Jack Boyer has an engineering background, so he’s not afraid to roll up his sleeves and attack equipment problems that come his way.

It has been said that winning in chess is all a matter of understanding how to leverage each piece and timing their moves just right. To move each piece of the 4R’s in the right way at the right time, you don’t need to be a chess master -- but mastering your technology is always a winning strategy.

In a new study, a South Dakota State University research team investigated farmers' viewpoints on the most influential factor behind adopting new technologies and practices: profitability.

"During a recent field technology day with Pacific Northwest growers we focused on helping growers to manage their minimum till operation as it changes throughout the growing season," says RDO agronomist Erin Hightower. "Growers asked us questions like: What tool can help me to manage pesticide application and input costs as the needs of my crop change?"

"I can watch my crop roots grow on my cell phone. Not literally, but I can tell you exactly what depth crops have rooted to in fields where we have installed weather stations with moisture probes," says Saskatchewan farmer Jake Leguee.

Keith Wendte manages data and analysis for his family’s 7,000-acre operation from an office more than 200 miles away in the Chicago area. He was an early adopter of precision farming technology nearly 30 years ago.

Farm data captured by farm management software systems is like playing “Money Ball” with your operation. With it, you could have a 2002 Oakland A’s baseball team’s storybook season instead of the 2013 Houston Astros team’s season with the longest losing streak in the baseball team’s history.

Megan and Eric Wallendal are breaking new ground on their farm — technological ground, that is.

Managing taxes, understanding the value of technology, smart equipment investments, and a proactive marketing plan all drive decision-making for Minnesota farmer Zach Johnson.