This is the third year of the past four that wet soil conditions have forced many producers to make a decision to seed or not seed a crop when it is well beyond the optimal planting time. The question is whether to plant the crop and accept the risk of lower yields and reduced crop insurance coverage, or to collect a prevented-planting crop insurance indemnity payment and idle the ground, says Andrew Swenson, farm and family financial specialist with the North Dakota State University Extension Service.

Building berms carefully is key to successful strip-tilling, says Jim Kinsella. the Lexington, Ill., no-till expert.