No-till pioneer passed away

No-till and farm conservation pioneer William J. “Bill” Richards of Circleville passed away Nov. 12, 2024 at the age of 93.

Richards served as the Chief of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Soil Conservation Service under President George Bush from 1990-1993. Richards guided the agency under the environmental requirements of the 1985 and 1990 farm legislation, in areas of soil erosion control, wetlands protection, and water management. He led cooperative efforts to bring the agricultural industry, government, and the farm media together for a common purpose. He helped develop the Environmental Quality Incentive Program and the Conservation Security Program. No-till grew rapidly during those 4 years. The emphasis was on soil quality and leaving at least 30% residue cover after planting.

Funeral arrangements and Richards’ obituary can be found at: https://www.wellmanfuneralhomes.com/obituary/William-Richards-1.… Continue reading