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Tracking farm data for better farm management

A Purdue University ag economist says data tracking and storage is key to effective farm management.

Michael Langemeier said technology’s development is outpacing its application. He tells Brownfield farmers need to use foresight with technology and think of it like a suite, not just individual components.

“Maybe that technology is going to fit in with some other technology that’s coming two years down the road, that a planter technology along with these other technologies are going to enable me to improve management in the field,” Langemeier said.

Langemeier said if farmers can better understand their operations on a field-by-field basis, rather than as a whole, they can better manage their benefit cost…

“In areas of the field where they really don’t need the average level of fertilizer because that area’s not going to respond to the fertilizer, you’re going to reduce the yield a little bit perhaps by reducing the fertilizer but you’re going to save cost,” he said.

Langemeier said keeping track of input use and outcomes will also benefit farms as more practices become automized.