What is a soil Productivity Index (PI)?

In Illinois the soil PI is a very important factor when making a farmland investment. The soil PI can be found in the University Of Illinois Bulletin 811. Optimum Level of Management. There are over 800 soils in Illinois listed in this Bulletin. The PI scale begins at 47 with the highest rating being 147. The value of a farm can vary greatly depending on the soil PI. The PI index number is assigned based on several soil characteristics including organic matter, subsoil, drainage, slope, and on location in northern or southern Illinois. The PI helps give us an idea of what a farm and its soil types can produce and help determine value.

If you would like to know what the PI is for your farm, please call or email us with a plat page of your farm, we can take it from there.

• Bulletin 811 can be found on the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences website
• USDA Web Soil Survey

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