Customer Story · Clark & Champaign Counties, Ohio
Neer Farms
Turning precision into profit on a fifth-generation Ohio farm
Eric Neer is a fifth-generation farmer growing corn and soybeans in Clark and Champaign counties, Ohio. For Neer Farms, technology pays off in the basics: less overlap, less stress on the crew and a full field history in the palm of his hand.
At a Glance
| Customer | Neer Farms, Clark and Champaign counties, Ohio |
|---|---|
| Farming | Corn and soybeans |
| People | Eric Neer, fifth-generation farmer, and his dad, Bart Neer |
| Technology | ExactApply, Machine Sync, AutoTrac, row clutches, Operations Center |
| Koenig team | Urbana, Ohio store · Justin Rose, Customer Account Manager |
The Results, in Their Words
About $1,500
saved in the first weekend with ExactApply
3–3.5% → tenths of a %
overlap on acres and rate
About 20 years
of AutoTrac on the farm
5th generation
farming in Clark and Champaign counties
Profit Starts at the Sprayer
“When I think about profitability related to equipment and related to technology, the first thing that comes to mind is our sprayer,” Eric says.
Before ExactApply, they could plan on three to three and a half percent overage on acres and the same again on rate. “After the first few fields, you could start to notice it because we were tenths of a percent of overage,” Eric says. “Within the first weekend of spraying, I figured we had saved about $1,500.”
The Fundamentals: AutoTrac
Neer Farms has run AutoTrac for about 20 years. With a 12-and-a-half-foot implement, cutting overlap adds up fast, and operators stay fresher when they are not steering.
Eric's dad, Bart, compares it to the 1970s, when the farm got its first air-conditioned tractor cab. “They realized like, I will never own a tractor without air condition. And he correlates that with AutoTrac… at this point in time, we won't own a tractor without AutoTrac.”
A Calmer Harvest
Machine Sync came to the farm a couple of years ago. “At first blush, it feels like it's a little unnecessary,” Eric says. “But it just becomes very effortless as we're moving through the field… and lowers the stress level between the cart operator and the combine operator.”
Row clutches on the planter help too. With a lot of point rows, they no longer overplant end rows and risk lodging. “You only want one crop on that acre as opposed to two crops.”
The Whole Farm in His Pocket
Operations Center lets Eric check in on a job from his own cab. “I can quickly look up on my phone and provide a little bit of affirmation like, hey, you're doing fine. Just keep up the good work.”
At harvest, field history is right there. “We can take a look back and say, oh man, this corn was really good this year, but how did it compare to 2023?” Eric says. “We do that day in, day out.”
“Sometimes when I think about technology, I think about the fundamentals, like the blocking and tackling of production. And as simple as it is, we've had AutoTrac for 20 years roughly, yet that is such a key feature.”
Eric Neer, Neer Farms
Watch: Why Neer Farms Will Never Farm Without AutoTrac
The Technology Behind It
ExactApply
Precise application cut overage from 3 to 3.5% to tenths of a percent.
AutoTrac
About 20 years of guidance, and a tractor without it is no longer an option.
Machine Sync
Smoother unloading on the go and less stress for the cart and combine operators.
Row Clutches
No more overplanted point rows and the lodging risk that comes with them.
John Deere Operations Center
Field-level yield history from 2012 to today, on his phone.
Mobile Monitoring
A quick look from one machine to reassure an operator in another.
Blocking and Tackling, Every Day
For Neer Farms, the best technology is the kind that quietly pays for itself in every pass. Our Urbana team and Justin Rose work with Eric on the equipment and precision tools that keep it that way.
Want to Cut Overlap on Your Farm?
Talk with Justin Rose and our precision team about ExactApply, guidance and Operations Center.