What Does a Modern Farmer Do?
A modern Iowa farmer is a high-tech business owner, agronomist, equipment manager, risk manager, and grain marketer. Throughout a single crop year, farmers make hundreds of connected decisions involving soil preparation, seed selection, planting, fertility, crop protection, harvest, equipment, logistics, and marketing. Each choice can affect yield, income, and the future of the farm. When […]
How Has Farming Changed in the Last 25 Years?
Over the past 25 years, farming has shifted from manual, instinct-based practices to precision, technology-driven agriculture. GPS systems, drones, regenerative soil methods, and direct-to-consumer markets have reshaped how food is grown—and how Iowa farmland is valued by investors today. Farming in 1999 looked very different from farming today. Fields that once relied on a farmer’s […]
Why Are Larger Fields Easier to Farm?
Larger fields reduce equipment turns, lower fuel costs, and make precision agriculture tools more effective. Farmers who consolidate land can complete field operations faster, manage soil more consistently, and integrate technology at a scale that smaller, fragmented parcels simply can’t match. Drive through the Midwest during planting season and you’ll notice something: the biggest, most […]
AI Tools in Agriculture: Insights From the 2026 ISU Soil Management and Land Valuation Conference
Artificial intelligence is quickly becoming one of the most important technologies in modern agriculture. From autonomous tractors and crop scouting apps to livestock monitoring and yield prediction, AI tools are beginning to influence how farmers, agronomists, researchers, and agricultural businesses make decisions across the Midwest. During the 2026 ISU Soil Management and Land Valuation Conference, […]