corn-soybean rotation can make a significant difference infarming and climate-smart agriculture. There are tangible ben-reducing weed, insect, and disease pressures.efits for soil health, water management and for carbon seques-Becks research showed that a solid crop rotation couldtration. While innovations in seed genetics, equipment and crop reduce the weed seed bank by up to 95%, once there were theinputs have continued to make no-till systems more effective, crops available.challenges remain. Unfortunately, having a third or fourth crop that a grower canCrop rotations are key to effective no-till farming but are lim-use in their area is only half the challenge. They have to be ableited by the markets and the ability to sell crops other than corn to market that crop, sell the final product and make a reasonableand soybeans. The entirety of agriculture needs to work together profit.on the whole picture and develop these markets to further sup-Economically, nothing works like corn and soybeans, at leastport no-till farming. it hasn\'t historically, Nafziger says. As Weaver puts it, "No-till farming is not just a method; it\'s a In Illinois, his team has developed an effective rotation withcommitment to sustainable agriculture and a better future for double cropping winter wheat with soybeans and then corn theour planet." next season. That has been a profitable system, but what wouldWith continued support from seed companies and the happen if the region started producing two, three or even tenagricultural industry, no-till farming can indeed lead the way in times as much wheat as they currently do? conservation practices, ensuring both productivity and environ-Mac Ehrhardt, owner and board chairman of the Albert Leamental stewardship.Seed House in Albert Lea, Minnesota, explains they have seen aNo-till is going become more and more important, 300% increase in their business of farmers reaching out hopingEhrhardt says. For our little company, we 100%, are working the Seed House would be interested in purchasing wheat, oats,on improved emergence, speed to canopy, and early season rye or barley seed that they grew to improve their rotations. growth for corn.SWDECEMBER 2024SEEDWORLD.COM /43'