Idaho Farmer Cashes In on No-Till Seeding Niche

Dale Kopf offers custom no-till seeding services in the Pacific Northwest using specialized equipment from New Zealand.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 10:51am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A close-up of a polished metal no-till seeding drill opener, a glass beaker of liquid fertilizer, and a handful of wheat grains arranged on a clean, minimalist background, conceptually representing the technology and precision behind specialized no-till farming services.A custom no-till seeding rig and precision farming tools symbolize the specialized services offered by Idaho's Dale Kopf to cater to the growing demand for sustainable agriculture in the Pacific Northwest.Lewiston Today

Dale Kopf, a custom seeder based in Genesee, Idaho, is catering to a narrow niche by exclusively offering no-till seeding services in the Pacific Northwest. Kopf uses a 25-foot-wide Cross Slot drill from New Zealand, which he pulls with a 450-horsepower Case IH 9380 tractor, to seed 3,800 acres of crops like winter wheat, spring wheat, barley, lentils, and garbanzo beans annually. His specialized equipment and services come at a cost of around $30 per acre.

Why it matters

No-till farming has gained popularity in recent years for its environmental benefits, such as improved soil health and reduced erosion. By offering a specialized service focused solely on no-till seeding, Kopf is catering to a niche market of farmers in the Pacific Northwest looking to adopt more sustainable farming practices.

The details

Kopf's Cross Slot drill from New Zealand features 31 openers for 10-inch row spacing and is equipped with a Raven Viper Pro AccuBoom system for accurate side-band placement of liquid nitrogen or aqua nitrogen. The total investment for the drill, including the frame, fertilizer, and seed systems built by Agpro in Lewiston, Idaho, was $220,000. Combined with the $360,000 invested in the tractor, Kopf has a significant capital outlay in his specialized no-till seeding operation.

  • Kopf seeded 3,800 acres of crops in 2025.
  • 2,200 of those acres were fall-seeded crops.

The players

Dale Kopf

A custom seeder based in Genesee, Idaho, who exclusively offers no-till seeding services in the Pacific Northwest.

Agpro

A company in Lewiston, Idaho, that built the 25-foot-wide frame and supplied and fitted the fertilizer and seed systems for Kopf's Cross Slot drill.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I worked with the Yielder drills years ago, so I saw the tremendous potential with no-till. That machine tended to turn the soil black, but it was still no-till.”

— Dale Kopf, Custom Seeder

“When I looked at this New Zealand machine...”

— Dale Kopf, Custom Seeder

What’s next

Kopf plans to continue expanding his no-till seeding services in the Pacific Northwest, where demand for sustainable farming practices is growing.

The takeaway

By specializing in no-till seeding, Kopf has carved out a unique niche in the Pacific Northwest agricultural market, catering to farmers looking to adopt more environmentally friendly farming methods while providing a valuable custom service.