CRM begins with the selection of crops that produce sufficient quantities of residue to reduce wind and water erosion and may include the use of cover crops after low residue-producing crops. CRM includes all field operations that affect residue amounts, orientation, and distribution throughout the period requiring protection. Site specific residue cover amounts needed are usually expressed in percentage but may also be in pounds. Where soil erosion by wind is the primary concern, any system that maintains at least 1,000 pounds per acre of flat, small grain residue equivalent on the surface throughout the critical wind erosion period. The soil is left undisturbed from harvest to planting except for nutrient injection.
Weed control is accomplished primarily with herbicides.
Cultivation may be used for emergency weed control. Planting is completed in a seedbed prepared on ridges with sweeps, disk openers, coulters, or row cleaners. Residue is left on the surface between ridges. Ridges are rebuilt during cultivation. Tillage tools such as chisels, field cultivators, disks, sweeps, or blades are used.