Strip-till and precision farming technology intersect on many strip-tillers’ operations to improve efficiency and productivity. While auto-steer and GPS guidance are almost considered standard on many farms, there is increasing investment in RTK-level GPS correction systems.

Results of the 4^th Annual Strip-Till Operational Benchmark Study, which analyzed the 2016 cropping season of more than 450 strip-tillers from 20 states and Canada, revealed that use of RTK increased to a record high, with more than 81% of strip-tillers utilizing the high-accuracy GPS correction signal.

This is an 11% bump over 2013 data, the first year of the study.

So which is the most popular brand of GPS system among strip-tillers? For the fourth year in a row, John Deere maintained its stronghold by nearly a 2 to 1 margin over second place. About 43% of strip-tillers utilize Deere systems, consistent with the 2015 total.

Trimble held the second spot at about 22%, down slightly from the 2015 total, while Ag Leader was third with about 21%, up slightly from the year prior.

A closer look at the top 10% of study participants, based on corn and soybean yields, revealed a higher adoption rate of RTK, with 95% of this group utilizing the GPS correction signal.

A higher percentage of the top strip-tillers also favored Deere GPS systems, at 65%, a 4-point increase over 2015.

You can see more comprehensive analysis of the 4^th Annual Strip-Till Benchmark study to include breakdowns of equipment usage, fertilizing practices and yield data during a free, live webinar event on Monday, July 17. Visit www.StripTillFarmer.com for more information and to register.