Questionable corn demand and expected production highs in South America bring major questions to the corn and soybean outlooks. Yet positive factors are evident.

Instead of writing down these big audacious goals, Jon Acuff, an entrepreneur, speaker and best-selling author, has better advice: Set micro goals.

During the Top Producer Summit, which was held Jan. 23-25 in Nashville, Top Producer honored five farm operations.

Define your goals and desired ROI for conservation practices on your farm.

High input costs, excessive disease pressure or commodity prices — any of these factors could be pushing you to plant back-to-back corn or back-to-back soybeans.

“Human nature is to do nothing, but that means you can end up with three years of corn on your farm,” says Ben Brown, agricultural economist at the University of Missouri. “This strategy makes you proactive.”