by Nick Emanuel, CropX Lead Marketing Agronomist
With commodity prices under pressure and input costs on the rise, growers are facing one undeniable truth: every input matters more than ever. From seed to nitrogen and everything in between, maximizing input efficiency is key to protecting your margins. But what about the tools that help optimize those inputs?
In an effort to cut costs, technology is often the first thing to get trimmed from the budget. But this can be a costly mistake. Without the right data and decision-making tools, your inputs—and ultimately your yields—won’t perform to their full potential.
Instead of asking what can I cut back on, consider this question instead:
“What proven technology can I invest in right now that will increase and sustain my profits?”
Water: The Input with the Biggest Impact
This year, no input will play a bigger role in determining your yield potential than water. Whether you irrigate with a pivot, drip system, or manage limited rainfall, the efficiency of your water use has a direct impact on your returns.
That’s where CropX comes in.
CropX uses advanced soil moisture sensors and farm management software to deliver precise, real-time data, helping you apply just the right amount of water at the right time. This not only protects your crops from water stress, but also improves the return on every other input—seed, fertilizer, herbicide—you’ve invested in.
The Numbers Speak for Themselves
Here’s a look at what a typical ROI scenario might look like using CropX on an irrigated cornfield:
- Field Size: 130 irrigated acres
- Average Yield: 250 bu/acre
- Grain Price: $4.00/bu
ROI Breakdown:
- Irrigation Savings (2 fewer pivot passes): $20/acre = $2,600
- Yield Increase (5% gain, conservatively): $50/acre = $6,500
- Investment in CropX (1 sensor + software): -$10/acre = -$1,300
Net Return: $60/acre = $7,800 total
ROI = +600% in Year One
And that’s just the beginning. These calculations don’t even factor in additional benefits like:
- Improved nitrogen use efficiency
- Reduced fungicide and pesticide applications
- Labor savings and better time management
- Enhanced overall farm management decisions
Why Growers Are Making the Switch
The benefits of adopting soil moisture technology like CropX are more than just compelling—they’re becoming essential. As growers seek to do more with less, CropX offers a practical, data-driven solution to increase efficiency and profitability, acre by acre.
With technology that pays for itself multiple times over, CropX isn’t an expense—it’s an investment in your bottom line.
Ready to Get Started?
Invest in CropX this season and make every drop of water—and every dollar—work harder for your operation.
Because when you can boost ROI by 600%, you can’t afford not to.
