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From Data To Information: The Value Of Sampling Vs. Sensing Soil Data

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  • Swinton, Scott M.
  • Jones, Kezelee Q.

Abstract

A conceptual model is developed to measure the value of information from in-field soil sensing technologies as compared with grid and other soil sampling methods. Soil sensing offers greater spatial accuracy and the potential to apply inputs such as nitrogen fertilizer immediately, avoiding changes in nutrient status that occur with delays between soil sampling and fertilizer application. By contrast, soil sampling offers greater measurement accuracy, because it does not rely on proxy variables such as electrical conductivity to infer nutrient status. The average profitability and relative riskiness of soil sensing versus sampling depend upon 1) the trade-off between, on the one hand, the spatial and temporal accuracy of sensing and, on the other hand, the measurement accuracy of sampling, 2) the cost of data collection, and 3) input and product prices. Similar trade-offs govern the relative riskiness of sensing versus sampling.

Suggested Citation

  • Swinton, Scott M. & Jones, Kezelee Q., 1998. "From Data To Information: The Value Of Sampling Vs. Sensing Soil Data," Staff Paper Series 11674, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:midasp:11674
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.11674
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Bruce A. Babcock & Alicia L. Carriquiry & Hal S. Stern, 1996. "Evaluation of Soil Test Information in Agricultural Decision‐Making," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series C, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 45(4), pages 447-461, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Pautsch, Gregory R. & Babcock, Bruce A. & Breidt, F. Jay, 1999. "Optimal Information Acquisition Under A Geostatistical Model," Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Western Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 24(2), pages 1-25, December.
    2. Walton, Jonathan C. & Lambert, Dayton M. & Roberts, Roland K. & Larson, James A. & English, Burton C. & Larkin, Sherry L. & Martin, Steven W. & Marra, Michele C. & Paxton, Kenneth W. & Reeves, Jeanne , 2008. "Adoption and Abandonment of Precision Soil Sampling in Cotton Production," Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Western Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 33(3), pages 1-21.
    3. Antle, John M. & Capalbo, Susan Marie & Mooney, Sian, 1999. "Optimal Spatial Scale For Evaluating Economic And Environmental Tradeoffs," 1999 Annual meeting, August 8-11, Nashville, TN 21660, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    4. Rejesus, Roderick M. & Nelson, Carl H., 2000. "Determinants Of The Value Of Site-Specific Information (Ssi) In Agriculture: A Unifying Theory To Analyze Its Relative Impacts," 2000 Annual meeting, July 30-August 2, Tampa, FL 21779, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    5. Swinton, Scott M., 2002. "Capturing household-level spatial influence in agricultural management using random effects regression," Agricultural Economics, Blackwell, vol. 27(3), pages 371-381, November.

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