September 14, 2017

Managing Risk: A Conversation with Scott Farms

Scott Farms is a diversified crop farm. Operators include Brian, John, and Robert. Crops produced include corn, waxy corn, popcorn, soybeans, and seed soybeans. Scott Farms has a long history associated with the production of specialty crops, such as waxy corn. Specialty crops are utilized to enhance profitability and mitigate risk. As part of the farm’s efforts to improve its fertility program, variable-rate technology, side dressing of nitrogen, and drone technology are utilized. The use of cover crops has also been incorporated into the cropping systems.

TAGS:

cover crops, fertility, nitrogen, risk, specialty crops, technology

TEAM LINKS:

RELATED RESOURCES

Extracting Value from Precision Agriculture Technology is Difficult

March 26, 2026

Precision agriculture technology promises efficiency gains, but evidence shows most tools don’t improve farm performance. This analysis of Kansas farms highlights which technologies deliver measurable returns—and why management, learning, and farm efficiency level matter more than adoption alone.

Are Autonomous Farm Machines Economically Ready Yet?

February 2, 2026

Are autonomous machines financially competitive on today’s farms? Purdue research analyzes the real economics — from labor costs to hardware and subscription fees — and what it will take for autonomy to make sense at scale.

Financial Stress, Labor Decisions, and Farm Resilience: Tools to Evaluate Your Operation

January 29, 2026

Adding a family member or employee to a farm is a long-term financial decision. These slides and self-assessment tools help evaluate financial feasibility, strategic risk, and business resilience before expanding labor.

UPCOMING EVENTS

We are taking a short break, but please plan to join us at one of our future programs that is a little farther in the future.

POPULAR RESOURCES

See What Others Like >>