Enhancing Farm Profitability Through Nitrogen Efficiency and Yield Stability

December 4, 2025

A new report authored by Dr. Bruno Basso and Dr. Jerry Hatfield, “Enhancing Farm Profitability Through Nitrogen Efficiency and Yield Stability”, 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.

“This research demonstrates that precision agriculture isn’t just about technology — it’s about transforming variability into opportunity,” said Dr. Bruno Basso, “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.”

Read the full article at U.S. Farmers & Ranchers or read the study at Crop & Soils Magazine