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.

Farmer health and safety is a part of more conversations than ever, and the latest agriculture and equipment technology offers new levels of not just productivity and efficiency but safety, too, through real-time communication and data.

“If you’re not growing, you’re dying,” says Skip Klinefelter, owner of the fast-growing independent group, Linco-Precision LLC. “However, don’t grow just for growth’s sake.”

Precision specialists often wear many hats — service technician, salesperson, business owner, farmer. The list goes on and on. Bruce West barely has enough closet space for the number of hats (and capes) he wears as owner of West Enterprises, an independent precision ag hardware and software dealer in Erie, Ill.

Precision Farming Dealer editors were on the ground for the Farm Progress Show in Decatur, Ill, where the latest and greatest precision technology stole the show. Here are some of our top takeaways from Decatur.

Growers in the top corn, soybean and wheat producing states are almost twice as likely to use precision technology than growers in other states, according to the most recent USDA Technology Use report released on Thursday.

"Farmers in Australia tend to embrace precision technology quickly because we need it in order to survive," says David McGavin, co-founder of Precision Seeding Solutions.