It was designed to gather and disseminate information to speed the adoption of conservation tillage technologies among American farmers. Yield reduction and increased risk of failure were the most critical barrier for conservation tillage. Early field trials were needed on thousands of widely diverse soil and crop combinations to demonstrate that these risks could be managed. The CTIC encouraged conservation districts, USDA-SCS, and universities to conduct such trials, to hold field days for farmers and to communicate the results widely. The benefits to farmers include a reduction in labour, machine time, fuel, and associated costs.
Yields are, in general, high enough to make net profits higher due to reduced cost.
Technology transfer that involves a complex system of new crop varieties, new machines, new methods, and unknown risks is a slow process that demands a long-term commitment to research, education, and adaptation. Lingering threats of increased federal regulation of farm practices to address water pollution from cropland erosion was a reason for farm businesses and leaders to promote new systems that could achieve water quality goals voluntarily. The CTIC process can be adopted where both public and private benefits are adequate enough to encourage a long-term commitment. It requires a situation where communication and education hold a major key to technology transfer. It also requires a situation where communications are adequate enough to allow producers to easily reach the information centre.