Business Case for Conservation Challenges Conventional Thinking on Farm Management Practices

Illinois farmers should soon be receiving a copy of the 2020 Precision Conservation Management research summary, titled The Business Case for Conservation. The publication attempts to help farmers understand the financial impacts of implementing certain conservation practices on their farms in Central Illinois.

Importantly, the entire summary and resulting recommendations encourage farmers to suspend the belief that producing more equals earning more. Profitability can be maximized at lower yields if input costs are also significantly lower.

While the publication highlights general conclusions from Illinois farms regarding nitrogen application and tillage, PCM experts also dive into the outcomes from our significantly wet 2019 planting season. As they analyze this data, the emerging trend is that the highest rate of return for corn farmers on high SPR soils was realized when the Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) was 1.0 lb N/bu or lower.

< Older Post

Newer Post >

The sun is setting behind the capitol building in washington d.c.

Budget Reconciliation Bill Passes Congress

By Lyndi Allen • July 3, 2025

Illinois corn farmers will be impacted by many provisions in the Budget Reconciliation Bill that passed in both chambers this week.

Importance of Trade Series: Ethanol

By Lyndi Allen • July 3, 2025

Trade plays a critical role in driving demand for U.S. corn—not only as grain or feed, but also as fuel.

Corn: More American Than Apple Pie

By Lindsay Croke • June 30, 2025

When we think of Independence Day traditions, sweet corn on the cob is as iconic as fireworks and often even more central to the celebration. According to Instacart, purchases of sweet corn surge by 380% over the annual average heading into July 4th, outranking other grilling staples like baby back ribs and burgers. But corn's role in your Fourth of July celebration goes far beyond your plate. In Illinois alone, 8,300 acres of sweet corn are harvested annually, averaging 155 cwt per acre. That’s more than 128 million pounds of locally grown sweetness fueling summer cookouts across the state. And while sweet corn makes a big impression on the grill, most of Illinois’ corn crop isn’t sweet corn - it’s field corn. Less than 1% of the state’s crop is sweet corn, while the rest is used in products that are often invisible to consumers but vital to everyday life: fuel, packaging, fireworks, and even spirits.