Ray and his son, Kevin, farm 2,000 acres of corn and soybeans near Cedar Bluffs, Neb. With about 70% of their cropland irrigated, they are constantly looking for ways to improve yields while making more efficient use of nutrients and seeding rates.

Brand Dairy Farms is one of The Fertilizer Institute’s 2014 4R Advocate Award winners and precision farming equipment helped them attain it.

Ron Peterson, who farms 2,400 acres of corn and soybeans near Gilbert, Iowa, started using precision farming equipment in the 1990s with a yield monitor and hasn’t looked back. However, he remains skeptical about adopting new kid-on-the-block technology until he’s convinced it can pay its way.

Loran Steinlage could be considered one of the pioneers of precision farming.

With precision farming experience dating back to the mid-1990s, Chris Von Holten marvels at the progress it’s made. But he also laments the “Tower of Babel” approach the technology offers when sharing data.

With precision farming specialists in high demand, dealers can gain a competitive edge with internships, early recruiting and incentives.

Iott Seed Farms produces seed potatoes used to grow spuds for potato chips near Kalkaska in northwest Michigan. Owners Dennis and Greg Iott also grow wheat, rye and sudex in their potato rotation. This specialty crop presents challenges as the Iotts strive to collect better data to fine-tune their cropping system.

When Bill Rohloff stepped boldly into adopting precision equipment 2 years ago, the transition was a relatively smooth one.

Everybody likes a precision farming equipment story that ends happily ever after. For Jeff Toussaint, a fourth generation no-till farmer at Toussaint Farms near Medina, N.Y., his first foray into precision farming was more of a nightmare, and he attributes poor dealer support as the main reason for it.

Jacob Bolson works full time in agriculture and leverages that training and experience with Knutson Family Farms, which is operated by his in-laws near Hubbard, Iowa.