Plan Smarter Work Faster ‣ PTx Winter Conference 2026

Farmers know that every season brings a narrow window to get critical work done. In this session, Mike Schlitt, Cory Buchs and Josh Murman walk through the real challenges growers face during planting, spraying, tillage, and harvest. They share practical examples from their own farms and highlight how planning, data management, equipment setup and execution directly influence yield potential and profitability. Mike begins with the importance of planning ahead and understanding the agronomic value of timeliness. He outlines how temperature, field conditions, and weather events determine which tasks can be done and when, and why growers must make every day count. Cory then illustrates how technology is often underutilized on farms and how using FarmENGAGE to clean up data, organize guidance lines and prepare maps during the off season reduces errors and downtime when the season begins. Josh expands the conversation by explaining how delays in harvest can rapidly erode profit and how unpredictable events like breakdowns or weather can set the entire operation behind schedule. He introduces the OutRun Autonomy platform, described as a flexible tool designed to assist with tillage, grain cart operation and other tasks by giving growers valuable time back during the season. Real farm examples show how autonomy can support labor shortages, streamline workflow and help operators stay efficient across multiple jobs. This session gives growers a clear roadmap for planning smarter and working faster. It equips farmers with strategies to reduce stress, improve accuracy and protect yield potential through better timing and well-executed field operations. Topics Covered: • Agronomic value of timeliness • Planning and off-season data cleanup • Guidance line and boundary management • Work orders and equipment setup • Planting efficiency • Harvest delays and profit loss • Tillage timing • OutRun Autonomy platform • Labor challenges • Operational efficiency Learn more at www.ptxag.com and www.outrunag.com. Timestamps: 00:00 The importance of planning and timeliness 05:30 Introducing the Buchs family farm 07:50 Efficiency challenges and technology limitations 11:36 Data cleanup and preplanning with FarmENGAGE 14:01 Work orders to avoid operator error 16:55 FarmENGAGE planning, tracking and recording 18:30 Planting efficiency and high speed challenges 22:49 Planting window selection and efficiency 26:41 Harvest challenges and realizing yield potential 28:47 Fall tillage discussion 30:47 Timeliness and the OutRun Autonomy platform 36:45 Operations with the autonomous grain cart 41:59 Autonomous tillage workflow 46:50 Real world grower experience 48:51 Final takeaways on planning and execution