Al Myers was a tinkerer. The Iowa design engineer began fussing with prototypes of a yield monitor in his basement in the mid-1980s. By 1992, he began selling them to area farmers—10 in total that first year—and founded Ag Leader Technology.

Twenty years later, the yield monitor is a ubiquitous part of the combine, as common and familiar to farmers as an FM radio. Myers says a lot has changed since the prototype days, although the heart of the device still remains.

"The original technology I brought to market in 1992 is the same technology behind the current Ag Leader yield monitor," he says. Many enhancements have been added in the years following, he says, including trouble-free moisture sensors, real-time on-screen mapping capabilities, performance analysis software and more.

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