Welcome

Controlled traffic farming (CTF) is the start of a journey – a journey to reduce production costs and increase yields while improving soil health and delivering positively to the environment. It works on the principle that “if it’s not broken, you don’t need to fix it”. Much of the time and energy we put into soils is to undo the compaction damage we have caused by driving machines all over them. This video clip shows just how severe the effects can be. As machines are getting heavier and heavier, this damage is extending deeper and deeper into the soil profile. So deep in fact, that damage may already be uneconomic to repair.

Controlled traffic farming turns our present production systems on their head by leaving 80 – 90% of fields permanently without compaction, rather than the other way around. CTF aims to confine soil compaction to the least possible area of permanent traffic lanes. It sounds simple but because our machines have never been designed to do this, it needs a lot of thought and good planning to get it right. Look at this simple flash animation (English) (Deutsch) (Français) to see how CTF brings order to chaos!

If you think CTF makes sense download a flier to find out more and join the increasing number of growers who want to embrace the "straight and narrow" and are being helped by becoming a member of CTF Europe. See this endorsement of the benefits from a UK farmer who has been using CTF since 2005. Join CTF Europe

Information in brief:

This month's story:

This is a return to the Antipodes where John McPhee and his team in Tasmania have continued their work showing just what can be achieved in productive soils when traffic is removed from the cropped area.

Read this new update

This Month's Photo

Standard wheel track widths are being used to maintain a CTF system for onions, potatoes and brocolli in Tasmania. Read the story so far

News

19 November 2011

Agritechnica 2011 CTF presentations All seats were taken in hall 16 during the opening of the Smart Farming Forum sessions by three CTF talks on practical experiences and European Research work.

02 September 2011

If your conversion to CTF means you anticipate being drilled up early, (or you've just been very quick) why not take time out and enjoy World Cup Rugby as well as taking in NZ Agribusiness? Follow this link to find out more and if you ask, you might even get to visit a CTF farmer!

Calendar

9 February 2012
Farmeco Community Care Farm, Nottinghamshire, England
Soil structure and soil biology, key factors governing soil health
See our Workshops page for more information and booking

20-21 February 2012
CULTAN, Min till and CTF
Rehburg-Loccum, Lower Saxony
A seminar and workshop in English
Click for programme
Contact Christoph to book a place.

22 February 2012
On-farm workshop in The Borders, Scotland
More details on our workshops page or contact Tim.

27 February 2012
Harper Adams University College, Shropshire, England
Nutrient, Tramline, Tillage and Traffic Management
A series of seminars and workshops. contact Tim for more information.

6 March 2012
Cover Cropping and Strip Tillage
Chicksands, UK
Contact Tim for more information

June 2012
ISTRO workshop on European CTF research with farm visits
Southern Sweden

CTF Training Courses

On-farm practical introduction to CTF

"Train the Trainers" theory and practical course for groups wishing to find out more. UK based but we are happy to offer these courses elsewhere on request. Please contact one of our advisors.

Blogs

We have set up two "blogs", one for discussions about or to swap experiences with CTF (Controlled Traffic), the other for questions and issues relating to satellite guidance and autosteer (Ag autosteer). We now also have one on the general topic of soil compaction (Soil Compaction) Please give them a try.

Are YOU a progressive farmer?

Join CTF Europe

Membership benefits

Contact CTF Advisors

CTF Research

Bayerische Landesanstalt für Landwirtshaft

DARCOF Newsletter

Agroscope, Switzerland

Institut für Zuckerrübenforschung

GRDC Research Summaries

CTF research and demonstration at Unilever R&D Colworth, UK

In 2004 the first known CTF system in Europe was set up on a single 8 ha field in the UK. Following two successful years, a further eight fields were added in 2006 totalling 73 ha. Go to our CTF at Colworth page to find out more.

Links

Future Farming Systems

CTF Solutions

John Dale Drills

Australian CTF Association

Controlled Traffic Farming, Alberta

Farming Futures, UK

Precision Agriculture

Conservation Agriculture

Grains R&D Corporation

LandWISE New Zealand