The impacts on actual corn production costs and returns were analyzed. Tillage, fertilization, and herbicide alternatives are reported. Both stubble and ridge till planting had lower costs per bushel and higher returns per acre than conventional tillage. Banding of fertilizer and, to a lesser extent, manure management had lower costs per bushel and higher returns per acre than broadcast application of fertilizer. Manure applications increased both diesel fuel use and time required per acre. Since corn yields by herbicide application method varied in the same order as the cash rent cost (a proxy for land quality), the differences between application method may be due to both factors. These observations were from one year and a few farms so should be interpreted with caution; more data is being collected in 1990.