Special Report

Shuter honored for conservation efforts

The National Corn Growers Association honored Frankton, Indiana farmer Mike Shuter with its Good Steward Award during Commodity Classic.

For over 20 years, he has been implementing conservation practices on his farm to not only protect and improve the soil, but, he says, to increase yield.  “Back in the mid-80’s we were no-tilling corn into soybean stubble,” he says.  “Now we’ve developed that system to where we’re no-tilling beans into corn stalks, strip-tilling corn either into corn stalks or bean stubble.  And, we’re using cover crops in the system.”

Shuter tells Brownfield implementing conservation practices are key to ensuring future generations will be able to continue on his family farm.  “We have some grandkids that want to farm,” he says. “And my two sons are in the operation now and we just need to make sure we can maintain and improve the soil as much as we can.”

Because, he says, soil health has become an issue on their farm.

With the implementation of conservation practices like cover crops, Shuter says, the organic matter in the soil is increasing.