Boundary Soil Conservation District 2020 farmer of the year
From left: Ben Nystrom, Andy Nystrom and Tom Daniel, Boundary Soil Conservation District Board Chairman (Photo by Cassie Olson)
The Boundary Soil Conservation District is pleased to announce Nystrom Farms Inc as its choice for 2020 Conservation Farmer of the Year. Ben and Tanya Nystrom, along with their family, farm approximately 1,600 acres in the Kootenai Valley, growing wheat varieties, canola, peas, grazing corn, oats and alfalfa.
Ben Nystrom was nominated and recognized for his dedication to no-till farming. a method considered controversial in the past but is a growing trend according to the United States Department of Agriculture.
No-till farming is an agricultural technique for growing crops or pasture without disturbing the soil through tillage. No-till farming decreases the amount of soil erosion tillage causes in certain soils, especially in sandy and dry soils on sloping terrain.
Other possible benefits include an increase in the soil’s ability to absorb and infiltrate water, which in turn reduces soil erosion and runoff as well as reducing or preventing pollution from entering nearby water sources, soil retention of organic matter, and nutrient cycling. The USDA has concluded that these methods increase the amount and variety of life in and on the soil.
There are few who are dedicated to this type of farming because it increases fuel expenses and labor, although the National Science Foundation noted two separate studies in May 2020, one taking place over a 30-year period, concluding that no-till crops consistently yielded more than tilled crops.
Nystrom and his family have dedicated themselves to this method in part because of the type of soil he farms. It is similar to potting soil; full of nutrients but dries out fast if disturbed. He has tailored his operation around moisture conservation and consistently has some of the highest yields in the valley.
Fellow Ag producer Erik Olson praised Nystrom, saying he is always willing to “look over the fence" and see what other guys are trying and to learn if it will work on his operation.
Chairman of the Boundary Soil Conservation Board Tom Daniel presented Nystrom and his son Andy with an award for being good stewards of the land at a special breakfast on April 15. The Nystroms exemplify hard working and innovative conservation strategies and management techniques of today’s American farms.