Enhanced pest management For spraying, the farm uses Case IH AIM Command FLEXTM II, which regulates spray volume across each nozzle. This technology not only turns individual nozzles on or off, but also automatically adjusts to field turns by adjusting the spray volume, droplet size and pressure along the boom. This ensures crop protection products are applied at the correct rate across every acre, controlling weeds at the labeled rates for maximum control, avoiding weed resistance and the need for respraying. The result is more grain at harvest with fewer costly inputs.

“We don’t have to worry about the things that we had to think about 15 years ago because now our nozzles do it all for us,” he says.

As with the combine, AccuSync allows him to coordinate multiple sprayers. “By running two sprayers together with AIM Command FLEX II, we’re probably a minimum of 15%, possibly 20% more efficient. That’s a big saving in product effectiveness and great stewardship because there’s no over-application anywhere.”

For added operator productivity, the sprayer boom is also longer at 135 feet (41.18 meters), giving a further speed-of-coverage advantage. Combined with a smoother cab ride and more ergonomic joystick controls, the operators can cover more acres every day more accurately during the critical crop development period.

“In a day we cover twice the acres that we did ten years ago. And we still feel better at the end of it,” he says.

All application task data including herbicide rates and timing is automatically uploaded to FieldOps within the digital boundary for each field. Progress can be tracked through remote monitoring and visualization on Moreland’s smartphone, organized by grower, farm and field. Accurate field records also help with the landlord-tenant relationship.

“We have some landowners we farm for that pay a portion of the chemicals and fertilizers. Being able to get that data so we can bill it quickly and correctly is very important,” he says.

Higher efficiency and return on investment Moreland’s Trident 5550 is a liquid/dry combination applicator he bought to replace two older Trident machines: a 4520 and a 4540. When he first heard about the machine, he was skeptical that it could be more precise than the older ones. But it was. And the comfort level has improved as well.

Along with the time saved, there’s an increased input efficiency, too. With chemicals making up around one-third of the farm’s expenditure, it’s important to make that investment work as hard as possible.

“We’re getting a better return on our investment, particularly with herbicides, because of the way we can make the droplets attack the weeds properly. Also, there’s less overlap and skips in spraying. It goes back to being a good steward of the environment,” he says.

Nitrogen management feedback loop In addition to pest management, Morland Farms takes special interest in nitrogen application management as this is a key driver of profitability. A new data stream was introduced in 2024, with maps generated during harvest that monitor grain protein and nitrogen recovery to improve efficiency.

The optimal protein level in wheat grain is 12%. If it is over that, the plant has taken up more nitrogen than it needed without any additional yield. Harvestability can also be negatively affected due to increased disease pressure. If not enough nitrogen is applied during the growing season, it can result in protein levels under 12%, leading to a lower price from the flour mills.

“The protein levels are linked to both the timing and rate of nitrogen we apply. With FieldOps, our nitrogen management is easier because we can easily see how much we applied and when, and compare that to the protein levels in the harvested crop in a neat feedback loop, so we apply exactly the right amount each year,” he says. “It’s like a harvest report card.”

This feedback loop is also important for managing the farm’s carbon footprint. As Moreland explains: “The nitrogen on our fields is one of the biggest emissions drivers in grain production. If we can manage that nitrogen more efficiently and better, we can keep our carbon footprint down. What I love is that it’s a best environmental practice and it’s a best economic practice, too.”

Future potential Moreland also credits his operational success to the exceptional after-sales support he receives from his Case IH dealer, KanEquip Inc., which has consistently ensured farm uptime over the years.

Looking to the future, he hopes that one day this verified record-keeping will help reassure consumers who want to make purchasing choices at the grocery store that included minimal use of herbicides. “I think this will become vital. With detailed field data we have the ability to show high-quality, traceable food production and good land stewardship. This is something many consumers will want,” he says.

He can also imagine this information being accessible to the consumer through a QR code on a loaf of bread. “People will scan the code and see where the flour came from. They’ll see our grandkids standing in front of a row of our 8260 combines and a 50 series sprayer, and everybody at the grocery store will just feel assured by knowing where their food comes from. They’ll know they bought a product that was produced in the most environmentally friendly and sustainable way. That’s good for the people who produced it, good for our community and good for the consumer,” he says.

What’s more, Moreland can see a time when his data platform will be his AI assistant, recalling records from years ago that are relevant to that day, week or month, checking inventories of fuel, herbicide and fertilizer against need. Similarly, he can see the benefit of systems monitoring field conditions. A real-time “too wet” indicator for each field could assist with daily task planning. Likewise, “too dusty” could prompt an operator to clean an air filter or radiator before the machine underperforms, or worse, is damaged.

“Give me all those numbers. All that benchmarking. These are the kind of tools that can scale to benefit our business,” he says.

But that’s not to diminish the extraordinary progress made to date.

“When I started farming, there’s no way I could have imagined that technology could be so important. It’s been a real step-change. My grandma lived through some pretty revolutionary times for farming. She watched her father sell his team of horses to buy a tractor.

“The technology of guidance, precision and application data have allowed us to learn so much. Those changes may be larger than even what she lived through and they are definitely making us better stewards of the land,” he says. Moreland Farms is taking steps with the long-term view in mind, while already seeing the benefits of data-based, fact-driven management in a digital world.