Land Use Practices

ACH17-24/November 2020

Highlights Results from the 2017 Census of Agriculture

United States Department of Agriculture

National Agricultural Statistics Service www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus

Land Use

From 2012 to 2017, the number of 

the farms practicing intensive tillage 

methods declined by 35%. Acres under 

intensive tillage methods declined by 

24%. Farms practicing reduced tillage 

increased 11%, and acres under reduced 

tillage methods increased 28%. Farms 

practicing no till increased slightly, 

while no till acreage increased 8%. 

From 2012 to 2017, the number of 

farms that drained acres by tile slightly 

increased, while acreage drained by tile 

increased 14%. The number of farms 

that artificially drained acres by ditches 

decreased 2%, and acreage artificially 

drained increased 4%. The number of 

farms with acres under conservation 

easement decreased 29%, while 

acres under conservation easement 

decreased 1%.

The 2017 Census of Agriculture asked producers whether they used certain practices to conserve farmland or improve 

the productivity of their land. Such practices reduce water and wind erosion, improve water quality, provide wildlife 

habitat, and reduce producers’ operating costs by limiting the number of trips over fields. 

In the five years between 2012, the year of the previous census, and 2017, the number of farms and acres using reduced 

tillage and no till methods increased, while the number of farms and acreage using intensive tillage decreased. 

Top States: Reduced Tillage and No Till

Reduced Tillage No Till

Million Acres

% Change 

Since 2012 Million Acres

% Change 

Since 2012

Iowa 10.1 16 Kansas 11.2 8 

Illinois 9.5 23 Nebraska 10.3 10 

North Dakota 9.1 47 Iowa 8.2 18 

Minnesota 8.2 34 Montana 8.1 17 

Kansas 7.7 28 North Dakota 7.8 -1 

Nebraska 6.0 21 South Dakota 7.7 7

Texas 5.0 37 Illinois 6.5 7

South Dakota 4.3 24 Indiana 4.9 -1

Indiana 4.1 33 Missouri 4.6 16 

Missouri 3.5 29 Ohio 4.3 0 

Not all farmland is eligible to be included in tillage practices. Examples include land in orchards and 

hay. Farms may also use multiple tillage practices.

Reduced Tillage

Includes some tillage but leaves a 

minimum of 30% of the soil surface 

covered by the previous crop’s residue 

following spring planting.

No Till

Crops are planted directly into the 

vegetative cover or crop residue of the 

previous crop.

Tillage Methods by Acres

0.0

20.0

40.0

60.0

80.0

100.0

120.0

No Till Reduced

Tillage

Intensive

Tillage

(million acres) 2012

2017

Tillage Methods by Number of Farms

No Till Reduced

Tillage

Intensive

Tillage

(number of farms) 2012

2017

 50,000

 100,000

 150,000

 200,000

 250,000

 300,000

 350,000

 400,000

 450,000
Source: USDA NASS, 2017 Census of Agriculture. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

About the Survey

The Census of Agriculture, conducted 

once every five years, is a complete count 

of U.S. farms and ranches and the people 

who operate them. Results from the 

2017 and earlier censuses are available at 

national, state, and county levels. 

See the searchable database Quick 

Stats, the new Census Data Query Tool, 

downloadable PDF reports, maps, and a 

variety of topic-specific products, including 

profiles by race, ethnicity, and sex. 

www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus

15 million

Acres of cover crops planted in 2017.

Tillage Methods by Farm Size, 2017

Practice 

Applied to

No Till Reduced Tillage Intensive Tillage

Acres 

(millions)

No. of 

Farms

Acres 

(millions)

No. of 

Farms

Acres 

(millions)

No. of 

Farms

< 500 acres 23.6 226,609 20.6 163,649 20.2 224,555

500 - 999 acres 17.7 25,477 18.3 26,013 13.7 19,688

1,000 - 1,999 acres 22.4 16,288 23.8 17,260 17.3 12,572

2,000+ acres 40.8 10,996 35.1 10,147 28.8 8,078

Total 104.5 279,370 97.8 217,069 80.0 264,893

Reduced Tillage Acres as Percent of Total Cropland Acres, by County, 2017

< 5

5 - 14

15 - 29

30 -39

40 +

Condential

No Data

Cover Crop Acres as % of Total Cropland Acres, by County, 2017

< 5

5 - 9

10 - 14

15 -29

30 +

Condential

No Data

No Till Acres as Percent of Total Cropland Acres, by County, 2017

< 5

5 - 14

15 - 29

30 -39

40 +

Condential

No Data

Benefits of a Cover Crop

Planting a cover crop increases soil fertility, improves soil quality, reduces erosion, 

controls pests, and protects wildlife habitat. In 2017, 153,402 farms planted cover 

crops, compared to 133,124 farms in 2012, a 15% increase. Acres of cover crop 

increased by 50%, climbing to 15,390,674 in 2017 from 10,280,793 in 2012. This 

count does not include land in USDA’s Conservation Reserve Program. Cover crops in 

the Eastern United States were planted at a higher percent of total cropland.

Top States: Cover Crops

Million 

Acres

% Change 

Since 2012

Texas 1.0 11 

Iowa 1.0 156 

Indiana 0.9 57 

Missouri 0.8 116 

Nebraska 0.7 109 

Ohio 0.7 101 

Illinois 0.7 122 

Michigan 0.7 54 

Wisconsin 0.6 11 

Pennsylvania 0.6 33 

In 2017, farms with 1,000 acres or more accounted for 60% of no till acres but only 10% of total 

farms practicing no till. Farms with 1,000 acres or more also accounted for 60% of reduced tillage 

acres but only 13% of total farms practicing reduced tillage. In addition, farms with 1,000 acres or 

more accounted for 58% of intensive tillage acres but only 8% of farms practicing intensive tillage. 

Sixty-two percent of the farms using no-till practices were less than 500 acres in size; 55% of the 

farms using reduced tillage methods were less than 500 acres in size.