Farmers in Benton County are eligible to apply for Spokane Conservation District's No-Till and Direct Seed Loan Program. The program offers low-interest loans to producers for agricultural equipment purchases such as no-till and direct seed drills, fertilizer placement implements, sprayers, and more that aid in the direct placement of seed and/or fertilizers in limited passes or aids in the removal or management of reside. (Button below takes you to the Spokane Conservation District website.)

Conservation tillage refers to tillage practices with low or no soil disturbance and that leave residue from previous crops on the field. This helps soil stay in place and reduces risk of erosion and dust storms.

Conservation tillage includes the practices of no-till and direct seed, which uses specialized equipment to plant crops without tilling or turning the soil.

In addition to conservation tillage, practices such as planting cover crops and wind breaks also help keep soil in place and out of the air. Check out our Guide to Control Erosion, Reduce Dust & Protect Health for more information on our website.