(NAFB) – The Association of Equipment Manufacturers, the American Soybean Association, the National Corn Growers Association, and CropLife America released a new study on precision ag.

The study shows that widely available precision agriculture technology improves environmental stewardship while providing a solid economic return for farmers.

“We’re living in a new age of technology, and the equipment can have an enormous positive impact on farmers and the environment,” says Curt Blades, Senior Vice President of Agriculture at the Association of Equipment Manufacturers.

The study shows several benefits, including a yield benefit through increased efficiency, reduced fertilizer usage due to more precise placement, fuel savings due to less overlap and better monitoring, and water savings through more accurate sensing of needs.

“The reductions in greenhouse gases this study illustrates shows that modern agriculture is part of the climate solution,” says Kellie Bray, Chief of Staff at CropLife America. “Fuel savings alone due to precision ag tools is the yearly equivalent of taking almost 200,000 cars off the road.”

Fossil fuel use has decreased an estimated six percent due to precision agriculture, and it has the potential to drop by as much as 16 percent.