MILAN, Tenn. (RFD News) — One of Tennessee’s longest-running agricultural events highlighted a farming practice that has gone from revolutionary research to widespread adoption across the state.
The 2026 Milan No-Till Field Day at the UT AgResearch Center in Gibson County showcased the latest research surrounding no-till agriculture, which allows crops to be planted on top of residue from a previous crop without plowing the soil.
“Just got the statistics back. In the 2025 crop year, across the state of Tennessee, in every major row crop, we were at 97% adopted no-till or a conservation tillage practice,” UT AgResearch’s Jason Williams said.
The event also looked back at the history of agriculture in the region with antique tractors and vintage equipment. The first Milan field day was held in 1981, and 135,000 people have attended the event since then.
Nutifafa Adotey with UTIA Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science is conducting nitrogen fertilizer trials to study application levels in corn and their impact on yield.
“Are we putting the right amount of nitrogen? The other question is ‘are we using the right sources?’ The other question – are we putting it at the right time? Because the goal is to improve efficiency.”
More than 1,300 people attended this year’s Milan No-Till Field Day, representing more than half of Tennessee’s counties and a dozen other states. The next field day is scheduled for July 2028.
