Research tracks how farmers’ use of cover crops and no-till changes from year to year

 

 FRANKFORT, Ky. — A new peer-reviewed study suggests the biggest conservation challenge is not only getting farmers to try proven practices, but helping those practices stick long enough to deliver lasting benefits for soil and water.

Co-authored by Dr. Suraj Upadhaya, Kentucky State University assistant professor of sustainable systems, the research examines cover crops and no-till and tracks how farmers’ use of those practices changes from year to year. The study, titled “The Flux of Agricultural Conservation: Understanding Changes in Iowa Farmers’ Adoption of Cover Crops and No-Till Over Time,” is published in Society & Natural Resources.

Cover crops are planted between cash crops to help reduce erosion and improve soil health. No-till reduces how much soil is disturbed during planting, which can help keep soil in place and strengthen field resilience.

Instead of treating conservation as a one-time “yes or no” decision, the study follows what happens over time. It found a recurring pattern of farmers trying a practice, then pausing or stopping after a season or two—an often overlooked dynamic that can slow broader conservation progress.

“If we measure only first-time adoption, we miss the real story,” Dr. Upadhaya said. “Net conservation gains depend on whether farmers can keep practices in place year after year, not just try them once.”

The findings underscore why continuity matters. When producers start and stop practices, annual adoption snapshots can look encouraging even while overall results remain limited.

“Continuance and disadoption deserve as much attention as adoption,” Dr. Upadhaya added. “When farmers stop and restart cover crops or no-till, progress can look strong on paper while outcomes remain modest on the ground.”

Dr. Upadhaya emphasized that the study’s main takeaway extends well beyond Iowa and can help inform how other states think about conservation strategy and support.

“What we see in Iowa is not unique,” Dr. Upadhaya explained. “In Kentucky and across much of the South and Midwest, the hard part is not getting farmers to try regenerative practices, it’s helping them stick with them.”

Read the study: “The Flux of Agricultural Conservation: Understanding Changes in Iowa Farmers’ Adoption of Cover Crops and No-Till Over Time,” published online in Society & Natural Resources: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08941920.2025.2538175.