New Study Finds Farmers Can Cut Input Costs, Avoid Millions of Tons of GHGs Using Yield Stability Analysis

1/3 of Midwest Cropland Identified as Low-Yielding, Costing Farmers $200/Acre

PARK RIDGE, IL, UNITED STATES, December 3, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A new report by the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers in Action (USFRA) finds farmers can increase profitability and reduce greenhouse gas emissions using Yield Stability Analysis (YSA), a transformative solution for tailoring nitrogen management to field performance history.

The report, “Enhancing Farm Profitability Through Nitrogen Efficiency and Yield Stability,”

authored by Dr. Bruno Basso and Dr. Jerry Hatfield, highlights an innovative approach known as Yield Stability Analysis (YSA). YSA is a data-driven method that uses historical data to help farmers identify which areas of their fields are consistently high-, medium-, or low-yielding. By identifying these areas, farmers can tailor nitrogen fertilizer use to save money and reduce emissions and nutrient runoff.

The study builds on USFRA’s landmark research published last year, “Potential for U.S. Agriculture to Be Greenhouse Gas Negative,” which identified nitrogen management as a key opportunity to improve farmer profitability and resilience.

Nitrogen Efficiency Unlocks Farmer Profit, Improves Environmental Outcomes

Analysis of long-term yield data shows that nearly 1/3 of U.S. corn and soybean acres, approximately 24 million in total, qualify as persistently low-yielding zones. These low and stable areas not only generate lower returns but also waste half of the nitrogen applied, costing farmers up to $200 per acre. By adjusting fertilizer application based on stability zones, farmers can improve nitrogen efficiency, enhance profitability and lower the carbon intensity of production.

“This research demonstrates that precision agriculture isn’t just about technology — it’s about transforming variability into opportunity,” said Dr. Bruno Basso, Michigan State University professor and study co-author. “By understanding how fields perform over time, farmers can make smarter nitrogen decisions that improve their profitability and reduce the environmental footprint of their operations.”

Modeling scenarios show reducing nitrogen fertilizer in low and stable zones could reduce emissions by roughly 746 kg of CO₂-equivalent per hectare, reducing the carbon intensity of ethanol production by up to 12 g CO₂e per MJ in those zones — without compromising yields elsewhere.

“Our analysis shows that improved nitrogen management isn’t just good for the environment—it’s good for farmers’ profitability,” said Dr. Jerry Hatfield, co-author of the study. “By using yield data to pinpoint where fertilizer isn’t paying off, farmers can save money, reduce emissions, and strengthen the sustainability of U.S. agriculture.”

Key Strategies Identified

The study identifies two primary strategies for farmers to optimize efficiency in low and stable zones:
- Variable-rate nitrogen management, which optimizes fertilizer use by applying less in low-response zones and more where crops benefit most — saving $30–40 per acre and reducing carbon emissions.
- Precision conservation, which repurposes chronically low-yielding acres for pollinator habitat, forage, or bioenergy feedstocks, creating new income streams through ecosystem services or carbon markets.

Many farmers may choose to develop a nutrient management plan that combines variable-rate application in moderately productive areas with precision conservation in persistently poor zones, optimizing economic and environmental outcomes.

“Farmers are continually innovating to produce more with less,” said Kevin Burkum, CEO of U.S. Farmers & Ranchers in Action. “This research offers a clear, science-based roadmap that links economic success with improved soil health and environmental progress.

Click here to view the full report.

This report is supported by Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board, and the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council.