Years of conventional farming methods have compacted soils and made them less productive and less profitable. If this is typical of your farm and you think there has to be a better way of managing your crops, then consider the benefits of controlled-traffic farming.
What is controlled-traffic farming?
Controlled-traffic farming reduces soil compaction by creating permanent traffic lanes and confining machinery wheels to these lines. This limits all over soil compaction and frees up a greater proportion of your land for growing crops in undisturbed, healthy soil. Results from controlled-traffic farming can often be achieved with standard equipment but for ease and more accurate results, global positioning system machinery can be a valuable addition to your farm shed in Victoria.
Benefits of controlled-traffic farming?
- Minimises the area of soil disturbance and allows crop zones to be more easily worked.
- Improves soil quality and crop health to produce better yields at harvest time
- Fuel and machinery costs reduce because of fewer trips across the paddock, which also saves the farmer time.
- Reduced erosion issues and water run off, so soil moisture is retained
- can reduce input costs such as seed, fertiliser and chemical sprays.
Controlled-traffic farming in combination with no-till farming
Controlled-traffic farming goes hand in hand with no-till and reduced-tillage farming as the two methods overlap and complement each other in what they’re trying to achieve. No-till farming boosts soil health and water retention, while also helping to trap carbon in the soil, all with the same aim of improving yields.
Vic No-Till is the resource to turn to if you’re looking to adopt controlled-traffic farming or zero-till farming in Victoria. Our membership base consists of a long list of farmers who have tried and tested many techniques, and learned the do’s and don’t’s of controlled traffic and no-till farming. Become a member and you can take advantage of their knowledge, as well as free admission to any Vic No-Till farming events which give you practical, take-home ideas to implement on your farm.
Get in touch with VicNoTill for further information, or browse our website.
