Nobody has more invested in the health of this land than the people who farm it.

Farmers watch the sky, read the soil, and make decisions each season knowing that what they do today shapes what the land can do for the next generation. But these decisions are only truly sustainable if they also make sense for the business. 

PCM was built by IL Corn in 2015 to identify win-win decisions that give farmers a healthier bottom line AND healthier land. In our experience, those two things go together more often than people expect.

Our dataset focuses in analyzing the environmental and economic outcomes of tillage systems, nitrogen management, and cover crops. Here’s why:

Tillage

Reduced tillage builds the kind of soil structure that holds water, supports healthy crops, and stays put when it rains. Farmers who’ve made the shift to no-till or strip-till aren’t just protecting their topsoil, they’re protecting their margins. The most profitable fields in our dataset are mostly using lighter tillage systems like no till, strip till, or 1-pass of light tillage. 

Fewer passes. Less fuel. Less time. And more to show for it at the end of the season.

Nutrient Management

The data on nitrogen management shows a clear winning strategy for farmers. Managing nitrogen at the right rate, in the right place, at the right time is both the most effective thing a farmer can do to improve nitrogen use efficiency AND one of the most meaningful ways to protect water quality. In all 11 years of PCM’s data analysis, the most profitable N rate has NEVER been above 200 lbs of n/a. For most farmers, this means a smaller fertilizer bill, improved profitability, and better environmental outcomes. Win-win-win! 

Cover Crops

Cover crops provide a year-round living root system that holds soil in place, captures residual nutrients, and builds the organic matter that makes ground more productive for decades. PCM helps farmers evaluate where and when it makes sense for their operation with real data on costs, incentive programs, and what the most profitable farms in the dataset are actually doing.

Earth Day

On a day when a lot of voices are talking about caring for the earth, we want to say something straightforward:

Farmers already do. They always have. PCM’s job is to provide the tools, the data, and the experts to help them make in-field decisions with confidence.

Ready to see what your field data can tell you? Learn more and enroll for free at PrecisionConservation.org/farmers