Reduced Plowing

• Low-till farming eliminates the need for repeated and intensive plowing of farm land. As a result, water use is reduced by 30 to 50 percent, according to the Edie.net website. Less fuel is needed for operating tractors and there are fewer weeds, which reduces the amount of herbicides used on the soil. Plowing cuts deep into the ground to remove weeds and unwanted plants, however, it causes severe damage to the topsoil because it also removes plants that would otherwise protect the soil from being washed or blown away.
  
  

Undisturbed Soil

• Low-till farming protects rich top soil by leaving most or all of the soil and plant matter on the ground, thereby creating a natural fertilizer that helps support the roots of new crops. Rain flows into the soil and is held there, which in turn, prevents water from running off. Additionally, by using the low-till farming method, the soil is not exposed to air as it would be if constantly plowed. The exposure to air oxidizes the roots and soil matter, which depletes organic matter and soil moisture and increases the need for irrigation.
  
  

Less Erosion

• When soil and nutrients are allowed to erode, fields becomes infertile and agriculture is threatened. According to the Smithsonian Institute, many Midwestern and Southeastern farms failed during the 1930s due to nutrient loss and soil erosion. Loss of soil continues to affect agriculture as well as the environment. By using the low-till farming method -- planting into a former crop's residue -- the soil remains healthy.
  
  

Environmental Benefits

• Low-till farming reduces the amount of greenhouse gases released into the environment. The conventional farming practice of plowing naturally fertile soil releases carbon stored in the soil's organic matter, which is then released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.