Extension Notebook: Empower your operation with data-intensive farm management

With increasingly tight profit margins and the growing cost of inputs, there is a need to improve the overall profitability of farming. One way researchers and farmers are working together to do this is through data-intensive farm management. DIFM uses precision agriculture technology to conduct large-scale, on-farm field trials. This program collects data on how crop yields respond to input application rates, field characteristics, and weather. The goal of the program is to increase profitability by making data-driven management decisions.

DIFM utilizes advanced technology to conduct relevant, on-farm field trials. By gathering and analyzing data on how crop yields react to varying input application rates and specific field conditions, DIFM enables farmers to make informed, data-driven decisions using their existing tools. Precision agriculture tools, like variable rate planters, utilize uploaded shapefiles to design customized trials for each farm. Combines equipped with yield monitors collect data to analyze the trials’ impact on yield. DIFM employs precision agriculture to pinpoint the needs of an operation and optimize nitrogen input and seeding rates for the best return.

Data ownership and privacy are core principles of DIFM. Farmers retain ownership of their data, and any information collected through the program will not be shared without their consent. The data may be utilized for academic research to validate DIFM’s methods and demonstrate their effectiveness. This experimental data encompasses various variables such as seeding rates, nitrogen rates, and crop hybrids. DIFM offers a platform for analyzing this data, providing farmers with valuable insights to inform their decisions for future growing seasons.

According to Dr. David Bullock, University of Illinois professor, DIFM has the potential to change how agronomy is done by assisting farmers to better understand their fields and make profitable management decisions. Most Illinois farmers already possess the necessary precision agriculture equipment but may need assistance in what to do with all the data they collect. DIFM offers support, ensuring the data is processed and analyzed to provide insights for crop consultants and farmers.

There are no additional costs associated with being a part of the DIFM program. Participants receive compensation from the program, including coverage for any yield losses associated with the trial. This ensures farmers can engage in field-scale trials without financial risk.

DIFM aims to be as user-friendly as possible, working closely with farmers and crop consultants to simplify the system. Farmers can design their own trials, or they can collaborate with Bullock, ensuring they receive compensation for any potential yield loss.

For farmers interested in finding ways to incorporate conservation within their operation, DIFM is working toward incorporating cover crop research. A proposal has been submitted to subsidize farmers to do cover crop trials. For researchers, DIFM provides a system of thousands of trials with consistent protocols and clean data. Bullock believes that DIFM would provide an efficient way to do science on cover crops.

With sidedress applications around the corner, now is a good time to consider joining the DIFM program or keep it in mind for the next growing season. If you are interested in learning more, you can contact Bullock at dsbulloc@illinois.edu, check out the DIFM.farm website, and listen to Bullock’s interview on Episode 63 of the NLRS podcast (go.illinois.edu/NLRS_Episode63).

Rachel Curry is a University of Illinois Extension agriculture and agribusiness educator and is part of Illinois Extension’s Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy implementation team.