Not much rain in Gibbon, Minnesota this season either, according to ASA/John Deere Reach for the Stars winner Peter Kramer who farms about 1100 acres of mainly corn and soybeans. Pete says he was able to use AutoTrac with planting and spraying this season. “This fall I plan on using that same tractor and the AutoTrac to pull my strip … Read More
Mid-State Equipment Selling Precision Ag To Dairies
At the just completed World Dairy Expo one of the exhibitors was Chuck Endres, Mid-State Equipment. He told me that dairy producers are looking at precision agriculture equipment to help them become more efficient. When it comes to precision equipment he says the biggest benefit to dairy producers is dealing with moisture when making haylage. He says the equipment they’re … Read More
Reaching for the Stars in Georgia
The ASA/John Deere “Reach for the Stars” winner from southwest Georgia had to contend with some seriously unfavorable weather conditions this year, but Roger Godwin of Pelham says at least AutoTrac made his life easier when it came to harvesting his peanut crop. “Lot of people don’t know how peanuts are grown,” Roger said. “We have a plow that we … Read More
Precision.AgWired.com in Forage Harvesting
John Deere is exhibiting some new technology at World Dairy Expo this week that can help dairy producers by getting added value for forage at harvest. John Deere Hay and Forage Product Specialist Jim Buchs told us about Harvest Lab. “We put a unit on our forage harvester that can measure the moisture as its going through the machine,” Buchs … Read More
Reach for the Stars Follow Up
We are getting back in touch with all the ASA/John Deere “Reach for the Stars” winners this year to see how the system worked for them and just how their crop year has been. Our first follow-up is with Colin Dutenhoffer who grew wheat, corn and beans this year in Aberdeen, SD. Despite a weird weather year that included flooding … Read More
Precision Agriculture Being Developed in Japan
This past week I’ve been attending an International Federation of Agricultural Journalists Congress in Japan. On one of our stops we saw precision agriculture on display in a rice paddy! This is in development now at the Furukawa Agricultural Research Station. I interviewed Yoshisada Nogasaka, Research Team for Farm Machinery and Systems for NARC, the National Agricultural Research Center. He’s … Read More
New Precision Ag Products
At the John Deere product introduction Kayla Reynolds, John Deere Ag Management Solutions, gave a presentation to the media and a group of securities analysts. It was kind of a like a Precision 101 class since many of those attending have no background or experience with agriculture. The event provided them with some great information that will help them better … Read More
Hands-On Demos
Farmers are getting a sneak peak trial of John Deere’s latest in desktop software, the beta version of the company’s Apex 2.0 program. The live demo is just one of four innovative products John Deere is displaying at its Ag Management Solutions booth. Consumers can also check out the company’s Autotrack Universal System Mobile Guidance Solution, GS2 Rate Controller, and … Read More
Hands-Free Technology
It’s no magic trick. It’s a John Deere Precision Ag demonstration, showing just how much freedom satellite technology can offer a farmer in the field. Public Relations Manager Barry Nelson explained that operators need to program their routes just once and satellite operation will take care of the rest: distance, turns, no sweat. Barry also filled me in on the … Read More
Dealers Welcomed to John Deere Product Launch
The Senior Vice President, Agricultural Marketing – North America, Australia & Asia, for John Deere is Doug DeVries. Doug came out on stage at the product launch in Cincinnati to thank the dealers who work directly with the customers. In my interview with Doug he says this is the widest range of products they’ve ever brought to the market at … Read More