# PropelMapper: Guides > PropelMapper is a field-based, location-based reporting platform. People talk through a visit, take photos and pin observations to a place. We organize those captures into structured records and draft a professional client report for review. Agriculture is our first and main market: agronomists, crop consultants, farm managers and land managers. The same tools can document pest-control visits, cultivation walks, home and property inspections, landscaping and site surveys. The person doing the work checks the facts and adds professional judgment before signing and sending PDF and Word copies. Captures save offline; upload, transcription, new report drafting and sending need a connection. US crop and soil data and dated satellite imagery provide context for agricultural visits. Practical agricultural guides: farm inspections, boundary files, crop damage, trials, soil surveys and client reports. Generated at build from the published pages (under https://www.propelmapper.com/guides/) in sitemap order. Every file is listed in the index (https://www.propelmapper.com/llms.txt) --- # Field guides for farm visits and reports URL: https://www.propelmapper.com/guides/ > Prepare a farm inspection, record a strip trial, check a boundary file or write a client report. Seven practical guides, with forms and printable checklists. PropelMapper’s guides start where a grower does: with a leaf problem that needs explaining. Example account: Prairie Agronomy. ## Strip trials The layout, application record and harvest measurements need to describe the same comparison. - How to plan an on-farm strip trial Plan one treatment comparison, keep strip IDs from application through harvest, and save raw measurements alongside the trial’s analysis and exceptions. How-to ## Farm inspections and crop damage A dated observation explains what was visible and which questions the visit left open. - A farm inspection checklist for farm managers Prepare a farm inspection from the last report. Check open repairs, document what you saw, and leave clear requests for the tenant and landowner. How-to - How to document crop damage for insurance Record crop damage with dated photos, sample locations and notice records. Keep the insurer’s instructions with the worksheet before changing the crop. How-to ## Boundaries and soil surveys The map helps plan the walk. The selected acres and source explain what its numbers describe. - Reading a soil survey before buying farmland Check the selected acres, map-unit components and rating coverage in a soil survey. Use the map to choose what to inspect before a farm purchase. Explainer - Field boundary files: import and acreage checks Keep the complete boundary file, check its outline and field IDs after import, and explain why mapped acres may differ from planted or reported acres. Explainer ## Reports for growers and landowners The reader needs your finding, the reason for your advice and the next decision. - How to write a crop scouting report Write a crop scouting report with a clear next action, located sample evidence and a named follow-up. Keep uncertain findings and source observations visible. How-to - How to write a useful landowner report Put the owner’s approval requests first, support them with dated inspection evidence, and track the response, repair and next check in your farm report. Explainer ## Field visits and the written record These guides connect the work at a place with the report someone reads afterward. Each includes a checklist or example you can compare with your own notes. --- # A farm inspection checklist for farm managers URL: https://www.propelmapper.com/guides/farm-inspection-checklist-for-farm-managers/ > Prepare a farm inspection from the last report. Check open repairs, document what you saw, and leave clear requests for the tenant and landowner. Guides Farm inspections and crop damage A farm inspection should check prior repairs, field access, drainage and buildings, then leave dated evidence and assigned follow-up; PropelMapper records the visit while the lease governs responsibilities. Example account: Prairie Agronomy. By PropelMapper Field Team Published October 16, 2026 Updated October 29, 2026 How we review ## Set the inspection scope and timing Begin with the last inspection report, open repair list, owner questions and lease. Identify which fields, structures, access points and drainage features the visit will cover. Ask the tenant about work in progress and access restrictions. A manager visiting for a drainage complaint may need a different route from someone preparing a broad property update. Choose timing to match the question. A dry-weather outlet inspection can reveal visible damage but may leave drainage performance unresolved. A return visit after a suitable rain can answer a different question, provided access is safe. Record the conditions under which an item was checked rather than calling it satisfactory for every season. Use an agreed seasonal inspection plan, with additional visits after reported damage or completion of an important repair. This is a management schedule to settle with the owner and tenant, not a universal inspection interval. Put a specific return date or trigger beside each open item. “Inspect after the contractor finishes and access is safe” needs an assigned person who will arrange that inspection. Colorado State University Extension’s Leasing Arrangements for Colorado’s Farms and Ranches discusses written arrangements, building use, maintenance and communication. Use it to frame questions, then read the actual lease. The person who reports a defect is not automatically the person obligated to pay for it. ## Prepare the property map and repair list Match local names to supplied farm, tract and field identifiers. USDA FSA’s acreage-reporting notice describes farm maps and boundary exports available through farmers.gov. Keep the supplied map’s date and source. A current field outline helps organize a walk but does not resolve a property-line disagreement. For each open item, bring its previous photograph, last status, requested action and responsible person. Mark the stops that need a repeat view. If a repair was reported complete, list the physical check needed to verify that statement. Retain the original problem description so the follow-up does not become a vague “looks better.” Separate a routine inspection from work requiring a specialist. Structural assessment, electrical work, buried-line diagnosis and legal interpretation need the appropriate person. The manager can locate and describe a concern without assigning an unsupported cause. Say which question will go to the contractor, engineer, drainage specialist or legal reviewer. ## Walk access points, crossings and field edges At each entrance, check the visible approach, gate, crossing surface and any reported obstruction. Record whether access was used or merely viewed. A photograph of an open gate does not show whether it closes and latches. If a safe functional check is within scope, record what you did and what happened. At a washed crossing, take views from both approaches and locate the damaged section. Measure dimensions only where safe and useful for the next decision. Keep units and measurement method with the dimensions. A rough estimate can support a request for a contractor visit, but should not be passed along as a measured repair quantity. Along field edges, record visible encroachment, erosion, damaged fencing or debris without deciding ownership from appearance. Pair the location with the source map and any supplied boundary reference. If the tenant describes when the change occurred, attribute the statement. A condition first seen today may have existed before today’s visit. ## Inspect drainage observations without diagnosing buried lines University of Minnesota Extension’s How agricultural drainage works explains surface and subsurface drainage and the role of an outlet. It provides context for inspecting visible features. It does not let a photograph establish the condition of an unseen pipe or authorize a drainage change. At an accessible outlet, record its location, visible blockage or damage, surrounding erosion and whether water is flowing at that time. Say if vegetation, high water or lack of access prevents a clear view. Pair a field-ponding observation with its own location and date. Keep the outlet and wet area distinct unless a documented system map connects them. Compare conditions with the prior record and available tile maps. An outlet with no flow during dry weather is a different observation from no flow while water stands above a known connected system. Retain the weather context and the limits of the check. Ask the specialist what further inspection or testing is needed before recommending excavation. Use an operational decision rule: visible washout, a reported loss of access, or unresolved standing water affecting the planned work warrants prompt review by the responsible person. The required response depends on access, risk, the lease and the work plan. Do not invent a universal water-depth or repair-cost threshold for every farm. ## Check buildings and reported repairs For each structure in scope, record the building name, area inspected and access limitations. Photograph a defect in context and at closer range. At a reported roof repair, identify the location of the earlier leak and whether the current visit occurred after rain. A remaining stain alone does not prove continued leakage; a contractor’s statement alone does not verify performance. Keep safety concerns separate from routine maintenance requests so the owner can see which needs immediate contact. Do not enter a damaged building or climb onto a roof to complete a checklist. Record the limitation and arrange the appropriate inspection. A missing observation is preferable to an unsupported assurance about structural condition. For gates, doors and other simple items, describe a safe functional check when it is part of the assignment. Record the result and any unresolved defect. “Tenant reports repaired; manager opened and latched the gate during this visit” distinguishes the source statement from your verification. Use the same distinction for contractor-reported completion. ## Worked example: a crossing repair in PropelMapper Example account: Prairie Agronomy. Assume a practice inspection of the south crossing after the tenant reports a washout. The manager measures a rut approximately 8 feet long and 6 inches deep from a safe position. These are assumed example measurements, not a repair specification. The crossing remains accessible by another route, which the manager records separately. The manager requests a contractor assessment before asking the owner to approve work. The tenant will arrange the visit by Thursday. The owner needs the scope and actual quote before authorizing a repair. Verification will require a return view of the repaired crossing and a check under suitable conditions; the contractor’s completion message will remain a separate dated record. Start the phone visit at the correct place in PropelMapper. Speak the crossing name, observed condition, measurement method and alternate access. Take photographs from both approaches. If you record the tenant’s explanation, identify it as their account. Use a typed note to retain the question that needs the contractor’s answer. After upload, check the draft’s dimensions and units against the voice note. Add the requested next step without inventing a repair method or price. Create a Follow-up task with the tenant or manager as assignee, stating who will arrange the assessment. Review, sign and send the report. Recipient acknowledgment confirms that it arrived, not that the owner authorized the work. ## Send requests the owner and tenant can act on Open the final report with the decisions required, then attach the detail behind them. Each item should identify the location, observation date, supporting photos, next action, owner and response date. Keep a quote, an approval and an invoice as different records. An estimated cost should say who estimated it and when. Identify uninspected ground and unresolved questions near the findings they affect. If the visit covered the yard and crossing but not the wet interior field, do not describe it as a complete property inspection. Carry that limitation into the next visit plan. The farm inspection form holds the detailed record, while the landowner report guide explains the shorter decision summary. At the next update, show what changed: approval received, work arranged, completion reported or completion inspected. Keep the relevant dates and sources. A reliable repair history lets the next manager understand which condition was observed and which question still needs an answer, without turning every earlier statement into a verified fact. ## Example: from the visit to the report Example account: Prairie Agronomy. Farm inspection checklist for farm managers. ### The voice note “South crossing. Water has washed a rut across the approach. I photographed it from both sides. The tenant says it appeared after the rain. I need a repair quote before asking the owner to approve the work.” ### Repair request - South crossing #### At a glance A rut crosses the approach at the south crossing; photos show both sides. The tenant attributes it to the recent rain. A repair quote is needed before requesting the owner’s approval. #### Observations A rut crosses the approach at the south crossing; photos show both sides. The tenant attributes it to the recent rain. A repair quote is needed before requesting the owner’s approval. After your review ## Farm inspection checklist 5 items ### Before the visit - Last report and open repair list - Owner’s questions, lease and source map ### Before you leave - Dated photos and locations for findings - Tenant statements and areas not inspected labeled - Who will arrange the work, what they will do and when propelmapper.com Sources 3 named on this page - How agricultural drainage works University of Minnesota Extension · undated · Accessed 2026-10-29 - Leasing Arrangements for Colorado’s Farms and Ranches Colorado State University Extension · undated · Accessed 2026-10-29 - USDA Reminds Producers to File Crop Acreage Reports USDA Farm Service Agency · 2024 · Accessed 2026-10-29 How we source and review: editorial standards · data sources --- # Field boundary files: import and acreage checks URL: https://www.propelmapper.com/guides/field-boundary-files-explained-for-advisors/ > Keep the complete boundary file, check its outline and field IDs after import, and explain why mapped acres may differ from planted or reported acres. Guides Boundaries and soil surveys Before using a field boundary imported into PropelMapper, preserve the complete source file, verify its location and exclusions, reconcile identifiers and explain which mapped, planted or reported acres it represents. Example account: Prairie Agronomy. By PropelMapper Field Team Published October 16, 2026 Updated October 29, 2026 How we review ## Identify what the boundary is meant to represent Ask the supplier what the outline describes before importing it. A property parcel, a management field, a planted area and a program reporting unit can share edges without representing the same land. Record the intended use and the source system. A recognizable shape does not establish that its acreage fits the current report. Keep the original filename, supplier, received date and any accompanying map or explanation. If the supplier exported only selected fields, record that selection. Ask about known exclusions, separate pieces and the season the file describes. An older boundary may still be useful, but the reviewer needs to know what could have changed. USDA’s Crop Acreage Reporting Information explains acreage reports and access to farm records, maps and common land unit boundary exports. It describes a reporting process that includes crop and intended use. A boundary file imported into another app does not by itself file or amend that acreage report. ## Keep shapefile components and source metadata A shapefile is a set of companion files, not just the file ending in.shp. Keep the geometry, index and attribute files together, along with coordinate-reference information supplied with the package. Archive the received package unchanged. If you need a cleaned import copy, name it separately and record what changed. The coordinate reference system tells software how to place the coordinates. A file can contain valid numbers while appearing in the wrong place if that information is missing or misinterpreted. Ask the supplier for the source reference when it is unclear. Guessing until the shape looks familiar can conceal a larger coordinate error. For KML, KMZ, GeoJSON or CSV, retain the source export and its field definitions. Names, identifiers and coordinate columns need their own checks. A compressed file can contain multiple layers or unrelated data; do not assume the largest file inside is the intended field layer. Ask for a clean export when the package cannot be understood confidently. Keep supporting documents with their own provenance. An FSA map, survey, drainage map and hand sketch answer different questions. They should not become interchangeable attachments labeled only “map.” Describe which document was used to check location and which remains the authority for a legal or program question. ## Import into PropelMapper and check the result PropelMapper’s web app accepts CSV, KML, KMZ, GeoJSON and zipped shapefile place imports up to 20 MB. Use Places in the browser for the import workflow. The phone can also draw or walk a boundary, but it does not automatically draw a field from a visit. Keep the source file available while reviewing the imported places. Before adding visits, compare each imported outline with the supplied map and a recognizable location. Check the field name and parent place so neighboring fields do not end up under the wrong farm. Where supplied agency identifiers matter, preserve them in the working record and verify their association with the shape. Inspect the shape at a scale where lanes, building sites and waterways can be distinguished. Check both the broad location and the detailed edges. A whole-farm view can hide a missing hole or an unexpected included lane. A close view alone can make a correctly shaped field look plausible even when it belongs to another property. Use a review list rather than relying on a quick visual impression: - Confirm the expected fields and separate pieces are present. - Compare entrances, roads and neighboring fields with the source map. - Check internal exclusions and included uncropped areas. - Match names and supplied identifiers to the corresponding shapes. - Record unresolved geometry or acreage differences before using the result. ## Recognize coordinate and geometry problems A large shift, mirrored-looking placement, collapsed shape or unexpected scale warrants checking the source and coordinate reference. Do not start redrawing until you understand whether the import was incomplete or the export was wrong. Otherwise the edited copy can hide the reason the original failed. Look for duplicate outlines, slivers, overlaps and separate pieces joined in an unexpected way. Ask whether those features are deliberate. An irregular corner might follow a real management exclusion rather than a digitizing mistake. Compare with the dated source and the grower’s explanation before changing it. If a file contains more detail than the work requires, ask the supplier for a simpler export; PropelMapper does not repair or simplify geometry automatically. Importing a supported file does not repair broken shapes, convert every coordinate system or merge duplicate fields for you. A successful upload still needs a checked map. ## Reconcile mapped, planted and reported acreage State the acreage basis wherever the number informs a decision. Mapped acres describe the chosen geometry. Planted acres describe the planted area for the stated crop and date. Reported acres follow the relevant program or insurance process. The numbers may differ because exclusions, crop splits or definitions differ, not because one calculation is necessarily wrong. USDA FSA’s June 2024 acreage-reporting notice lists the information used in reporting and notes that deadlines vary by county and crop. Use the applicable agency process for corrections. Do not replace a program figure with an app’s mapped area without understanding and documenting the difference. For example, assume a practice outline encloses 82 acres, including a 2-acre lane and building area. The cropped selection is therefore 80 acres. A supplied program record might still use a different boundary or crop breakdown. The arithmetic explains the example’s geometric exclusion only; it does not establish a correct acreage for a real farm or authorize a program correction. Keep both figures when they describe different selections. Write the excluded feature, its area source and the date of the edited outline. If the difference remains unexplained, make it a follow-up item. There is no universal acceptable acreage mismatch across every reporting purpose. The agency, insurer or assignment should determine any required tolerance and review. ## Check boundaries before interpreting field layers A boundary affects which ground is included in a field summary. PropelMapper clips supported soil, crop-history and NDVI layers to saved field boundaries. An outline that includes a waterway can therefore describe different acres from a cropped-only outline. Check the selection before interpreting the layer. USDA NRCS’s SSURGO description explains how soil map units connect to component tables and why map scale matters. Clipping that survey to a more detailed outline does not create a more detailed soil investigation. The geometry selection and the underlying dataset’s resolution are separate limits. Use the same checked boundary when comparing summaries, or explain the changed selection. A difference between years can come from an edited outline as well as a changed dataset or crop. Preserve the earlier file so the reviewer can separate those possibilities. Do not overwrite the only copy of the geometry that produced a prior report. ## Worked example: an included lane in PropelMapper Example account: Prairie Agronomy. Assume a practice import for North Field includes the east lane. The advisor sees the lane inside the outline during a pre-visit check. The grower says the supplied file is a whole management-field export, while the requested report concerns planted corn only. The original file remains unchanged for comparison. The advisor records the discrepancy, asks the grower for the planted-area source and delays using the mapped figure as planted acreage. A later checked copy can support a cropped-area report, with the excluded lane and revision date identified. The first import remains part of the explanation rather than disappearing from the file history. Start the phone visit at North Field and say which boundary file is under review. Take a context photo of the lane and record what the grower said about the export. Use a typed note to list the missing planted-area record. A location recorded from the truck should be distinguished from the feature being described. After upload, read the draft and add the source filename, received date and unresolved acreage basis. Create an assigned Follow-up task to obtain the source map. Export the checked report for the reviewer who needs it. The visit record explains the discrepancy; it does not certify a legal boundary or submit an acreage amendment. ## Review timing and the next handoff Check a boundary immediately after import, before using acreage or clipped-layer summaries, and again when the source or reporting purpose changes. These are practical review points for the workflow. For an agency filing or insurance decision, confirm the actual deadline and required evidence with the responsible office or agent. The handoff should include the original package, checked working copy, source map, identifier crosswalk and explanation of edits. Say which geometry was used in each report. A new advisor should be able to identify the field, reproduce the selected area and understand why its acreage differs from another record without guessing which file is current. ## Example: from the visit to the report Example account: Prairie Agronomy. Field boundary files explained for advisors. ### The voice note “North Field boundary check. The imported outline includes the lane along the east side. I’ve saved a photo at the lane. I’ll compare it with the grower’s source map before using this area in the report.” ### Boundary check - North Field #### At a glance The imported outline includes the east-side lane. A photo was saved during the visit. The outline will be compared with the grower’s source map before its area is used in the report. #### Observations The imported outline includes the east-side lane. A photo was saved during the visit. The outline will be compared with the grower’s source map before its area is used in the report. After your review ## Boundary import checklist 5 items ### Original files - Complete package, supplier and received date - Coordinate reference and source map ### Imported copy - Location, edges, exclusions and field IDs checked - Acreage differences explained - Edits dated; original files retained propelmapper.com Sources 3 named on this page - Crop Acreage Reporting Information USDA · undated · Accessed 2026-10-29 - USDA Reminds Producers to File Crop Acreage Reports USDA Farm Service Agency · 2024 · Accessed 2026-10-29 - Soil Survey Geographic Database (SSURGO) USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service · undated · Accessed 2026-10-29 How we source and review: editorial standards · data sources --- # How to document crop damage for insurance URL: https://www.propelmapper.com/guides/how-to-document-crop-damage-for-insurance/ > Record crop damage with dated photos, sample locations and notice records. Keep the insurer’s instructions with the worksheet before changing the crop. Guides Farm inspections and crop damage To document crop damage, record discovery and notice dates, locate original photos and measured samples, and retain the insurer’s instructions before changing the crop; use PropelMapper for the visit record. Example account: Prairie Agronomy. By PropelMapper Field Team Published October 16, 2026 Updated October 29, 2026 How we review ## Notify the insurer and preserve the instructions Make the first call about the loss before assembling a polished report. Record when the policyholder discovered the damage, which field or insurance unit is involved, who received the notice and how the notice was made. Preserve the message or written confirmation. A report sent to the grower does not establish that notice reached the insurer. USDA RMA’s Natural Disasters and Crop Insurance fact sheet, dated June 2024, directs producers to contact their crop insurance agent within 72 hours of discovery and follow up in writing within 15 days. It also says to report subsequent damage and obtain clear direction before destroying the crop or representative samples. Confirm the actual policy’s requirements with the agent immediately; do not wait for a scheduled field visit. Keep the policyholder’s notice separate from an advisor’s observations. RMA memorandum IS-16-006 explains the policyholder’s responsibility for notice and addresses agents submitting it without prior notification from the policyholder. The field report should describe what was observed, not imply that an app action completed an insurance obligation. Ask the insurer what must remain intact for inspection, whether an appraisal is needed and how any representative sample areas must be laid out. Write down the sender, date, affected acres and conditions of the instruction. If an answer is unclear, carry that question forward rather than treating silence as permission to replant, harvest differently or destroy the crop. ## Prepare field identifiers and a safe visit plan Bring the Summary of Coverage, policy field references, planting records and previous condition photographs if available. Match the grower’s local name to the insurance-unit and field IDs. A boundary in a mapping app can help locate the visit, but it does not determine insured acreage or unit structure. Keep the source map with the insurance documents. Plan access without entering flooded ground, damaged structures or areas where electrical or chemical hazards may remain. Record a location from a safe vantage point if the damaged area cannot be reached. “Viewed from the south road; interior not inspected” is useful evidence. It is more precise than implying that the entire field was walked. List what the visit must answer: the visible injury, its distribution, plant condition and the areas needing an adjuster’s inspection. Do not promise a final loss percentage from photographs. A first visit may establish the pattern while later inspections establish survival or recovery. Agree with the advisor and insurer on return timing appropriate to the crop and event. ## Photograph the field pattern and plant injury Begin with a broad view that locates the damage relative to a gate, lane, field edge or other recognizable feature. Then capture the affected plants at closer range. Include a scale when dimensions matter, keeping the subject identifiable. Describe the direction and stop ID in the note. The reviewer should be able to connect the close view to its part of the field. Retain original images as well as any marked-up copy. A circle can point to a broken stem, but the original view preserves context. Record the capture date and explain if a photograph predates the event. Do not put an older healthy-crop image beside a current injury image without labeling both dates. Photograph contrasting conditions using the same approach where possible. For example, compare a wet depression with a nearby higher area, while keeping the sites separate in the sample record. A comparison site helps explain distribution; it is not proof of what the damaged area would otherwise have yielded. ## Measure samples and distinguish their purposes Use the insurer’s required appraisal method when one is supplied. An advisor’s crop sample should state its own purpose and method rather than imitate an official adjustment. Record crop stage, sample location, measured row length, row spacing, raw plant counts and the condition categories used. Keep the count of living plants separate from visibly injured plants when those categories overlap. Iowa State’s Stand Assessments: Corn explains stand evaluation using measured row lengths and multiple locations. Keep the original dimensions with any population calculation. A rounded plants-per-acre figure cannot reveal whether the wrong row-spacing factor was used. A surviving plant count also does not quantify all effects of hail, flooding or lodging. Separate representative samples across the defined area from directed samples in the worst patch. State which observations went into an average. If you estimate affected acreage from an outline, label it as an estimate and identify the outline. Leave inaccessible ground unmeasured instead of assigning it the same injury as the nearest reachable stop. ## What the report can and cannot establish Describe observations before attributing cause: flattened plants, broken stems, deposited sediment, standing water or missing leaves. Attribute event timing to the grower when you did not observe it. Keep weather context distinct from an instrument reading at the field. A looked-up weather record does not measure water depth, soil saturation or hail intensity at the sampled plants. Do not turn a crop injury percentage into a payable loss or coverage decision. RMA’s August 10, 2020 Derecho FAQ distinguishes crop coverage from farm-infrastructure damage and explains the insurer’s appraisal role. A damaged bin, a lodged crop and a blocked lane may require different records and different insurance conversations. The threshold for immediate communication is suspected damage or loss that needs notice, not an advisor’s conclusion that a payment is likely. The report should leave coverage, production appraisal and any release of acreage to the responsible insurer. Preserve written instructions even when they differ from what the grower expected to do next. ## Worked example: preserving a damaged-crop record Example account: Prairie Agronomy. Assume a practice visit after a grower reports wind damage. A measured sample in 30-inch corn rows is 17.424 feet long, representing one-thousandth of an acre. The advisor counts 24 living plants in that segment, or 24,000 plants per acre at that stop. Eight of those living plants are lodged. The eight are a subset, so adding them to the living count would be an error. A second stop on higher ground has 30 living plants over the same area. These two directed samples describe their locations only. They do not establish the field’s average surviving population or yield loss. The report records the assumed discovery time as Monday morning and the grower’s agent contact that day, leaving confirmation of receipt and appraisal instructions as follow-up items. In PropelMapper, select the damaged field before starting the phone visit. Speak the stop ID, dimensions, count categories and visible conditions. Add wide and close photos and a typed note identifying the grower’s account of timing. If service is unavailable, retain the captures on the phone and upload when coverage returns. Reconnect before transcribing the recording, preparing the draft and sending the report. Review the draft against the recordings, particularly “living,” “lodged,” and the measured row length. Put the insurer’s actual instructions in the reviewed narrative with their author and date. Use a task with an assignee to obtain written direction before the planned crop change. Signing the report records the author’s review; the recipient’s acknowledgment records receipt. Neither is an insurer’s release. ## Return visits and closing the evidence packet Before the return visit, compare the adjuster’s instructions with the earlier stop locations. If samples must remain intact, identify them so an operator does not inadvertently remove them. Record any approved change to the field and the supporting instruction. Keep the first observation even when the crop looks substantially different later. At the next inspection, repeat locations and methods where useful and label any difference. Record new growth, continued standing water, additional injury and any ground still not reached. Say whether a change was directly observed or reported by the grower. Do not replace the earlier count with the later count; they describe different dates. Use the damage worksheet PDF, Word worksheet or Excel log to organize the field evidence. The final packet should connect each photo and count to a location, each communication to its sender, and each crop-management change to the relevant insurer instruction. Missing items should remain visible to the person responsible for resolving them. ## Example: from the visit to the report Example account: Prairie Agronomy. How to document crop damage for insurance. ### The voice note “West Field, south end. Standing water and flattened plants at this stop. I took a wide photo and close-ups. I haven’t measured the affected area. The grower is contacting the agent for instructions before changing the crop.” ### Damage observation - West Field #### At a glance Standing water and flattened plants were observed at the south-end stop. Wide and close-up photos were saved. Affected acreage has not been measured. The grower is contacting the agent for instructions before changing the crop. #### Observations Standing water and flattened plants were observed at the south-end stop. Wide and close-up photos were saved. Affected acreage has not been measured. The grower is contacting the agent for instructions before changing the crop. After your review ## Crop damage record checklist 5 items ### Communication - Discovery date and policyholder’s notice record - Policy field IDs and insurer instructions with sender and date ### Field evidence - Original photos, sample locations and measured areas - Uninspected areas and estimated acres identified - Appraisal, consent and sample-strip instructions saved propelmapper.com Sources 4 named on this page - Natural Disasters and Crop Insurance USDA Risk Management Agency · 2024 · Accessed 2026-10-29 - IS-16-006: Agents Submitting Notice of Loss on the Policyholder’s Behalf USDA Risk Management Agency · 2016 · Accessed 2026-10-29 - August 10, 2020 Derecho USDA Risk Management Agency · 2020 · Accessed 2026-10-29 - Stand Assessments: Corn Iowa State University Extension and Outreach · undated · Accessed 2026-10-29 How we source and review: editorial standards · data sources --- # How to plan an on-farm strip trial URL: https://www.propelmapper.com/guides/how-to-run-an-on-farm-strip-trial/ > Plan one treatment comparison, keep strip IDs from application through harvest, and save raw measurements alongside the trial’s analysis and exceptions. Guides Strip trials A useful on-farm strip trial compares a defined treatment with a check using replicated, randomized strips, consistent measurements and a record of departures that you can follow in PropelMapper. Example account: Prairie Agronomy. By PropelMapper Field Team Published October 16, 2026 Updated October 29, 2026 How we review ## Define the comparison before laying out strips Write a question that can be answered by the measurements you can actually collect. A seeding-rate comparison needs established population and harvest data. A timing comparison needs actual application dates and crop stages. If product, rate and timing all change together, the result concerns that package. It cannot identify which change caused a difference. Name the protocol owner, grower, field, crop and season. Specify the normal practice used as the check. Record what must remain consistent, such as hybrid or variety, planting date, fertility, harvest method and grain-moisture basis. Ask the person operating the equipment to read the plan before application. A design that cannot be applied or harvested accurately will not become a fair comparison through later analysis. Nebraska Extension’s 10 Steps for On-Farm Research Success recommends deciding the question and required data first, accounting for field variation, and using replication and randomization. The Nebraska example generally recommends at least five replications. Have the research advisor choose a design appropriate to the question and field rather than treating a single paired pass as a replicated experiment. ## Choose blocks and randomize treatment order Walk the proposed area and compare its soil, slope, drainage, crop history and known trouble spots. Lay out blocks so treatments within each block have a reasonable comparison. A strip crossing a drowned-out depression while its check stays on higher ground can reflect field variation. Photograph those conditions before they become hidden by the crop. Assign each block and strip an ID that will survive the whole season. Randomize treatment placement within blocks before application. Keep the resulting assignment with the original plan. Alternating the same treatment on the same side of every pair can align treatment with a productivity gradient. Replication provides repeated comparisons; randomization addresses systematic placement bias. The Nebraska guide explains both and discusses buffers where one treatment could affect its neighbor. Source: Nebraska Extension, 2016. Match strip widths to the application and harvest equipment. Write down the intended interior harvest width and how border rows will be handled. Mark starts, ends, headlands and turn areas. Agree on buffers with the research advisor when drift, fertilizer movement or equipment overlap could affect an adjacent treatment. Do this before the passes are made. ## Keep an application record by strip The planned map and the actual application record are different documents. Record application date, operator, equipment, treatment identification, actual rate and units for each strip. Where relevant, retain product label, lot, crop stage and weather observations. Keep the operator’s source file with its own date. A voice note can explain an interruption but cannot replace a missing application quantity. If the operator skips a strip, switches treatment order or stops midway, record the exact departure. Locate the stopping point and photograph any physical marker. Preserve the planned assignment and write an amended description beside it. Do not silently rename strips to make the actual work match the plan. That can disconnect field observations from harvest data. Before leaving, reconcile the operator’s record against the map. Ask whether remaining product, monitor totals or bag labels support the stated application. Unresolved differences should reach the protocol owner while a return inspection can still help. A small uncertainty at planting can become impossible to resolve after harvest. ## Measure crop response at comparable times Choose observation dates based on the trial question. For a stand-establishment comparison, use the same count method and timing relative to emergence in each strip. Record measured row length and spacing, raw live-plant counts and any gaps. Do not compare a healthy strip sampled in its best section with a check sampled at the headland. For injury or disease ratings, identify the scale, observer, crop stage and sample selection. Keep the same method across treatments and blocks. A directed photograph of the worst area is useful evidence, but it is not a substitute for a planned representative assessment. Label directed observations so they do not accidentally enter the treatment mean. Use a visit after an unusual event to document differences that could affect interpretation. Examples include standing water, lodging, equipment traffic and missed applications. Separate what you saw from a grower’s explanation. Take matching views across the pair when practical, keeping strip IDs visible in the notes. ## Harvest measurements and quality checks Before harvesting the trial, review strip IDs with the operator and confirm how loads or monitor segments will be separated. Retain harvested length, actual width, area, grain weight, moisture and units for every strip. A field-wide average loses the experimental comparison. Keep raw files and any corrected analysis table as distinct versions. Iowa State’s Tips for Calibrating Your Combine’s Yield Monitor recommends checking sensors and scales, following the display manufacturer’s calibration process and collecting calibration loads across different grain-flow rates. It also calls for checking moisture and monitoring accuracy as conditions change. Save the calibration record and identify which harvest data it applies to. A precisely displayed yield can still be based on a poor calibration. Reconcile harvested area with the actual strip, excluding turns and any sections the protocol did not harvest. Document why a section was omitted. If a load mixed treatments, keep the measurement and the mixing note, then ask the research advisor how it affects analysis. Do not create a replacement weight from memory. ## Worked example: recording a split application Example account: Prairie Agronomy. Assume a practice layout of five blocks with a check and treatment in each block. In block B, the operator stops halfway through treatment strip B-T. The field note identifies the stopping point. The advisor later excludes that incomplete pair from the planned paired comparison, retaining both raw harvest values and the exclusion reason. For a separate arithmetic check, assume a fully harvested strip measures 30 feet by 1,000 feet. Its area is 30,000 square feet divided by 43,560, or about 0.689 acre. If the moisture-adjusted grain amount is 140 bushels, the calculated yield is about 203.3 bushels per acre. These are assumed inputs for checking the calculation, not a treatment result or expected yield. In PropelMapper, start the visit at the trial’s place and speak the block, strip ID, stopping point and operator’s explanation. Add a photo and a typed note distinguishing the planned treatment from what was applied. Use readings for measurements the team has defined, with units stated in the note. A Follow-up task can assign collection of the operator’s application record to the responsible person. Once connected, compare the draft with the original recording and photographs. In the report, identify the departure and the research advisor’s decision. Metrics exports can carry the team’s readings into CSV or Excel for analysis. Statistical testing, moisture corrections and experimental exclusions need a documented calculation outside the visit narrative; do not describe PropelMapper as a trial-analysis engine. ## Interpretation and the next season’s decision Present results by strip and block before any treatment mean. State the statistical method, uncertainty and exclusions with the advisor’s interpretation. A numerical difference is not enough to establish a dependable response. A single field and season also leave questions about other soils, weather and management. Keep the conclusion within the comparison actually made. For economics, show the price assumption, additional treatment cost and relevant application or harvest costs. Yield response and net return answer different questions. A positive yield difference can still leave an unfavorable margin under the stated costs. Label the date and source of each price; do not turn a trial example into a customer outcome claim. Close the report with the next decision: repeat the trial, adjust the protocol or adopt a change under specified conditions. List the missing records that could alter that decision. The trial plan PDF, Word plan and Excel tables provide a place to organize the layout and raw measurements. ## Example: from the visit to the report Example account: Prairie Agronomy. How to run an on farm strip trial. ### The voice note “Trial block B, strip four. The application stopped partway down this strip. I marked the stopping point and took a photo. We need the operator’s application record before the advisor decides how to handle it in the comparison.” ### Strip 4 departure - Block B #### At a glance Application stopped partway along strip 4. The stopping point was marked and photographed. The operator’s application record is needed before the advisor decides how the strip will be handled in the comparison. #### Observations Application stopped partway along strip 4. The stopping point was marked and photographed. The operator’s application record is needed before the advisor decides how the strip will be handled in the comparison. After your review ## Strip trial checklist 6 items ### Before application - Written question and treatment definitions - Reviewed layout with randomization, replication and strip IDs - Equipment widths and planned harvest area ### At harvest and analysis - Actual layout and application errors saved - Calibration, area, moisture and raw measurements by strip - Excluded data and analysis decisions retained propelmapper.com Sources 2 named on this page - 10 Steps for On-Farm Research Success Nebraska Extension · 2016 · Accessed 2026-10-29 - Tips for Calibrating Your Combine's Yield Monitor Iowa State University Extension and Outreach · 2020 · Accessed 2026-10-29 How we source and review: editorial standards · data sources --- # How to write a crop scouting report URL: https://www.propelmapper.com/guides/how-to-write-a-crop-scouting-report/ > Write a crop scouting report with a clear next action, located sample evidence and a named follow-up. Keep uncertain findings and source observations visible. Guides Reports for growers and landowners A corn or soybean scouting report in PropelMapper should state the field finding, crop stage, sampling method, applicable decision threshold, recommended action and date of the next check. Example account: Prairie Agronomy. By PropelMapper Field Team Published October 16, 2026 Updated October 29, 2026 How we review ## What to check before entering the field Confirm the grower, field name, crop, planting date and purpose of the visit. Bring the previous report, planting record and known problem locations. Ask about recent applications and follow the applicable entry restrictions. A routine monitoring visit and a visit to diagnose a specific patch can share a report, but they need separate samples and conclusions. Bring a measuring tape, plant counter, hand lens, bags for specimens and the current local extension guidance for likely pests. Check the phone battery and prepare offline maps before leaving coverage. In PropelMapper, open the place you intend to visit and confirm its outline. A familiar field name is not enough when two growers use the same local name. Write the question before collecting data. “Are cut plants present in emerged corn?” sets up a different method from “Has the soybean aphid population increased since the last visit?” The sampling unit, crop stage and comparison date need to answer that question. Record uncertainty immediately rather than hoping a photograph will resolve it later. ## Sampling corn and soybeans without patch bias Plan stops across the area you intend to describe, including changes in slope and soil. Follow the pest publication’s method when it specifies locations or sample numbers. Do not select every stop because damage is visible from the lane. Keep an additional directed stop for the wet corner, thin stand or visibly injured margin. At each stop, record a stop ID, location, crop stage, sample unit and raw observations. For plant counts, retain row spacing and measured row length. For insect counts, retain the number of plants inspected and the number affected. For leaf injury, say how leaves were selected and which canopy positions were represented. A percentage without its denominator cannot be checked. For early corn black cutworm scouting, Iowa State’s Scouting for Black Cutworm in Corn specifies examining 10 plants at each of five locations, for 50 plants total. Check for leaf feeding and cut plants, then search near injured plants for larvae. Keep the count of cut plants separate from the count showing leaf feeding. Measure larvae when using a size-dependent threshold. Take a view of the surrounding crop before close-ups of an insect or lesion. Record the specimen ID in the note if material goes to a diagnostic lab. Mark identification as pending until it is confirmed. Leaf discoloration alone does not establish a disease, nutrient shortage or herbicide injury. ## Pest checks by crop and stage Use the following as a starting list for a Midwest corn and soybean visit, then add local risks from your extension service. These are separate scouting questions, not interchangeable treatment rules. Crop and timing Check at the stop Record for the decision Emerged corn through V5 Black cutworm leaf feeding, cut plants and live larvae Plants examined, plants cut, larval length and corn stage Corn near silking Corn rootworm beetles and silk injury Beetles per plant, date, method and whether the question concerns pollination now or next year’s management Soybean vegetative and reproductive stages Bean leaf beetles, Japanese beetles, caterpillars and grasshoppers Whole-canopy defoliation, field distribution and whether feeders remain active Soybean during the aphid scouting window Live aphids on whole plants, natural enemies and population trend Aphids per plant, plants infested, stage and comparable previous counts Source: the corn checks follow Iowa State’s black cutworm method and University of Minnesota’s corn rootworm scouting guide. The soybean checks follow Iowa State’s defoliation guide and Minnesota’s aphid guide. Weed escapes and disease symptoms also belong in the visit record, with identification and local guidance before advice is finalized. ## Thresholds and return intervals to include For black cutworm in Iowa corn, Iowa State gives a generic threshold of 2 to 3 percent cut plants when larvae are less than three-quarters of an inch long, and 5 percent when larvae are larger. Iowa State recommends scouting every 7 to 10 days until V5, beginning several days before predicted cutting dates. Keep larval size, live larvae and plant stage with the injury count. Check the current local recommendation before selecting a rescue treatment. Source: Iowa State, 2021. For soybean aphids through R5, Minnesota requires an average of 250 aphids per plant, more than 80 percent of plants infested, and increasing populations. Minnesota recommends weekly scouting of infested fields, beginning in mid to late June and continuing until R6.5. The treatment rule applies through R5 rather than R6. Do not substitute the speed-scouting classification for a whole-plant average. Source: University of Minnesota, reviewed 2023. Iowa State uses 30 percent soybean defoliation in vegetative stages and 20 percent in reproductive stages, applied to the field rather than its worst edge. Estimate missing leaf area throughout the canopy and verify that the insect causing current injury is still present. Local recommendations may differ; identify the publication and stage used in this particular report. Source: Iowa State, 2022. A rootworm beetle count for next season’s management is a different decision from a silk-clipping assessment for current pollination. Minnesota describes weekly whole-plant beetle scouting until silks have dried and uses different methods for different purposes. Name that purpose before quoting a beetle number. An unqualified “rootworm threshold” leaves the grower guessing which action it supports. Source: University of Minnesota. ## Worked example: an aphid visit in PropelMapper Example account: Prairie Agronomy. Assume a practice visit to a soybean field at R4, using whole-plant counts on 20 plants spread across the field. The total is 3,600 live aphids, so the mean is 180 per plant. Eighteen plants have aphids, giving 90 percent infestation. The previous comparable visit averaged 120 per plant. Two conditions are present: infestation exceeds 80 percent and the population has increased. The mean remains below 250. The summary should therefore say that the complete cited threshold has not been met. The advisor selects a return check in three days for this example because the count is rising; that is the example’s follow-up choice, not a universal interval or an automatic app alert. Start the visit at the correct place in the phone app. Say the crop stage, whole-plant method, stop IDs and counts in the voice note. Capture photos of aphids and the surrounding crop. Keep the raw counts in typed notes or readings so a reviewer can reproduce the arithmetic. Configure the relevant metric types in Settings, Metric types if the team wants those readings organized in Metrics. After the phone reconnects, review the transcript, extracted readings and draft report. Correct the field name, stage, counts and units against the recording. Add the source link and the advisor’s recommendation. Create a Follow-up task with an assignee and return date. Review and sign the report before sending it; the recipient’s acknowledgment confirms receipt rather than agreement with the agronomic decision. ## Writing the grower’s summary and next check Lead with the decision, then explain its evidence. Name the sampled area, any directed stops excluded from the average and any portion not inspected. A damaged patch can justify its own follow-up even when the representative field sample is below a threshold. Give that patch a location and a separate conclusion. When identification or trend is unresolved, say what evidence would change the recommendation. The next person should know whether to repeat counts, collect a specimen, inspect roots or check a returned lab result. The crop scouting form holds the detail; the opening paragraph should make the requested action clear without requiring the grower to interpret every sample row. ## Example: from the visit to the report Example account: Prairie Agronomy. How to write a crop scouting report. ### The voice note “North Field, creek side. Spotted leaves at this stop. I took a whole-plant photo and close-ups. Identification is still pending. I’ll ask the agronomist to review the photos before we decide what to do.” ### Leaf symptoms - North Field #### At a glance Leaf symptoms were observed at the creek-side stop. Whole-plant and close-up photos were saved. Identification is pending; the agronomist will review the photos before an action is selected. #### Observations Leaf symptoms were observed at the creek-side stop. Whole-plant and close-up photos were saved. Identification is pending; the agronomist will review the photos before an action is selected. After your review ## Before sending a scouting report 5 items ### For the grower - Field, date, main finding and next action - Person responsible and date of the next check ### For the record - Raw counts, sample areas, crop stage and locations - Routine and directed samples distinguished - Decision source, uncertainty and uninspected areas identified propelmapper.com Sources 4 named on this page - Scouting for Black Cutworm in Corn Iowa State University Extension and Outreach · 2021 · Accessed 2026-10-29 - Scouting for soybean aphid University of Minnesota Extension · reviewed 2023 · Accessed 2026-10-29 - Train your eyes for soybean defoliation Iowa State University Extension and Outreach · 2022 · Accessed 2026-10-29 - Scouting for corn rootworm University of Minnesota Extension · undated · Accessed 2026-10-29 How we source and review: editorial standards · data sources --- # Reading a soil survey before buying farmland URL: https://www.propelmapper.com/guides/reading-a-soil-survey-for-a-farm-purchase/ > Check the selected acres, map-unit components and rating coverage in a soil survey. Use the map to choose what to inspect before a farm purchase. Guides Boundaries and soil surveys Read a farm soil survey by checking the selected acres, map-unit components, rating coverage and site limitations, then record field checks in PropelMapper before using the survey in a purchase decision. Example account: Prairie Agronomy. © Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap By PropelMapper Field Team Published October 16, 2026 Updated October 29, 2026 How we review ## Confirm the acres before comparing ratings Start with the property you intend to evaluate, not a soil number copied from a listing. Obtain the supplied tract outline, local field names and parcel references. Ask whether a seller’s summary covers the whole property, cropped ground or only selected fields. Two summaries can both be calculated correctly while describing different land. Save the selection boundary, date and source with the soil report. Identify waterways, lanes, building sites, timber, ponds and separate pieces. Do not remove lower-rated acres simply to make a summary resemble an advertised number. If the selection is cropped land only, say so and retain the broader property outline for comparison. USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey organizes the process around an Area of Interest, the Soil Map, Soil Data Explorer and a report. Define the intended area first, then retain the map and the named interpretation used. The published survey is planning information; some suitability questions require an onsite investigation rather than a more detailed-looking map. ## Read map units and their components The map-unit symbol links an outlined area to descriptions and tables. Read the full name, component soils and any slope or phase information rather than treating the color as a uniform soil at every point. Keep the legend with the exported map so another reviewer can identify the units without reopening the mapping session. NRCS’s SSURGO description explains that map units contain major and minor components, with properties and interpretations linked through tables. The mapping was collected at different scales and is intended for natural-resource planning and management. A component percentage describes the mapped unit’s composition; it does not locate every inclusion within the outline. Record the specific property being read. Drainage class, texture, flooding frequency, slope and a productivity rating answer different questions. Keep their names and units separate. A map-unit name should not become an assumed laboratory result for the farm’s current fertility, organic matter or compaction. Use a worksheet with one row per unit: symbol, acres in the selection, named rating, rating availability and the main question for the visit. Copy the source value without rounding away a discrepancy. If a property is unavailable, retain that gap and ask what additional information is needed. ## Calculate an acreage-weighted rating carefully In Iowa, CSR2 is a soil productivity rating used as one input in evaluating farmland. Iowa State’s Computing the Iowa Corn Suitability Rating for Your Farm, updated April 2023, explains selecting land in Web Soil Survey and calculating the farm’s rating. CSR2 is specific to Iowa. It is not a national soil score or a complete valuation method. For a weighted average, multiply each unit’s included acres by its rating, add those products and divide by the acres included in the average. Before calculating, decide how unrated acres are handled and document that choice. An unavailable rating is not automatically zero. Report the rated acreage and the full selected acreage when they differ. Do not average the map-unit ratings without their acreage weights. An acre weighting error gives a tiny area the same influence as a large one. Also avoid combining old CSR and CSR2 figures as though they were the same series. Preserve the source report so a reviewer can check the basis of the number. For example, assume a practice selection contains 40 acres rated 80, 20 acres rated 60 and 5 unrated acres. The rated-acre average is ((40 × 80) + (20 × 60)) ÷ 60, or about 73.3. The report should say that 60 of the selected 65 acres were rated. Dividing by 65 would give about 67.7 and silently treat the missing rating as zero. These are assumed values for explaining the denominator, not a rating for a real property. ## Turn soil limitations into field questions Create stops where the survey raises a purchase question: a mapped drainage change, flooding concern, steep section, soil transition or unrated area. Include an ordinary comparison location. A tour confined to the easiest entrance can miss the part of the selection that most affects the intended use. For each stop, list the observation needed and who can interpret it. Standing water needs a location and date. A visible outlet needs its own condition record. A proposed building or wastewater location needs the relevant site-specific professional review. A crop-use question may require current soil testing, management records or a conservation plan in addition to the survey. Set the visit timing to fit the concern and the purchase due-diligence period. A dry-day walk can locate a depression but may not establish how it drains after rain. Ask whether a safe return visit, records from earlier wet periods or a specialist’s investigation is feasible before the decision date. If it is not, make that unresolved limitation visible to the buyer. ## Inspect drainage with the right limits University of Minnesota Extension’s How agricultural drainage works explains why surface and subsurface drainage need to be considered together. An outlet’s location and the water-table question matter to system performance. Use that background to ask for tile maps, installation or repair records and the operator’s account of recurring wet areas. At the field, photograph ponding, a visible outlet and any erosion separately. Record whether the outlet was flowing and what prevented inspection. A dry outlet at one moment does not prove failure. A wet patch does not locate the failed pipe. Keep these observations distinct until a documented system map or professional investigation supports a connection. Do not recommend a drainage alteration from the soil layer alone. The existing system, downstream conditions, applicable restrictions and specialist assessment affect the next step. The inspection’s decision rule is to refer an unresolved suitability concern before relying on that use in the purchase, rather than inventing a universal acceptable depth of ponding or slope. ## Worked example: recording a wet area in PropelMapper Example account: Prairie Agronomy. Assume a practice purchase review of East Field. The selected outline includes both cropped ground and an uncropped low area. The soil report raises a drainage question. During the visit the advisor sees standing water near an outlet but cannot inspect the buried line. The seller reports that drainage work was completed earlier; the installation record has not been supplied. The finding is current standing water at the located stop. The seller’s statement remains attributed, and buried-line condition stays unresolved. The buyer requests the installation map and a drainage specialist’s review before relying on a proposed change in land use. The soil rating and the wet-area observation remain separate parts of the review. In PropelMapper, check the place boundary before interpreting a clipped SSURGO layer. Start the visit at the intended field, record the soil-map reference and speak the observed condition with the stop name. Take a wide view of the low area and close views of the outlet where safely accessible. Add any measured water depth as a reading with its method; do not substitute the looked-up weather for a field measurement. Review the draft after upload and add the source report’s date, selected acreage and unanswered questions. Use a Follow-up task to assign collection of the installation record or arrange the specialist’s visit. The report can be exported as PDF or DOCX for the buyer’s packet. Do not claim that the app automatically verifies the survey interpretation or computes an appraisal. ## Reconcile the purchase packet before deciding Compare the map selection, acreage table and narrative one final time. Check that any quoted average identifies its denominator and missing values. Confirm that seller statements, current observations, laboratory results and mapped properties each carry their own sources and dates. A single “soil quality” heading can conceal important differences among them. Keep price, expected yield and rent conclusions with their separate evidence and professional assumptions. A soil rating does not determine those amounts by itself. If a decision depends on an unverified drainage system or a proposed building use, give that question a responsible reviewer and deadline within the buyer’s process. The final report should help the buyer understand where the survey provides useful context and where the property still needs inspection or testing. Preserve the original survey export and outline alongside the visit. That lets another advisor repeat the selection, understand a changed average and distinguish a mapped concern from a condition actually observed on the ground. ## Example: from the visit to the report Example account: Prairie Agronomy. Reading a soil survey for a farm purchase. ### The voice note “East Field, low ground beside the outlet. There is standing water here today. I took a photo and marked this stop. The soil survey raises a drainage question, but we haven’t checked the buried line.” ### Drainage question - East Field #### At a glance Standing water was observed beside the outlet and photographed. The soil survey provides drainage context. The buried line has not been checked; its condition remains unresolved. #### Observations Standing water was observed beside the outlet and photographed. The soil survey provides drainage context. The buried line has not been checked; its condition remains unresolved. After your review ## Soil survey inspection checklist 6 items ### In the survey file - Selection boundary, included acres and report date - Map units, components and named ratings - Rated acres and missing values identified ### On the visit - Mapped concerns located and photographed - Current observations kept separate from survey information - Unresolved questions assigned for further review propelmapper.com Sources 4 named on this page - Soil Survey Geographic Database (SSURGO) USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service · undated · Accessed 2026-10-29 - Web Soil Survey USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service · undated · Accessed 2026-10-29 - Computing the Iowa Corn Suitability Rating for Your Farm Iowa State University Extension and Outreach · updated 2023 · Accessed 2026-10-29 - How agricultural drainage works University of Minnesota Extension · undated · Accessed 2026-10-29 How we source and review: editorial standards · data sources --- # How to write a useful landowner report URL: https://www.propelmapper.com/guides/what-landowners-want-in-a-farm-report/ > Put the owner’s approval requests first, support them with dated inspection evidence, and track the response, repair and next check in your farm report. Guides Reports for growers and landowners A useful landowner report in PropelMapper puts approval requests first, supports each with dated field evidence and actual documents, and distinguishes authorization, reported completion and inspected completion. Example account: Prairie Agronomy. By PropelMapper Field Team Published October 16, 2026 Updated October 29, 2026 How we review ## Open with the decisions the owner needs to make Name the property, reporting period and visit dates before presenting the requests. State the proposed action, why it is being requested, the available options and the reply date. An owner should be able to identify what needs a response without reading the entire visit log. Put routine observations after those requests. When the cause of a problem is uncertain, ask for the appropriate investigation. A stained roof panel may justify a contractor inspection before a repair scope is known. Do not make the request sound settled by naming a repair the evidence has not established. “Approve an assessment” and “approve replacement” authorize different work. Explain what happens if the decision waits, using the actual work plan or contractor’s information. Avoid an invented loss estimate or urgency claim. If no consequence has been established, say which person will advise on timing. A useful deadline comes from the proposed work, access arrangement or owner process, rather than a generic demand for a quick reply. ## Agree on the report scope and schedule Set a reporting schedule with the owner and tenant that matches the management assignment. A routine property update, a storm-damage report and a repair-approval request need different detail and timing. Agree on which concerns require immediate contact outside the routine report, and identify the contact method and backup person. Colorado State University Extension’s Leasing Arrangements for Colorado’s Farms and Ranches discusses the importance of communication and suggests abbreviated reporting for interested owners under a cash lease. It also addresses buildings and maintenance arrangements. Use that context to agree on a report the owner can use; the actual lease and management agreement govern who may authorize work. Bring forward every unfinished request from the previous update. Give it a stable reference and retain its original date. A new reporting period should not make an unresolved repair disappear. If the owner has already replied, put the actual decision beside the item so the next update starts from the correct status. ## Tie each request to a location and dated evidence Use the field and building names the owner recognizes, with supplied agency identifiers where needed. A reader unfamiliar with the route should still be able to find the problem on the map or in the photo sequence. Name the doorway, crossing, outlet or field corner rather than relying on “the usual spot.” For each issue, use a view that locates it and another that shows the relevant condition. Keep earlier comparison photos labeled with their original dates. If a close-up no longer makes sense without the broad view, include both. Do not let a circle or arrow replace a written description of what the photograph shows. Describe what you observed, how you checked it and any access limit. Attribute the tenant’s or contractor’s explanation to that person. A report can carry a useful account without certifying it. For example, a tenant’s statement that the roof was patched belongs beside the manager’s observation of the stain, with performance after rain still untested. The farm inspection guide explains the underlying visit. Use the detailed farm inspection form for the working record, then select the evidence needed for the owner’s decision. The summary should not bury the requested approval beneath every photo from the day. ## Keep costs, quotes and responsibilities distinct Label an amount by its source: contractor quote, manager’s preliminary estimate, approved budget or actual invoice. Retain the document date and scope. If the quote excludes materials, disposal, permits or another necessary item, carry that limitation into the approval request instead of presenting the number as the full cost. Do not invent local prices to fill a blank. A missing quote can become the next action: obtain a written scope and price from the named contractor. When comparing alternatives, make clear whether they cover the same work. A lower number for a narrower scope is not necessarily a comparable option. Purdue Extension’s Crop Share or Crop Share/Cash Rental Arrangements for Your Farm discusses written agreements and includes repair and improvement provisions in a sample lease. Those are discussion points, not instructions to assign every cost to the owner. Refer responsibility questions to the property’s actual lease and the authorized reviewer. Keep authorization separate from receipt. An owner opening a report or confirming delivery has not necessarily approved the work. Record the approval itself, including the agreed scope, any conditions, the person giving it and the date. If approval must arrive through another system or signed document, preserve that record. ## Use practical rules for escalating a finding Agree in advance which conditions require prompt contact, such as an unsafe access point, active water entry or damage that affects planned work. The management assignment should define the response and authority. Do not introduce a universal dollar threshold or repair tolerance that the owner has never approved. For an unresolved drainage concern, explain the visible observation and the investigation needed. University of Minnesota Extension’s How agricultural drainage works provides background on surface and subsurface systems. It does not let the manager identify a buried failure from ponding alone. Request the relevant specialist review rather than presenting an unsupported excavation plan. For routine work, state when the quote is needed, when the owner must respond and who will arrange access. If the next check depends on rain or contractor completion, give that trigger as well as the responsible person. A trigger without an owner can leave the issue open indefinitely. ## Worked example: a roof follow-up in PropelMapper Example account: Prairie Agronomy. Assume a practice update for the machinery shed. The tenant says a contractor patched the roof. On the current dry-day visit, the manager photographs a stain above the north door but does not inspect the roof itself. No rain-performance check has occurred. The report requests the contractor’s written scope and a return inspection after rain when access is safe. The status is “completion reported; verification pending.” It is not “repair failed,” because the stain does not establish new leakage. It is also not “closed,” because the agreed performance check has not happened. The owner is asked to confirm whether the manager should arrange the contractor’s assessment if the return visit shows active water entry. In PropelMapper, open the shed’s place and start the visit on the phone. Speak the exact location of the stain, the inspection limits and the tenant’s attributed statement. Take a context photo and a closer view. Add a typed note identifying which earlier photograph should be compared. Keep any measurements with their units and method. After the captures upload, read the draft against the notes. Add the requested decision and the actual document references. Create an assigned Follow-up task to obtain the contractor’s scope and arrange the return check. Review the finished report, sign it and send it. PDF and DOCX exports provide copies for the owner’s records, while the report activity log retains the capture, version, signature, send and acknowledgment history. ## Track the reply through inspected completion When the owner responds, record the decision with its date and conditions. An approval to obtain a quote should not become approval to start work. A spending limit should remain linked to the authorized scope. If the contractor proposes a change, seek the required decision before treating it as part of the original authorization. After work, preserve the contractor’s completion statement and any invoice. Then record the manager’s later inspection separately. State what was checked and under what conditions. If the visit verifies only that materials were installed, keep any performance question open. Closing an item should identify which agreed evidence resolved it. The next report should show the change since the last one: response received, work arranged, completion reported or completion checked. Keep the same item reference so the owner can follow the sequence. Carry unresolved access, missing documents and untested performance into the next action rather than rewriting them as new issues. ## Review the report for an owner reading remotely Read the opening as if you cannot call the manager immediately. It should identify the property, decision, evidence, responsible person and requested response date. Remove directions that depend on being in the truck with the inspector. A precise place name and an understandable photo caption often do more than another paragraph of narrative. Check that the attachments support the requests actually made. A quote for another building, an undated comparison photo or a tenant statement presented as a manager’s finding can lead to the wrong decision. Correct those mismatches before signing. Keep sensitive or irrelevant material out of the owner’s packet according to the team’s process. End with the planned next update and any event that will trigger earlier contact. The owner should know what is waiting on them and what the manager will do meanwhile. That makes the report a usable record of decisions and follow-through, while leaving legal, structural and technical judgments with the people responsible for them. ## Example: from the visit to the report Example account: Prairie Agronomy. What landowners want in a farm report. ### The voice note “Machinery shed. The roof stain is still visible above the north door. I photographed it. The tenant says the contractor patched the roof, but I haven’t checked it after rain. I’ll include that limit in the owner’s update.” ### Roof follow-up - Machinery shed #### At a glance The stain remains visible above the north door. The tenant reports that the roof was patched. Performance after rain has not been checked; the item remains open for a return inspection. #### Observations The stain remains visible above the north door. The tenant reports that the roof was patched. Performance after rain has not been checked; the item remains open for a return inspection. After your review ## Before sending the owner update 5 items ### The request - Property and reporting period - Approval needed, supporting quote and reply date ### The follow-up - Source visit dates and labeled photos - Tenant statements attributed - Owner’s response, person responsible and next check propelmapper.com Sources 3 named on this page - Leasing Arrangements for Colorado’s Farms and Ranches Colorado State University Extension · undated · Accessed 2026-10-29 - Crop Share or Crop Share/Cash Rental Arrangements for Your Farm, NCR-105-W Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service · undated · Accessed 2026-10-29 - How agricultural drainage works University of Minnesota Extension · undated · Accessed 2026-10-29 How we source and review: editorial standards · data sources