Why Notill Farmers Dig Precision Ag

I've been running a precision ag crop consulting and software company since 2006. Prior to that I farmed full time. Fortunate for me, my father and I practiced notill farming and utilized yield monitors and variable rate technology. For me, it was normal... but since then, I've learned that the two practices go hand in hand. Now, I'm fortunate to work with several of the best in class for both of these practices. Here are my top reasons as to why these practices tend to converge.

 1. Early adoption... Both practices are relatively new in the whole scheme of farming. Leaders make decisions that result in change and these leaders are moving early.

 2. Management... let's face it, full width tillage is easier... and so is doing what you did last year. Both notill and precision ag require more management. Some say they adopt one or the other just for the challenge, while others say profit motivates them. I would agree with Farm Futures survey (need to get link) that shows highest profit farmers practice and enjoy both ...and reap the profit reward for their management.

 3. Speed... High profit farms tend to get more bushels in less time... both labor and machinery. This is accelerated by both techniques and multiplied when used together.

 4. Timing... Time is money, and timing is priceless. Notill and cover crops emphasize timing field operations with natural environment. Alongside this is data quest to understand what is working, both NOW (in field sensor), and what happen prior (yield monitor and rate trials.)

I firmly believe the most important element to farm profitability is timing. Making hay when the sun shines is about leveraging your brain and brawn to lower risks and increase rewards. It costs almost nothing to do it at the right time versus the wrong time... and with advances in notill machinery and precision technology the cropping system as a whole is more "forgiving" on timing. What do I mean by that? A well managed notill field can support machinery traffic before tillage can be performed and then the system loses less moisture to the atmosphere and soil to erosion all while increasing equipment speed per acre... and decreasing time spent per acre. This all adds up to better timing by the farmer.

 This is by no means comprehensive but were just a few things on my mind this evening. (plus, I was due for a blog post... my timing was getting behind!)

 Cheers and thanks to my readers for following!