Real Organic Project Symposium: Is Tillage Evil?

Join the Co-op for a special screening of Session two of the Real Organic Project Symposium, a virtual series of talks presented documentary style with more than 40 prominent organic farmers, scientists, chefs, and climate activists.

Session two: Is Tillage Evil?

We will talk about the dogmatic push to move all farmers toward “no-till” practices for better soil health. But, are the concerns around tillage justified, given organic farmers have increased soil organic matter for decades with tillage and cover crops? “No-till” outside of organic agriculture includes the termination of cover crops with herbicides, along with the continued use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. An unexpected side-effect of this chemical “no-till” includes increased run-off of surface applied fertilizers, soil acidification, and greater herbicide use. This has led some scientists to wonder whether the focus on soil health should be centered around the use of synthetics instead of tillage.