No-Till and Chemical Inputs: What the Research Tells Us
- Buz Kloot, Ph.D.
- Jun 9
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 10
Please note: If any of the references below are unavailable, please let us know, and we can access them through our university library.
In recent weeks, we've delved deep into the peer-reviewed literature to understand better the complex relationship between no-till agriculture and chemical inputs like herbicides, pesticides, and synthetic fertilizers. This topic has repeatedly come up in online discussions, and we were genuinely surprised to see how, for many, no-till has become synonymous with increased chemical spraying. Either way, here’s what we do know: this topic deserves more than a quick soundbite. We aim to promote stewardship, not dogma, which means being honest about what the data says and what it doesn’t.
Herbicide Use in No-Till Systems
No-till farming generally reduces the need for mechanical weed control, but often increases reliance on herbicides. According to a 2025 Friends of the Earth report, 93% of U.S. no-till corn and soybean acres rely on synthetic herbicides, contributing to 33% of all pesticide use nationally (Friends of the Earth, 2025).
This reliance on chemicals is not without consequence, and like it or not, our community can’t ignore these numbers. As Beyond Pesticides notes, herbicide residues from no-till systems have been detected in nearby water bodies, raising red flags for ecological and public health (Beyond Pesticides, 2021).
While some organic systems advocate for strategic tillage, institutions like the Rodale Institute demonstrate that systems built on cover crops and crop diversity can outperform conventional no-till in terms of soil carbon, microbial life, and resilience (Rodale Institute, 2023).
However, it's important to recognize that some sources use the data to support a strongly ideological viewpoint. Reports like those from Friends of the Earth and Beyond Pesticides often use the data to advocate for a shift to fully organic systems. While we admire the long-term goals of organic agriculture, we also believe that a more balanced view is needed for our audience, that is large-scale row crop farmers on the Great Plains. When used judiciously and as part of a broader system of soil stewardship, chemicals may have a smaller environmental footprint than the soil disturbance and erosion associated with conventional tillage, as Dr. Dwayne Beck has said, tillage—especially when repeated and deep—is a “catastrophic event” for soil.
Pesticide and Fertilizer Dynamics
While no-till practices reduce erosion and can decrease runoff of soil-bound chemicals, pesticide runoff is not always reduced. A meta-analysis by Elias et al. (2018) found that pesticide runoff depends more on the chemical's properties and rainfall timing than tillage per se. “Overall, the concentration and load of pesticides were greater in runoff from NT fields, especially pesticides with high solubility and low affinity for solids. Thus, NT farming affects soil properties that control pesticide retention and interactions with soils, and ultimately their mobility in the environment.” (Elias et al., 2018). The study looked primarily at conventional no-till systems without incorporating additional soil health practices like cover crops or rotation.
Similarly, fertilizer use remains high in many no-till systems. Friends of the Earth reports that 92% of no-till corn acres in the U.S. use synthetic nitrogen at an average of 150 pounds per acre. This undercuts the notion that no-till alone guarantees a lower-input system.
The Power of Integrated Approaches
Here’s where more hopeful research offers better insights. At the Dakota Lakes Research Farm, Dr. Dwayne Beck has emphasized that “no-till alone won’t get us there.” Instead, he and cooperating farmers focus on full systems: diverse rotations (especially with small grains), living roots, soil armor, cover crops, and livestock integration. Combined with minimal disturbance, these practices can dramatically reduce the need for synthetic inputs and improve long-term soil health.
Similarly, Dr. Jonathan Lundgren’s work at Ecdysis Foundation shows that regenerative farms—those integrating soil health principles—can significantly lower insecticide and herbicide use while maintaining or even improving profitability and ecological function.
A long-term study at Iowa State's Marsden Farm (Nguyen 2016) found that diversified rotations with reduced chemical inputs not only maintained yields but also improved soil health and reduced weed pressure (Wired, 2012).
So, What Should We Make of This?
No-till alone isn’t a silver bullet. When practiced in isolation, it can create new dependencies on synthetic inputs. But when integrated into a full soil health system, no-till can reduce labor, improve soil structure, and, with the right practices, begin to reduce chemical reliance too.
While we appreciate the genuinely valid concerns about herbicide use in no-till, focusing only on chemical impacts ignores the very real damage caused by tillage, especially erosion, nutrient loss, and particulate phosphorus runoff into water bodies. If our goal is stewardship, we must weigh both sides of the scale.
We’ll continue exploring the complex realities of tillage, inputs, and soil health in the coming weeks. For now, we hope this blog provides a clearer, more honest look at the tradeoffs—and opportunities—in today’s no-till systems.
References:
Friends of the Earth. Pesticide-Intensive No-Till Agriculture: A Report on Environmental and Health Risks. 2025. Available from: https://foe.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Report_No-Till_Report.pdf
Beyond Pesticides. Herbicide Use in "Regenerative" No-Till Agriculture Contaminates Water Bodies. 2021. Available from: https://beyondpesticides.org/dailynewsblog/2021/02/herbicide-use-in-regenerative-no-till-contaminates-waterbodies
Elias EM. Pesticide Runoff in No-Till Systems: A Meta-Analysis. Indiana University ScholarWorks. 2018. Available from: https://scholarworks.indianapolis.iu.edu/bitstream/1805/17406/1/Elias_2018_meta-analysis.pdf
Nguyen H. Reducing herbicide use through cropping system diversification: A case study at the Iowa State University Marsden Farm, and some recommendations for the Mekong Delta of Vietnam [master's thesis]. Ames, IA: Iowa State University; 2016. Available from: https://dr.lib.iastate.edu/entities/publication/3fc0e87c-7466-4973-b3e2-910caf387735
Rodale Institute. New Report Identifies Toxic Impact of No-Till Agriculture. 2023. Available from: https://rodaleinstitute.org/blog/new-report-identifies-toxic-impact-of-no-till-agriculture-inaccurately-referred-to-as-regenerative
Keim B. Big, Smart, Green and Made in Iowa. WIRED. 2012. Available from: https://www.wired.com/2012/10/big-smart-green-farming
Ecdysis Foundation. Research Highlights and Impact. 2023. Available from: https://www.ecdysis.bio/research
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The most serious problem caused by pesticides and their metabolites is their major contribution to general chemical contamination. This contamination is responsible for the increase in cancers and other serious diseases affecting more and more humans (and animals) earlier and earlier in their lives. The end of life of these patients is atrocious and very costly. The use of euthanasia is therefore increasingly frequent.
Pierre Duhain.