Doug Palen, Glen Elder, Kansas, is one of the longest-tenured members of the No-till on the Plains Board of Directors, having joined it in 1997. He converted his family farm to continuous no-till in 1993, now growing a robust mix of cash crops including wheat, sorghum, corn, soybeans and alfalfa, plus oats, barley, millet, sunflowers and spring peas. Cover crops are used to complement the cash crops.

Doug believes no-till gives farmers the opportunity to model native grass systems while preserving land, water and human resources. His involvement in No-till on the Plains has allowed Doug to meet and interact with farmers and researchers around the world, all of whom are working together to improve no-till production systems.