1. Home
2. Conferences
3. 2026 Extension Risk Management Education National Conference

Partial budget analysis of soil health systems from farmer interviews

Jessica Kelton

Summary

Sustainable agricultural practices that improve soil health are crucial for biodiversity conservation and ensuring long-term food, water, and energy security. Farmers increasingly adopt reduced tillage and cover cropping for enhanced production efficiency and environmental benefits.
This study interviewed 100 corn and soybean farmers who transitioned from conventional methods to either reduced tillage alone or reduced tillage with cover crops. We analyzed the economic performance of these approaches compared to conventional farming through partial budget analysis.
Results showed that reduced tillage practices (with or without cover crops) increased average net farm income by $132 per hectare for corn and $111 per hectare for soybeans. These gains resulted from reduced production costs—$60 per hectare for corn and $41 per hectare for soybeans—plus higher yields of 475 kg per hectare for corn and 197 kg per hectare for soybeans.
Farm size didn't correlate with income changes, though longer adoption periods showed greater benefits for corn producers. While cover crop usage didn't significantly affect net expenses or yields compared to reduced tillage alone, farmers using cover crops reported notably lower fertilizer and pesticide costs, potentially reducing environmental impacts.
In addition to the compiled data from 100 farms, researchers created and distributed nine state-specific factsheets and webinars containing these findings to help farmers make informed economic decisions about implementing soil health improvement practices.

Details

---