More often than not, harvest will yield field ruts, especially after Iowa’s record-setting September rains. Be­­fore managing these ruts with tillage, farmers should consider several factors, said State Agronomist Barb Stewart of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Des Moines.

Before performing any tillage, first double check if this operation would still meet highly erodible land conservation compliance requirements. "When in doubt, please visit your local NRCS office," said Stewart.

Assess soil...