Gary Wolf likes to look for cues in the environment to help guide his farming practices. He knew it was time to start thinking seriously about water conservation practices when armadillos started showing up for the first time ever on his 500-acre farm near Verona, Mo.

It’s no secret that farmers are continuing to be more conservative with their new equipment purchases until the tide turns on the commodities market. This approach also extends to precision technology, although strip-tillers may be more willing to flex the budget depending on the return-on-investment potential.