CropLife Magazine-Purdue Precision Agriculture Dealership Survey
The CropLife Magazine-Purdue Precision Agriculture Dealership Survey is the longest-running, continuous benchmark of precision farming technology adoption, dating back to 1996. For nearly three decades, it has tracked how ag retailers are investing in, delivering, and profiting from precision tools and services.
Each edition examines the technologies shaping modern retail operations, including:
- Grid and zone soil sampling
- Variable-rate fertilizer application (VRT)
- Machine vision weed detection
- Satellite and aerial imagery
- UAV/drone imagery
- Robotic crop scouting
- Data analysis and decision support tools
Beyond adoption trends, the survey explores what retailers’ farmer customers are implementing, which services are most profitable, and what economic or operational factors are influencing decision-making.
Facts and Figures
ROI on Older vs. Newer Ag Tech Tools
64% of ag retailers say soil sampling and variable rate fertilizer still make money for them while 33% say some newer systems such as machine vision weed detection spraying systems are a money loser for them.
Dealer Attitudes About AI
40% of dealers say AI will lead to better agronomic recommendations while just 18% say it will reduce their operational costs.
Source: 2026 CropLife-Purdue Precision Agriculture Dealership Survey
Key Findings from the 2025 Survey
The 2025 CropLife Magazine-Purdue Precision Agriculture Dealership Survey provides a clear snapshot of how precision adoption is evolving in a tighter margin environment. Based on responses from dealer input suppliers serving corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, and other field crops, the report reveals both stability and transition in today’s precision landscape.
“Precision agriculture continues to evolve and understanding what technologies retailers are using — and why — helps the industry make smarter decisions about where to invest next.”
— Bruce Erickson, Purdue University
Core technologies like autoguidance and sprayer boom/nozzle control remain widely utilized. At the same time, interest is accelerating in next-generation capabilities such as machine vision, drone applications, and expanded variable-rate technologies. Meanwhile, some long-standing services — including precision soil sampling and yield monitoring — show signs of recalibration as retailers refine their business focus amid economic uncertainty.
The report also highlights the primary barriers to growth: farm income pressure, cost concerns, labor shortages, equipment investment hurdles, and margin challenges.
Gain deeper insight into where precision ag is headed — and what it means for your business.
Explore the 2026 Precision Agriculture Dealership Survey Results
The survey findings, presented at the 2026 Tech Hub LIVE by Purdue’s Bruce Erickson, are now available. Read the latest insights on precision agriculture dealerships.
Survey Archive
(Survey conducted annually through 2009; semiannually from 2009 to 2019, then annually again.)