This report by Friends of the Earth finds that most no-till systems — a farming practice that reduces tillage and ploughing —  are responsible for one-third of total annual pesticide use in the U.S. can be attributed to no-till corn and soy production alone. The report argues that this practice is being promoted as a climate solution but says there is no clear link between no-till and carbon sequestration. 

This article assesses the diversity of practices being implemented in Walloon, Belgium, which are considered to align with conservation agriculture’s three agronomic pillars (or principles): (i) minimum mechanical soil disturbance, (ii) permanent soil organic cover, and (iii) species diversification (FAO 2023). The authors aimed to determine the diversity of practices in a given area to understand the impacts of these practices and why farmers adopt them. They also sought to guide policy decisions and improve communication within the scientific community and between science and field actors. The authors present a novel classification method to categorise the diversity of CA practices on a regional scale that they present as applicable for comparing and assessing CA in different regions and other agricultural systems such as regenerative farming and organic farming.