Since water erosion is initiated by raindrop impact on bare soil, any management practice that protects the soil from raindrop impact will decrease erosion and increase water entry into the soil. Mulches, cover crops, and crop residues all serve this purpose well. A major limitation of organic row-crop farming is that cultivation is used for weed control, since herbicides are not allowed. This cultivation creates and maintains bare ground, which increases the likelihood of soil erosion. By contrast, soil that is covered with an organic mulch of crop residue, such as that typically found in no-till fields, is less likely to erode. Organic no-till systems have yet to be perfected for annual row crops, but they work well for perennial fruit crops and pasture, allowing for year-round ground cover and virtually no soil erosion.
There are many practices that help conserve soil, including cover crops, mulches, conservation tillage, contour plowing, and strip cropping that can be used in organic systems.