- gps with row shut offs (no guidance on our farm currently)   This one would definitely be my last practice to install.  Even though we have a lot of it on our farm, I feel there are other practices that bring more profit.   Thee exception would maybe be a yield monitor on your combine.   Assuming the majority of your crops are combine harvested.   The yield monitor, coupled with your soil test results can be used to create profitable fertilizer prescriptions.  

Soil testing and variable rate fertilizer applications would be my first practice to utilize.   The production gain and net cost savings, can be huge.  

Tiling would be my next practice to utilize.   That's assuming tile drainage is needed on your land as much as it has been on our farm.  If it's economically possible, I would buy the equipment to do the tiling myself.   Perhaps the economics could be better realized, if you can work with other farmers to do some tiling on their farms.  

Resist "new paint".   Old equipment can produce a crop as well as new equipment.  Most definitely.   Takes more preventative maintenance and attention to potential equipment wear issues, but avoiding new paint payments can be a good way to make more money.  


gordon