Economics of Precision Agricultural Technologies Across the Great Plains

Precision agricultural technologies, such as guidance systems and automatic section controllers, have given farmers the ability to more effectively apply crop inputs such as fertilizer, pesticides, and seed. More efficient use of inputs often can be translated into higher yields and/or lower costs, but the costs and benefits likely vary across regions. Our research incorporates over 500 real-world cropland fields from farms in Colorado, Kansas, and Nebraska to help answer the research question: What are the economics of investing in guidance systems and automatic section controllers for sprayers, and how do these vary across different regions of the Great Plains?