Flex Cropping: Bill Jepsen

This publication profiles Bill Jepsen, a dryland farmer near Ione, Oregon, who uses flex cropping and precision agriculture technologies in an area receiving 12 inches or less of annual precipitation. In years with enough stored soil moisture, Jepsen replaces fallow with spring wheat, spring barley, or occasionally re-cropped winter wheat. The publication explains how direct seeding makes flex cropping more feasible by allowing earlier planting, reducing erosion, improving soil structure, and supporting better water infiltration and water-holding capacity. It also describes Jepsen’s use of variable rate nitrogen, aerial infrared imagery, prescription maps, auto-steer, boom section control, rate control, and a WeedSeeker sprayer to manage inputs more efficiently. The case study covers soil moisture decision-making, crop choices, weed and pest management, crop insurance, income variability, alternative crop trials, and long-term efforts to maintain profitability and soil health.