Anna Cates, Minnesota Soil Health Specialist, Jodi DeJong-Hughes, Extension educator, and Mary Nesberg, Extension educator
High input costs and tight margins are forcing Minnesota farmers to take a hard look at every pass across the field, and tillage is one of the first places real savings can be found. In 2025, Minnesota farmers made more money on no-till soybeans than tilled soybeans, and over the past decade, minimal tillage has been the most profitable system for corn. As I write this, diesel is $5.10 in Sleepy Eye and Litchfield, and $5.20 in Wadena. Now is a good time to take a hard look at tillage costs and consider practical ways to reduce expenses this spring.
Every pass you eliminate or adjust puts dollars back in your pocket, so make each trip across the field count this spring.
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| Tandem disk tillage. Photo: Kuhn |
| Operation | 2025 Machinery cost estimates per acre University of Illinois* |
Fuel use (gal/ac) |
Current fuel cost/ac ($/gal diesel) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vertical till (43'6") | $16.30 | 0.5 | $2.50 |
| Field cultivator (48'6") | $15.30 | 0.5 | $2.50 |
| Speed disk (shallow, 29') | $18.70 | 1.0 | $5.00 |
| Chisel plow (34') | $19.50 | 0.7 | $3.50 |
| Disk chisel plow (26'3") | $32.30 | 2.0 | $10.00 |
| Disk ripper (26') | $36.10 | 2.2 | $11.00 |
| Moldboard plow (7 bottom) | $54.50 | 1.9 | $9.50 |
| Strip till (16-row shank) | $26.50 (strips only) | 0.9 | $4.50 |
| Land rolling | $9.75** |
*Costs assume new equiment and include overhead (depreciation, interest, insurance, housing, and repairs, $3.00/gal diesel, and $22/hr labor charges.
**2026 ISU Custom Rate Survey
Reducing tillage costs
Drop a field pass
Tillage is often an overlooked aspect of total input costs. But this year, a fall chisel plow pass and two field cultivator passes can cost you $62.00 an acre, which could easily be the difference between break-even and profitable fields. As you can see in the chart, running heavier and more aggressive tillage equipment is more expensive. Dropping one field cultivator pass this spring can save you $2.50 an acre in fuel, which, when calculated over 1,000 acres, can save you $2,500 in diesel, wear and tear on your tractor, and 23 hours of labor.
Reduce tillage depth
Shallowing up a tillage pass can reduce your costs as well. For example, field cultivation at 4.8 mph at a 4.5" depth used 0.63 gal/ac. Field cultivation at a 3" depth used only 0.50 gal/ac, a savings of 20%. Disking at 4.7 mph at 6" depth used 0.32 gal/ac, while a 4" depth used 0.23 gal/ac, a 28% fuel savings. These small changes can lead to big savings without affecting yield.Consider no-till
It’s worth considering no-till this spring. No-till soybeans carry less risk than no-till corn. However, don’t try this if you have used a chopping head combine on corn last fall. This leaves a thick residue mat that’s hard for your planter to work through. If it’s your first time planting no-till beans, consider slightly increasing your plant population as well. Talk to neighbors who have experience with no-till farming, check out their equipment, and explore cost-share options available through your local Soil and Water Conservation District.Eliminate land rolling
Another way to save this spring is to eliminate land rolling in fields planted to soybeans that don’t have rocks or intact corn root balls. Studies show that this practice does not improve harvestability or yield in these fields and can lead to crusting and emergence issues.Check seeding depth and furrow closure
As you cut back on tillage, the planter has to do more work. It’s not just dropping seed anymore; it’s handling residue, placing fertilizer, and making that seedbed in one pass. In a worked field, tillage can cover up some mistakes. In no-till, it won’t. So take time to get out of the tractor, check the seed depth and furrow closure, make sure your residue managers are working, and make adjustments between fields with different soil types. It’s time well spent. You’ve got one shot to get it right, so planter setup and performance matter a lot more. Reference this No-Till Planter Field Checklist to make adjustments before and during planting.Every pass you eliminate or adjust puts dollars back in your pocket, so make each trip across the field count this spring.
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