To make practical decisions about conservation practices, farmers consider many factors including equipment, operating costs, soil composition and yield drag. Most importantly, they consider the investment costs versus cost savings.

Residue management is relatively inexpensive to improve, decreases runoff and soil erosion and improves overall soil composition and yield. There are many management considerations to explore before deciding on a residue management system for your farm. Each system results in varying equipment costs, labor, yields, and environmental issues.

Read more about Residue Management: Figuring the Bottom Line

Also Crop Residue: An Economic Resource

AgDecision Maker An agricultural economics and business web site containing information and tools to aid in farming operations.

Energy (tillage) Estimator A tool from Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) developed to estimate diesel fuel use and costs in the production of key crops in your area and compares potential energy savings between conventional tillage and alternative tillage systems.

I-FARM integrated crop and livestock production and biomass planning tool

Iowa Soybean Association's Certified Environmental Management Systems for Agriculture (CEMSA) Program assists farmers in establishing an environmental management framework that will help them profitably address environmental issues and concerns in their operation. Visit their Energy Analysis information: http://www.isafarmnet.com/ep/energyanalysis.html

Information about on-farm energy management: Conservation Resource Brief (NRCS)

Economics of Residue Iowa Learning Farm information sheet