Precision conservation offers alternative to traditional farming

Editor's Note: This column is co-authored by Mark McConnell, associate professor in the MSU Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- What began as a wildlife conservation idea has grown into a business solution for farmers across Mississippi and the United States.

Developed through the Forest and Wildlife Research Center at Mississippi State University, the Precision Conservation Tool, or PCT, is a decision-making software that identifies exact locations where conservation practices will be the most economically beneficial to farmers on specific areas of their land. In other words, this tool helps farmers make more profit by farming fewer acres. Though it may sound strange, results show that balancing agriculture with conservation benefits both the land and the farmers’ bottom line.

The concept is simple: Not all acres can produce equally. Sandy ridges, soggy lowlands and other marginal areas often cost more to farm than they return. While tradition keeps farmers working every acre, yield data reveals that these areas drain time, money and resources. They can also worsen environmental issues such as erosion, fertilizer and pesticide runoff, soil health and habitat loss for wildlife and pollinators. The solution is precision conservation, an approach that simply identifies underperforming acres and offers profitable alternatives to traditional farming.

The PCT uses factors including multi-year yield data, input costs, digital maps and market prices to create a profitability map. Unlike standard yield maps, this tool shows where farmers make or lose money per acre. Profitable zones appear green, while unprofitable zones appear red, considering expenses like seed, fertilizer, fuel, labor and equipment costs.

A 2022 MSU study in Lowndes County using the PCT found that farmers could boost their net revenue by an average of 24% by enrolling their least profitable acres into the Conservation Reserve Program, or CRP. In some fields, revenue increased 100% to more than 265%, while in other fields, there was an increase of 1-5%. This shows that conservation and profitability can go hand in hand when approached strategically.

Beyond identifying problems, the PCT provides solutions. It estimates how much revenue farmers could make from enrolling their unproductive acres into U.S. Department of Agriculture conservation programs like CRP, which offer customized conservation plans grounded in economic data. The PCT aligns with more than 30 USDA Farm Bill conservation practices, including CP-21 filter strips, CP-33 habitat buffers for upland birds and CP-42 pollinator habitat. Retiring vulnerable acres can reduce erosion, improve soil health, protect water quality and enhance wildlife habitat -- all while strengthening farm profits.

Strategic conservation on marginal acres can restore native plant communities, creating habitat for declining species like the bobwhite quail, whose populations have declined more than 85% since the 1960s. Conservation plantings can also benefit songbirds, upland birds and threatened and endangered species struggling with habitat loss and fragmentation—the breaking up of habitats into smaller, isolated areas. Pollinators gain as well with wildflowers supporting honeybees, other wild bees, butterflies, moths, flies, wasps, ants, beetles and other pollinators critical to ecosystem health.

The PCT does not change how farmers operate, but it helps them to operate more profitably. Most acres are still best-suited for farming, but some areas bring greater value through conservation. By providing economic data to support decision-making, the tool helps farmers maximize both profits and conservation benefits.

For a free demonstration on your farm, contact Mark D. McConnell at mdm380@msstate.edu or 662-325-2144.