Cultivating new ideas

No-tillage or zero tillage is a farming system in which seeds are directly placed into untilled soil which has retained the previous crop residues.

The aim is to move as little soil as possible to avoid bringing weed seeds to the surface and stimulating them to germinate.

Victorian No-Till president and Pine Grove farmer Grant Sims delivered a session on practical approaches to soil health principles, while Riverina farmer and Kondinin 2018 Farmer of the Year Dan Fox told his family’s story, which has seen three generations use no-till farming, and sharing their challenges and solutions along the way.

Future farm technology was the focus of a presentation by Wimmera grower Tim Rethus, while Grant Pontifex from York Peninsula in South Australia shared the findings of his 2018 Nuffield scholarship with the packed audience.