Douglas, I got started strip tilling continuous corn originally as an experiment years ago to see how our Pluribus type strip till worked in these rocky clay hillsides.  I tried a wheat-corn-bean rotation and that was not working on a small scale. Tried corn-bean rotation in hillside contour strips  but found myself struggling to grow 40 bu beans while the corn looked great. I also saw to much erosion in the beans.

Even no till beans are almost zero protection against erosion in hills. I've even tried moldboard plowing sod to plant corn followed by disking. That's something everyone should try at least once. I thought I was never going to finish!

We have a NE IA Pluribus customer who has raised very good continuous strip tilled continuous corn for years on somewhat similar terrain if not soils so I thought I'd give it a try. And it works. Pure no tilling corn in these heavy wet cold clay hillside soils does not work in my experience, especially corn on corn.  I need to clear and make a seedbed.

With the grazing of the corn, the strip till (works between 4-6" deep) gets at least the surface compaction out, clears the residue and gives me a start on a warmer seedbed.  It doesn't always look like a garden behind the strip till rig but I have learned that the next day the Trashwheels on the planter break up most remaining clods and the Curvetines finish the job.

So I guess the answer to your question is for the "improved seedbed" compared to no tilling and improved seedbed at much less work and cost and erosion than making a seedbed by conventional methods, most of which I have tried. The strip till also is quick for a part timer like me and doesn't take much hp as I only have a smaller tractor. what I have seen in this system also helps me to understand our customers problems and points of view.

I hope that answers your question. Basically I do strip till CoC because in my soils and situation it "works". It also fits in with the finishing of my own steers by grazing the standing corn which itself is an experiment.

Jim at Dawn