As Stillman Valley, Ill. farmer, Cade Bushnell, rolls out newer technology on his 1,300 acre farm, he’s had a lot of luck with mechanical alterations. But he’s still striving to tap the potential that precision data can provide and one of his biggest frustrations is adequately analyzing data pulled from equipment to make informed adjustments to his operation.

Hardware is often cited as the foundation on which many precision farming businesses are built and revenue generated from component sales has traditionally been the pathway to profitability.

Returning from the second Precision Farming Dealer Summit last week in St. Louis, I am slowly sifting through a notebook of takeaways accumulated during formal sessions, roundtable discussions and hallway conversations.