Growing the Bottom Line While Building Soil Health

These farmers use a three-point formula to cut costs and increase yields.

- Raylene Nickel

Husband-and-wife team Dan and Kris Nigg have increased the profitability of their corn-and-soybean operation by reducing tillage, growing cover crops, and putting variable-rate technology to work.

Successful Farming spoke with Dan Nigg, who was named a Soil Health Champion by the National Association of Conservation Districts, about how the three-point formula has led to better crop yields.

Nigg, who farms in northeast South Dakota. “When you take away a lot of the expense while increasing yields at the same time, the return to the bottom line is going to be a lot better.”

Reduced Tillage, Plus Equipment Savings

The Niggs transitioned to reduced tillage around 20 years ago by primarily practicing no-till, except for the vertical-tillage pass they make ahead of planting soybeans into cornstalks. Switching to conservation tillage had the immediate effect of reducing machinery costs.

Fewer passes across fields have meant fewer operating hours for a tractor. Nigg said. “Last year, we ran the same tractor for just 180 hours. Eliminating about 300 operating hours on a tractor means we don’t have to trade that tractor as often. That’s a big savings when you're looking at a replacement cost of at least $700,000.