Why thousands of Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri farmers are switching to strip-till—and why you should consider it too
Let’s talk straight: If you’re farming corn and soybeans in the Midwest, you know the struggle. Cold, wet springs that keep you out of the field. Compacted soil that fights your planter. Fertilizer costs eating into your margins. Erosion on those slopes. Sound familiar?
Here’s the good news: Strip-till might be the answer you’ve been looking for. And I’m not talking about some trendy farming fad that’ll be gone next season. This is a proven system backed by 25+ years of university research from Purdue, Iowa State, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Ohio State. Real farmers across Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri are seeing 15-25 bushel corn yield increases and saving $20-40 per acre on input costs while building healthier soil.
Let me show you exactly how strip-till works, what the research really says, and how to make it work on your operation—whether you’re farming 500 acres or 5,000.
What Exactly Is Strip-Till? (And Why Should You Care)
Think of strip-till as the best of both worlds. You’re tilling narrow 6-12 inch strips exactly where you’ll plant your rows, while leaving everything between the rows completely undisturbed. That means you only disturb 25-33% of your soil surface while keeping 60-75% residue cover for erosion protection.
Here’s why this matters for your operation: You get the soil warming and drainage benefits of conventional tillage right in your seed zone, but you keep the soil health and erosion protection of no-till everywhere else. It’s precision where it counts.
How Strip-Till Equipment Works
A strip-till toolbar does everything in one pass. Front coulters slice through your corn stalks or soybean residue. Then a shank or coulter unit drops 6-9 inches deep, fracturing any compacted layers and loosening the soil. As that shank moves through, you can inject liquid or dry fertilizer 4-8 inches deep—right in the root zone where your crop will actually use it.
Behind the shank, angled discs shape that loosened soil into a raised berm 2-4 inches high. Come spring, that berm is warmer, drier, and ready for planting days earlier than undisturbed ground. And here’s the kicker: about 60% of strip-tillers are banding fertilizer during this pass, making it a true two-for-one operation.
Strip-Till vs. Everything Else: The Real Numbers
Let’s put some numbers to this. I pulled together data from multiple universities and the 2022 national strip-till survey, and here’s what you need to know:
Corn Yields in Strip-Till:
- Strip-till average: 207 bushels per acre
- No-till average: 185 bushels per acre
Your advantage: 22 extra bushels per acre
Soybean Yields in Strip-Till:
- Strip-till average: 58 bushels per acre
- No-till average: 54 bushels per acre
Your advantage: 4 extra bushels per acre
Operating Costs:
- Strip-till: $29.20 per acre
- Conventional chisel plow system: $48.70 per acre
Your savings: $19.50 per acre
Do the math on your operation. If you’re farming 1,000 acres of corn at $4.50/bushel, that 22-bushel yield bump puts an extra $99,000 in your pocket. Add the $19,500 in cost savings, and you’re looking at nearly $120,000 more profit annually.
Why Strip-Till Works So Well in Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri
If you’re farming the silt loam or silty clay loam soils common across our region, strip-till was practically made for you. Here’s why:
Soil Temperature: The Spring Planting Game-Changer
Ohio State agronomist Alan Sundermeier buried recording thermometers in strip-till plots versus no-till to see what actually happens. The results are eye-opening:
On a sunny spring afternoon, strip-till seed zones warmed up 6-10°F hotter than no-till. That translates to reaching planting temperature (50-55°F) 2-3 days earlier than no-till neighbors. In central Illinois or Iowa, where every day counts in April and early May, that’s huge.
But here’s the clever part: At night, strip-till zones stayed cooler than bare soil from conventional tillage. You get warm days for fast germination, but cooler nights that reduce stress. That’s the sweet spot.
The Drainage Advantage (Especially for Poorly Drained Ground)
Purdue University research is crystal clear on this: Strip-till is “clearly superior to no-till on medium to fine-textured soils with poor drainage when corn follows corn”. If you’ve got those heavy soils that hold water in the spring—and let’s be honest, that describes a lot of ground in Illinois, Missouri, and Iowa—this is your system.
Tony Vyn at Purdue documented this in a particularly wet 2015 spring. Strip-till beat chisel plow by 18.5 bushels per acre in continuous corn, despite planting on the exact same date. The difference? Better drainage in those tilled strips.
Erosion Control That Actually Works
Maintaining 60-75% residue cover reduces erosion by 70-85% compared to conventional tillage. The USDA’s Soil Tillage Intensity Rating (STIR) scores strip-till at just 12 compared to 82 for chisel plow systems—that’s an 85% reduction in soil disturbance.
If you’ve got slopes or highly erodible land, this is your ticket to staying compliant while still getting the yields you need.
Getting Started: Fall vs. Spring Strip-Till
One of the most common questions I hear: “Should I strip-till in the fall or spring?” The good news? Iowa State University ran three years of trials and found no yield difference between fall and spring timing.
That means you’ve got flexibility. Let’s break down both approaches:
Fall Strip-Till: The Time-Saver
Advantages:
- Spreads out your workload—no spring rush
- Perfect for combining with fall anhydrous ammonia application
- Strips get all winter to settle and mellow
- Maximum soil warming benefit by spring
- Best choice for heavy, poorly-drained soils in Illinois and Iowa
The Catch:
Harvest delays and wet fall weather can shrink your window. And if strips flatten over winter (happens on some fields), you might need to “freshen” them in spring.
Spring Strip-Till: The Flexible Option
Advantages:
- Doesn’t matter if fall was too wet
- Fresh, well-defined strips for planter guidance
- Lower nitrogen loss risk
- Great for Missouri and southern Illinois where falls are often unpredictable
The Catch:
You’re racing against planting time. In wet springs, you might delay planting while waiting to strip-till.
From a practical standpoint, many operators also find that modern strip-till toolbars and applicators often pull easier in the spring thanks to freeze/thaw cycles loosening the soil, and the key is avoiding marginal or wet ground conditions rather than trying to muscle through them.
Pro Tip: Most successful strip-tillers have a plan for both. They aim for fall but keep spring as their backup. The 2025 benchmark study found 81% of strips are made in fall, but 35% of those farmers also run spring operations in some years.
The Fertilizer Game-Changer: Deep Banding
Here’s where strip-till really pays off. Instead of broadcasting fertilizer across your whole field, you’re placing it 4-8 inches deep in a concentrated band right where your corn or soybean roots will grow.
The Research That’ll Save You Money
Iowa State University proved you can use 25-30% less phosphorus and potassium with deep banding while getting the same yields as broadcast applications. University of Illinois went further, showing that strip-tilled soybeans developed smaller but more efficient root systems, extracting 12-18% more total nutrients with 10-15% less root mass.
Fabian Fernandez at Illinois explained it perfectly: “The plants are putting less energy into the root system…with a smaller root system, these plants ended up with much higher nutrient levels and higher yields”.
Real-World Fertilizer Savings
Let’s talk dollars. At current fertilizer prices ($0.55/lb for P₂O₅ and $0.50/lb for K₂O):
Typical Broadcast Program:
- 60 lbs P₂O₅ + 120 lbs K₂O = $93/acre
Strip-Till Banded Program:
- 45 lbs P₂O₅ + 90 lbs K₂O = $70/acre
Your Savings: $23/acre annually
On 1,000 acres, that’s $23,000 back in your pocket every single year.
Nitrogen Management: Getting It Right
About 60% of successful strip-tillers band fertilizer during their tillage pass. For nitrogen, you’ve got options:
Fall Anhydrous Ammonia:
Cost-effective but requires soil temps below 50°F. Purdue research shows you can safely apply spring anhydrous at 7+ inches deep at least 2 weeks before planting.
A popular option for this job is a high-capacity NH₃ applicator like the Blu-Jet AT6020 Anhydrous Ammonia Fertilizer Applicator, available in 60′, 40′, and 30′ widths with 20″ spacing options—giving you flexibility to match bar size and row spacing to your acres and horsepower.
Spring UAN Application:
Can go on during strip-till or at-plant. Just watch your rates—Purdue’s Tony Vyn recommends keeping UAN below 75 lbs N/acre if applying in the seed zone to avoid salt injury.
The 3-Way Split (Advanced):
Progressive farmers are doing 60 lbs N/acre at fall strip-till, 10-15 lbs as starter, then 90-100 lbs sidedress at V6-V8. This spreads risk and matches nitrogen to crop demand curves.
For knife work, many operations are moving to hardened, long-life points such as Hi-Pro Manufacturing’s 3″ “strip-till” NH₃ knives, which we stock and promote for improved sealing and wear life in high-residue systems.
Real Midwest Farmers, Real Results
Paul Billing – Enderlin, North Dakota
Paul farms 1,600 acres and transitioned to strip-till with variable-rate fertility in 2012. His nitrogen efficiency jumped from 1.1 lbs per bushel to just 0.7 lbs per bushel—a 36% improvement.
“The maps constructed for us provide recommendations on P, N and seeding totals for each field…it’s not uncommon to see savings north of $5,000 per field using recommended variable rates,” Paul reports.
Jeff and Katie Reints – Northwest Iowa
The Reints family farms 2,400 acres using spring strip-till. They band 120 lbs DAP, 75 lbs potash, and 75 lbs ammonium sulfate at 5 inches deep, achieving 25% fertilizer reduction—saving $18/acre—while seeing 12-15 bushel corn yield increases.
“Corn seems to really respond to having the fertilizer right there in the root zone,” Jeff says. “We’re seeing better early vigor, more uniform emergence”.
Mike Wurmnest – Central Illinois
Mike runs 1,200 acres of corn and soybeans on sloped silt loam. After switching from conventional tillage to strip-till with NRCS cost-share help, he cut soil erosion by 78% while increasing profit margins 4.5% ($18-22/acre).
“Strip-till reduced input costs, cut fuel use, and saved valuable time in the field, all while maintaining strong yields,” Mike notes.
Equipment: What You Actually Need
The Toolbar Investment
For a 12-row pull-type strip-till toolbar with liquid fertilizer system, you’re looking at $95,000-140,000. That sounds like a lot until you run the payback numbers.
Quick Payback Calculation (1,000-acre corn operation):
- Annual yield benefit: $99/acre × 1,000 = $99,000
- Fertilizer savings: $32/acre × 1,000 = $32,000
- Tillage cost savings vs. conventional: $15/acre × 1,000 = $15,000
- Total annual benefit: $146,000
Equipment cost: $130,000
Payback period: 0.89 years (about 11 months)
That’s right—less than one year to pay off the equipment with sustained benefits every year after.
The Non-Negotiable: RTK Guidance
Here’s the deal: Strip-till doesn’t work without precision guidance. You’re creating 6-8 inch wide strips and need to plant in the center of them. That requires RTK (Real-Time Kinematic) GPS with sub-inch accuracy.
At Parallel Ag, we offer comprehensive precision technology solutions through PTx Trimble and Precision Planting to ensure your strip-till operation succeeds.
Your guidance options:
Trimble CenterPoint RTX: High-accuracy correction service delivering <2.5 cm (1″) positioning via satellite—ideal for strip-tilling, planting, and spraying. No base station required, works anywhere on your farm.
Private Base Station: $8,000-25,000 upfront, no subscription fees
Cellular/Subscription RTK: $600-2,500/year per vehicle, no capital cost
Steve Riddle, 35-year precision ag veteran, puts it bluntly: “For every 10 miles of distance between you and the nearest base station, you lose 1 inch of repeatable horizontal accuracy”. The 2020 benchmark study found about 80% of strip-tillers rely on RTK guidance—it’s that critical.
Precision Technology Solutions from Parallel Ag
Display & Guidance Systems:
- Trimble TMX-2050 Display: Large HD touchscreen with FmX Plus or Precision-IQ applications for complex operations.
- Trimble GFX-750 Display: 10.1″ touchscreen with Android OS, perfect for assisted and automated steering.
- Trimble GFX-350 Display: 7″ HD display, ISOBUS compatible, controls up to 24 sections.
Guidance Controllers:
- NAV-960 Guidance Controller: Enhanced GNSS engine with advanced inertial sensors for superior accuracy.
- NAV-500 Guidance Controller: Affordable solution compatible with any Trimble GFX display.
Steering Systems:
- Autopilot Automated Steering: Hands-free guidance with RTK accuracy for any brand of tractor or harvester.
- TrueGuide Implement Guidance: Works with your tractor’s Autopilot system to monitor and correct implement position, reducing drift by more than 50%.
Strip-Till Specific Technology:
- Precision Planting 20|20 Display: Real-time monitoring of your strip-till bar with advanced flow and blockage metrics.
- Precision Planting Clarity System: HD visibility into your strip-till bar performance, displaying blockage variability and product metrics row-by-row.
- Precision Planting vApplyHD: Advanced liquid fertilizer application control for precise nutrient placement.
Farm Management Software:
- PTx FarmENGAGE: Cloud-based platform for managing operations across mixed fleets. Transfer agronomic data wirelessly (work orders, field elements, prescription maps, guidance lines) between applications and in-field devices.
Major Strip-Till and Nutrient Application Equipment Brands Available at Parallel Ag
The 2025 Strip-Till Farmer Benchmark Study shows these as some of the most popular solutions in the market, and we’re focused on bringing a full system approach—bars, row units, fertilizer equipment, knives, and precision technology—to your operation.
KUHN Gladiator Strip-Till System
- Kuhn Krause Gladiator 1210 Strip-Tillage System: A market-leading strip-till tool designed for deep placement of fertilizer and consistent, high-quality berms. The Gladiator 1210 features the ST-PRO II row unit with sealed bearings requiring no daily greasing, easy tillage depth adjustments (roughly 4–10″+), and excellent residue flow in high-yield corn-on-corn conditions.
- Configurations range from smaller farms to large commercial operations, with multiple row-spacing and fertilizer options.
Browse Kuhn Krause Tillage Equipment at Parallel Ag
Blu-Jet NH₃ Applicators
- Blu-Jet AT6020 Anhydrous Ammonia Applicator: High-capacity applicator with toolbar options in 60′, 40′, and 30′ widths and 20″ spacing options. This allows you to match bar size to your tractor and field sizes while keeping row spacing aligned with your strip-till or planter configuration. Ideal for fall or spring NH₃ work in a strip-till or pre-plant system.
Unverferth Strip-Till Toolbars
- Unverferth Raptor Strip-Till Tool: Available in 12- and 16-row models, the Raptor is an all-in-one strip-till and fertilizer banding solution with precise, independent row-unit depth control, high downforce capacity, and excellent residue handling.
- Currently set up primarily for dry fertilizer systems, with Unverferth working toward an NH₃ hitch option for fall applications.
- Renegade Conventional Bar: A conventional-style bar platform with options to configure as a lighter NH₃-only unit in 12-, 16-, or 24-row formats. HD shanks, row cleaners, and wavy coulters are all factory options, along with factory-installed NH₃ systems for a clean, integrated nutrient application package.
Yetter Strip-Till & Residue Management Solutions
- Yetter Maverick Strip-Till Row Unit: The 2984 Maverick HR Plus is the strip-till tool for managing residue while placing fertilizer to create spring or fall strips for the planter to plant into.
- Yetter Strip Freshener Row Unit: Available as a stand-alone row unit or on a mounted bar, this unit is designed to freshen existing strips, warm the seedbed, and improve planter ride in the spring.
- Yetter Row Cleaners: Toolbarmount row cleaners that can be installed on DMI toolbars and other frames to remove residue prior to the coulter/shank. The latest systems include air-adjust up and downforce.
These Yetter solutions make it easy to retrofit an existing bar into a dedicated strip-till or strip-freshening tool, allowing you to step into strip-till without buying an entirely new rig.
Fast Ag Solutions Strip-Till Toolbars
- Fast Ag Solutions DuraPlacer: A liquid fertilizer strip-till/strip-freshening system that uses Yetter Strip Freshener units on 16- or 24-row, 30″ toolbars. DuraPlacer combines efficient strip-till or strip-freshening with large on-board liquid capacity to keep you running longer between fills.
- DuraPlacer LA: A lift-assist dry fertilizer bar that uses Dawn Pluribus-style units on 16- or 24-row configurations. This platform is built for operators wanting high-speed, shallower strip-till or strip-freshening with either liquid or dry product, and integrates well with existing tractors and fertilizer logistics.
Knife & Wear Parts – Hi-Pro Manufacturing
- Hi-Pro “Strip-Till” Knives: We are stocking and promoting 3″ tip “strip-till” knives designed for improved wear, better sealing, and more consistent nutrient placement. These knives can upgrade the performance of many existing applicators and strip-till rigs without changing the entire bar—especially important on high-acreage NH₃ and dry application tools.
Talk to your local Parallel Ag team about matching the right combination of bar, row unit, applicator, and knife system to your soil type, fertility strategy, and horsepower. Visit any of our 16 locations across 7 states to see these tools in person and discuss configuration options.
Troubleshooting Common Problems
“My strips flatten over winter”
Increase your strip-till depth to 8-10 inches to create taller berms. Adjust your berm-building disc angles to throw more soil into the strip. Or plan to run a light “strip freshener” in spring—costs $8-12/acre but ensures perfect planting conditions.
“I’m plugging with residue”
Sharpen or replace coulters annually. Add more aggressive wavy coulters ahead of your primary coulter. Slow down to 4-5 mph to give residue more time to flow through. In heavy corn-on-corn residue, some guys even run a light mow first.
“My planter’s bouncing on the strips”
Check your gauge wheel pressure—you want to contact but not compress the berm. Consider switching to rubber or spike closing wheels instead of cast iron. And verify your RTK is staying locked on—planter drift of even a few inches puts you outside the zone.
Need technical support? Contact our Precision Technology team at Parallel Ag for expert guidance on optimizing your strip-till system.
Making It Work on Your Farm: The Action Plan
Year 1: Start Small (100-300 acres)
- Pick your best-drained fields for initial trials
- Invest in RTK guidance from Parallel Ag if you haven’t already
- Keep detailed notes on equipment settings and field conditions
- Compare results directly to your current system
Year 2: Optimize and Expand
- Refine equipment settings based on Year 1 experience
- Add variable-rate fertility with Precision Planting or Trimble technology if you’re ready
- Expand to 30-50% of your operation
- Consider cover crops for additional soil health benefits
Year 3: Full Implementation
- Transition remaining suitable acres
- Implement advanced practices (controlled traffic, split nitrogen applications)
- Share your experience with neighbors—you’ll be the local expert
Environmental Programs and Carbon Credits
Strip-till qualifies for multiple conservation programs:
NRCS EQIP Cost-Share: $15-35/acre for strip-till establishment
State Programs: Iowa Water Quality Initiative, Illinois Conservation Stewardship Program, and Missouri soil health programs all offer strip-till incentives
Carbon Credit Markets: Strip-till sequesters 0.15-0.45 metric tons CO₂-equivalent per acre annually. At current prices ($15-30/ton), that’s $4-15/acre in potential carbon credit revenue. Programs like Truterra, Indigo Ag, and Nori all recognize strip-till.
The Bottom Line for Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri Farmers
Twenty-five years of university research across Purdue, Iowa State, Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio State, and Michigan State all point to the same conclusion: Strip-till works for Midwest corn and soybeans.
You get:
- 15-25 bushel corn yield increases (22 bu/ac average)
- 3-6 bushel soybean yield increases (4 bu/ac average)
- $20-40/acre cost savings on tillage and fertilizer
- 70-85% erosion reduction
- Better soil health with 8.6% organic matter increase over 5 years
- Equipment payback in less than one year
The learning curve is real—expect 2-3 years to fully optimize your system. But the financial returns justify the investment of time and capital. Whether you’re farming 500 acres or 5,000, whether you’re in the heavy clay loam of central Illinois, the silt loams of Iowa, or the varied soils of Missouri, strip-till offers a proven path to higher yields, lower costs, and healthier soil.
The farmers who started strip-till five or ten years ago? They’re not going back. And with precision technology getting better and more affordable every year, there’s never been a better time to get started.
Ready to Get Started with Strip-Till?
Contact Parallel Ag today to discuss strip-till solutions for your operation:
- Explore our equipment: Browse New Equipment Showrooms
- Precision technology: Learn about PTx Trimble & Precision Planting
- Find your location: We have 16 locations across IL, IA, MO, KS, TX, MN, and OK
- Talk to an expert: Call 800.659.1639 or visit your nearest location
The 13th annual National Strip-Tillage Conference is coming to Springfield, Illinois, August 6-7, 2026. It’s the perfect place to see equipment demonstrations, hear from expert researchers, and connect with fellow Midwest farmers who are already making strip-till work.
Your soil—and your bottom line—will thank you.
