Hokkaido firms launch innovative soil‑friendly no‑till roller crimper

Two Hokkaido-based companies have jointly developed a new piece of farm machinery designed to advance regenerative agriculture, a method that aims to restore soil health and combat climate change. Eiko Wellness Co., Ltd. and Agrisystem Co., Ltd. announced on last week the creation of a no-till roller crimper, a tool that supports farming without ploughing.

Regenerative agriculture focuses on improving and revitalising soil and biodiversity. It minimises the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides, instead employing techniques like no-till farming and cover crops to build a healthy soil ecosystem. This approach is also expected to help mitigate climate change by increasing the soil’s capacity to store carbon.

The new roller crimper is central to this method. In no-till farming, soil is not disturbed by ploughing. Instead, a cover crop, such as rye, is flattened by the roller crimper. This creates a natural mat of organic material that suppresses weeds, retains moisture, and protects the soil from erosion, all while feeding the soil’s microbial life. The machine features a dual-roller system. A sub-roller first bends the cover crop, before a main roller with 24 blades firmly presses it down. The main roller is hollow, allowing it to be filled with water to increase its weight and effectiveness.

A field test conducted on in June to test the machine’s capability. The roller successfully flattened a field of rye, creating what the developers described as an ideal state “where the flattened rye thoroughly covers the soil.” The team will now observe the field to ensure the crop does not grow back, confirming the effectiveness of the process.

The development is driven by a core mission, as stated by two companies: “We want to pass on ‘living soil’ to the next generation.”