Precision conservation: Putting ag tech and data to work on Ohio farms

By John Fulton and Elizabeth Hawkins, Ohio State University

Many Ohio farmers use precision agriculture tools every day, such as yield maps, GNSS guidance, and variable-rate technology, to manage crops more efficiently. Precision conservation builds on those same tools, but with a different goal to help farmers decide where conservation practices make the most sense on their farms.

Simply put, precision conservation means using field data to target conservation practices to the acres that need them most. Instead of treating every acre the same, it looks at multi-year yield maps, profit maps, soil type, drainage, and topography to identify spots that consistently lose money or create management challenges. These may be wet holes that never dry out, eroded slopes, compacted headlands, or field edges that rarely produce a payback. Rather than continuing to invest seed, fertilizer, and time in those areas, farmers can shift them into conservation practices that improve both profitability and environmental performance.

The value to Ohio farms is straightforward. By taking unprofitable acres out of crop production, farmers can reduce input costs, improve overall field profitability, and protect yield on their best acres. Targeted practices such as grassed waterways, filter strips, saturated buffers, cover crops, or wetland restoration can also reduce soil erosion, limit nutrient runoff, and improve drainage and soil health. Many of these practices are eligible for cost-share through programs like EQIP, CSP, and Ohio’s H2Ohio initiative, helping offset establishment costs.

At Ohio State University, precision conservation has become a focus. The Digital Agriculture Team within Ohio State University Extension is leading efforts to help farmers turn yield and profit data into practical conservation decisions. This work is closely tied to the eFields program, which uses on-farm research across Ohio to evaluate practices and precision technologies under real-world conditions. Through eFields, farmers can understand how targeted conservation strategies perform agronomically, economically, and environmentally on working farms.

Precision conservation is not about farming less land; it’s about farming smarter. By matching the right practice to the right place, Ohio farmers can protect soil and water resources while strengthening the bottom line.

To learn more, read the new Ohio State University Extension fact sheet, Precision Conservation: Targeted Conservation Practices for Profitable and Sustainable Crop Production, available at:
https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/fabe-0562