Just outside of Laredo, Missouri, the Urich family farms roughly 3,000 acres of corn, soybeans, and cattle. For Kristi and Mark Urich, farming isn’t just a business—it’s a family legacy. Their son Robert, who trained as an engineer, chose to return home to continue that tradition.
But running a farm of this size comes with challenges—chief among them, efficiency. Farmers operate in a market where they don’t set the price of their product, so managing costs becomes critical.
“Our biggest line item in our budget at that time was fertilizer,” Kristi explains. “What can we do to rein this in?”
The Urichs found their answer in precision agriculture and data analytics through a partnership with MFA Incorporated.
“They started our Nutri-Track program around 2010,” says MFA’s Anthony Furlin. “We’ve compiled years of data to identify yield zones across each field.”
Using grid sampling, yield data, GPS mapping, and variable rate technology, MFA helps the Urichs create tailored fertility prescriptions for phosphorus, potassium, lime, and nitrogen.
Robert notes that the technology has evolved even further: “We’ve got a retrofit kit on our planter that records all kinds of data. From AI and drone automation to tractor automation, the baseline for this technology is already there. It’s about adoption and fine-tuning what we want it to do.”
The goal? Apply exactly what the crop needs—no more, no less.
As Anthony explains:
At the end of the day, we’re trying to produce more and more food on less and less acreage. We’re becoming more efficient by placing the right product in the right place, when the plant needs it, and how it needs it.
Anthony Furlin, MFA, Inc.
For Kristi, efficiency and sustainability aren’t just about economics—they’re about stewardship.
“It’s always in the back of your mind, generationally, as far as passing on that farming ability,” she says. “This wasn’t our land to start with. We’re fortunate enough to live here and work here, but someone else will have it someday. The best way to continue farming is to hand that down by generations, and that includes the land.”
By embracing precision agriculture, the Urich family is ensuring their farm remains productive, profitable, and sustainable—not just for today, but for the future.
