In-Kind Match and Collaboration Aids in Adoption of No-till Technology.

Barriers to adoption of reduced tillage technology include: understanding the benefits of the new methods and the cost of equipment and experience required to use the new technology. Often new equipment may cost $50,000 to $100,000. In 1996, in order to help in overcoming these barriers in the Malheur and Owyhee Watersheds of Eastern Oregon an extension program was started. The first component of the program was education of local conservation and irrigation groups especially the Malheur Soil and Water Conservation District and the Owyhee Soil Conservation District on what strip tillage and no-tillage was and the potential benefits. A brown-bag luncheon was then held and a few innovators attended. One of these producer attendees (Kenneth Jensen) became an integral part of the program’s success. Further training of the innovators was accomplished by taking farmers to the High Residue Farming extension program in Washington State already using the no-till technology under irrigation which had I its program producers with experience. To reduce economic barriers, grants were written and funded by both the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality as well as the Oregon Watershed Enhancement board. The grants used an in-kind match of the equipment purchased by the innovative producers wanting to begin strip tillage. In reward to strip tilling the grant provided a certain amount of dollars per acre for every acre which was strip tilled. The grant also allowed purchase of a no-till drill that farmers could use and is being maintained by the Malheur Soil and Water Conservation District. Training dollars for farmers was also included in the grant. In the grants first year, producers were not charged for using the no-till drill. It was a requirement of producers to share what tillage operations would be reduced by using the no-till drill, and to have insurance. In the second year a fee was required for use of the drill which would go back into maintenance and purchase of the next drill. On farm research of the strip tillage innovators was conducted to determine the influence of strip tillage compared to conventional tillage on yield and moisture of the crop harvested. Farmers have begun teaching other farmers how to convert to strip tillage and how to use the drill. Impacts of the program include: ten producers in the Treasure Valley have switched from conventional to strip tillage or no-till on their farm covering approximately 4,300 acres for an estimated savings of $145,000 from reduced fuel and other tillage costs. This drill was used successfully by 29 different producers on over 2,266 acres in 2010 and has greatly assisted in the adoption of no-till drilling. Since I started my program, eight strip tillage implements and four no-tillage drills have been purchased in the Treasure Valley. On farm strip tillage research has shown that no loss in yield occurred by adopting this technology.