FOR US NO-TILLERS, planters are perhaps the most important tool on our farm. High yields are attainable when seeds are spaced evenly and planted at the right depth, without sidewall compaction and contact with residue.

It makes sense to scrutinize the financial returns of precision ag technology costs, says Matt Darr, an Iowa State University ag engineer. But Darr says farmers continually remind him about the intangible benefits of using these tools that in many cases are just as important as dollars-and-cents justification.