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Farmers across the Midwest are turning to data—right from their soil—to make smarter decisions in the field.
Companies like Agronomy365 are using advanced soil sampling and analysis to collect detailed data from individual land masses, helping growers better understand what their ground needs to be more productive.
According to Devin Baker, Technical Agronomist at BW Fusion, “We’re able to utilize a lot of high definition imagery, soil color, soil texture, a lot more topography, elevation. And that’s the way we’re able to build those maps out is, is taking 20, 30 years of data, compiling it. And then we’re able to build the map. So from an efficiency standpoint, it’s made us a lot more efficient. And then we’ve also introduced, you know, an online platform website, where we’re continuing to innovate on there. And so now we actually are able to plug in a soil test. You can plug in your passes. So if you do two by two and you side dress and you may do a late season wide drop in fungicide, you can plug your passes in. It’s going to credit you for the passes you made. So you know wide drops are more efficient than a side Dress and a side dress is more efficient than a broadcast. And so it’s actually going to give you those credits and those efficiencies and spit out a recommendation.”
The result is more precise use of fertilizer and inputs, improved soil health, and stronger yield potential—especially important as margins tighten and sustainability becomes a bigger priority.
Baker adds, “When we’re able to have that level of data and information and science behind us talking about a product and recommending a product, it separates us, in my opinion, from everybody else. Just having that level of data and information, to be able to use to sit down with a grower and say, hey, I’m confident that this is the right product or product mix for you based off your goals, based off your soil, based off this map. And so that part is has really blown up on our business and something we’re extremely excited about.”
As planting decisions approach, Baker says data-driven soil insights are becoming a key tool in keeping Midwest farmland fertile, efficient, and ready for the future.