Healthy Soils

What is a Conservation System?

1 min read
A tractor pulls a roller/crimper through a field. This conservation system practice terminates the cover crop by crimping it down. Farmers will plant into the heavy residue.

Conservation systems are cropping systems that minimize surface soil disturbance and maximize plant or residue cover on the surface. Successful conservation systems maintain or increase soil organic matter content while enhancing farm profitability and sustainability.

A conservation systems is comprised of two components:

  • conservation tillage
  • high-residue cover crop

The best conservation systems in the Southeast minimize surface soil disruption and protect the soil with a cover crop and plant residue throughout the year.