Soil organic matter influences chemical and physical properties in the root zone as well as soil biological activity and plant vigor. As such, it is reasonable to assume that there are probably opportunities for producers to incorporate soil organic matter concentration information into their management decisions. However, soil organic matter is usually notoriously variable within fields. An active sensor based on in-soil reflectance was developed to provide apparent real-time organic matter data. Anticipated use of this information by producers includes variable-rate planting and nutrient application decisions. Preliminary efforts to calibrate the sensor using an expanded set of bench-mark soils showed that those within a major land resource area in Nebraska followed a linear trend (lower reflectance with higher organic matter content). Samples from soil developed under forested conditions typically contained higher carbon concentrations but still generated a weak regression. Soil reflectance from a field transect showed that the sensor values were highly correlated with organic matter content. Strategies to calibrate the sensor will be presented using data from a high-intensity grid sampled field.