Core Ideas Production‐scale conservation tillage systems had few effects on crop yields. Strip till had the least costs per hectare and may be more economical for farmers. Tillage affected only fungi/bacteria ratios out of 19 soil properties. Farmers’ presumed yield losses among tillage systems did not reflect actual yields. In the US upper Midwest, the narrow growing season causes many farmers to presume yield losses when reducing tillage. The purpose of this study was to determine how four production‐scale tillage systems affected residue cover, stand populations, crop yields, and soil chemical, biological, and physical properties. Tillage systems (chisel plow, fall strip‐till with shanks, spring strip‐till with coulters, and shallow vertical till) were continued for 4 yr. Tillage effects within a site were few and mixed (0.17–0.36 Mg ha−1 difference), whereas site effects were common (0.50–3.00 Mg ha−1 difference). Among 19 soil properties, only fungal/bacteria ratios differed among strip‐till with shanks (0.078) and strip‐till with coulters (0.066) at one site. Our results suggest that many farmers’ concerns about using conservation tillage practices do not necessarily translate into yield losses when compared to standard chisel plow practices. Economics and the level of erosion control among the tillage practices compared here, rather than yield alone, should guide farmer preferences.