Farming operations must become more profitable per acre to survive times like these. The profitable farming operations have been surveyed and they have revealed that lower costs, higher yields per acre, and the attention to detail does reward management. Screening yield monitor data for trends is often a detail overlooked. This data has a wealth of knowledge if we better utilize this new technology. This paper will step though one aspect of how to manage data that is often regarded as a useless tool to production agriculture.

Most producers know areas within a field are costing them significantly more than they are returning. These areas often times could be better managed by proper drainage, adding lime, or perhaps taking areas out of production in extreme situations. A return on investment map provides the producer evidence that improvements need to implemented. The time period these improvements can be paid for can also be estimated from the maps. The recent technology leaps in geographical information systems, (GIS) have allowed producers, consultants, and university professionals the opportunity to observe how the specific areas within a field perform financially. It all starts with acquiring quality yield monitor data on the best and worst fields we farm.