When the first edition of Lancaster Farming was published in 1955, soil, water and nutrient conservation was not a new idea, but it had a long way to go to become the priority it is today.

Driving around Pennsylvania farming country during late fall or early spring 70 years ago, one would have seen many bare fields and lots of tillage. Moldboard plowing and harrowing were central to the cropping practices of most farmers.

While basic conservation measures such as contour farming and sod waterways were practiced by some, the widespread adoption of no-till, cover crops, nutrient management plans, stream buffers and precision agriculture were decades away, as was any concerted effort toward protecting the Chesapeake Bay.

Still, from its beginning, Lancaster Farming reported on conservation initiatives such as the federal Soil Bank program launched in 1956 that paid farmers to leave land fallow, both to curb overproduction and promote soil conservation.