As the saying goes, “You can’t manage what you can’t measure” and as a farmer in today’s high-stakes crop production industry, why would you want to take the risk? That’s exactly why so many farmers have chosen to be members of Total Acre. This innovative program helps producers track and showcase steady improvements on their farms by using data-driven best management practices that maximize their return on investment (ROI).
At the heart of Total Acre is its bellringer program Yield Management System (YMS), a custom-built software designed to store farm data and deliver actionable insights for better decision-making. As Minnesota farmer Terry Wellman states, The YMS system is really robust and impressive. There’s nothing else like it. It’s become a one-stop shop—you can use as much or as little of it as you want.”
So, what makes YMS such a revolutionary tool? It’s all about the ability to harness the power of technology to drive precision-based strategies. The system collects and analyzes data, from soil and tissue samples to nutrient applications, helping farmers optimize yields and make informed decisions. For example, YMS provides real-time analytics from tissue sampling, allowing growers to track nutrient updates and make timely adjustments throughout the growing season.
Since its launch, YMS has collected over 243,000 soil samples, 76,000 tissue samples, and more than 224,000 product applications. This extensive database enables farmers to develop customized strategies for their crops. Delaware farmer, Brent Willin, shares, “The tissue sampling capability is the biggest benefit for my operation. With YMS, it is not a question of ‘Do we need to do this, or do we need to do that,’? We trust what the system tells us.” Willin, who relies heavily on the information he gleaned from YMS knows he would not want to be part of an organization if they didn’t have an innovative technology tool with the capability proven by YMS.
One of the newer features added to YMS is its Nutrient Power Ranking (NPR) scoring. This advanced tissue analysis highlights nutrient imbalances and identifies the best timing for nutrient applications. As Iowa farmer Andrew Focht explains, “YMS is so vital. It allows me to critique different nutrients and see how other grower members utilize nutrients and different products throughout the growing season.” Focht acknowledges that farmers sometimes don’t know how valuable all the data they can access can be to their farming operation.
YMS allows Total Acre members to unlock their farm’s potential. Members not only gain access to cutting-edge technology but also benefit from a nationwide grower network. By studying data from other farmers and industry leaders, they can learn, adapt, and refine their farming practices. YMS offers tools that simplify data entry and management, such as bulk data options and reminders for key tasks, all factors that save time and confirm consistency in data. Overall, Total Acre’s YMS empowers farmers to embrace sustainable practices, make informed decisions, and achieve improved results season after season.
Visit www.totalacre.com to learn more about YMS and Total Acre.