Iowa Power Farming Show Ready for 56th Year

Kurt LawtonAg Leader, Education, Events, Fertilizer, Guidance, Insights Weekly, Retailers, Software

Insights WeeklyThe fourth largest indoor farm show in the country is prepping for it’s 56th annual show in Des Moines, Ia., on February 1-3. It continues to break attendance records now for seven years in a row, with around 19,000 attendees spread out among six floors in the three buildings that comprise the Iowa Events Center (Hy-Vee Exhibit Hall, Wells Fargo Arena and Polk County Convention Complex). This year you’ll find around 640 companies exhibiting their products and services.

I caught up with Katie Beeler yesterday, Ag Leader’s marketing communications coordinator, to talk about their presence at the show. Aside from being a major sponsor at the three-day event, the company will conduct three educational sessions during the show.

• Tuesday, February 1 at 11:30am, Ag Leader’s Chad Huedepohl will talk about the OptRx Crop Sensor system. You’ll learn how they measure and record data as you drive through the field—providing information on crop health, while allowing you to apply prescription nitrogen rates based on plant need.

• On Wednesday, February 2 at 10:45 am, Jeff Bentley from Ag Leader will help growers understand its ParaDyme Autosteer system and CORS networks. Come learn about the most advanced guidance system, and how it has the capability of using built-in cellular signals for remote service and connection to the CORS network.

• Also Wednesday at 12:15 pm, Ag Leader’s Michael Vos will discuss the power of all the data that can be collected during a cropping season, and show how the company’s SMS software can work the data to help improve management decisions.

Click on ‘Seminars’ at the Iowa Power Farming Show website for the entire rundown.

And if new products excite you, Beeler says Ag Leader will be talking about three new precision farming tools at their booth, along with their full product line. “Come learn about our new Advanced Seed Monitoring through the SeedCommand system that improves planter performance monitoring and control through the INTEGRA display. We’ll also showcase the new GPS 2500 all-in-one antenna and GNSS Receiver that can utilize GLONASS satellites and differential correction from WAAS/EGNOS and OmniSTAR XP/HP/VBS. And we’ll have the new Mesa Rugged Notepad at the show running our SMS Mobile software so growers can check out this valuable in-field tool,” she says. Ag Leader will be in Booth #306 in the Polk County Convention Complex.

The Iowa Power Farming Show is sponsored in part by Farm Credit Services of America, Ag Leader Technology, Bayer CropScience, Stine Seed, and The Stewart-Peterson Group. The show is owned and managed by the Iowa-Nebraska Equipment Dealers Association (I-NEDA). I-NEDA represents over 400 agricultural, outdoor power and industrial equipment dealers throughout Iowa and Nebraska. For more information about the show and a list of show exhibitors, visit www.iowapowershow.com.

Visit these links for more information.
Iowa Power Farming Show http://www.iowapowershow.com/

New Advanced Seed Monitoring
http://www.agleader.com/2010/12/03/ag-leader-announces-advanced-seed-monitoring-functionality-for-integra™-display/

New GPS 2500 GNSS Receiver
http://www.agleader.com/2010/11/01/ag-leader-announces-new-gps-2500-gnss-receiver/

New Mesa Rugged Notepad
http://www.agleader.com/2010/11/01/ag-leader-offers-new-hardware-option-for-sms™-mobile/

Ag Leader dealer locator http://www.agleader.com/dealer-search/

Nebraska Ag Tech Conference Gears Up

Kurt LawtonEducation, Events, Guidance, Harvesting, Irrigation, Planting, Research, Resources, Retailers, Satellite, seed, Spraying, sustainability, University, USDA, Variable rate

Don’t miss the upcoming February 9-10 NeATA conference in Grand Island, Neb., as it promises a technology extravaganza, along with other valuable topics such as precision Nitrogen management, social media, building consumer trust and much more.

The Nebraska Agricultural Technologies Association (NeATA), founded in 2001 by innovative Nebraska farmers, ranchers, agribusiness representatives and the University of Nebraska Extension, has compiled another great conference.

Need a technology makeover? How about using Nitrogen more wisely? Do you want to learn how to tell your story and share your values with consumers? How about learning a better way to select crop genetics? Check out the upcoming program, and book your trip now.

For Facebook users, find NeATA here and add them as a favorite.

Biofuels Policy Question Brings Mixed Results

Chuck ZimmermanZimmPoll

It should be an interesting year in the biofuels debate. The response to our latest ZimmPoll shows some pretty divided results with most thinking we’ll see just another one year extension of incentives. In answer to the question “What do you think will happen with biofuels policy this year?” Our results are that 38% say there will be another one year extension of the tax incentive, 22% say there will be new incentives for infrastructure, 20% say there will be no federal biofuels incentives, 14% say there will be a multiple year extension and 6% chose other. If you chose other then feel free to comment with what you think will happen.

Our next ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “What do you think about the number of farm groups? Let us know what you think and thank you for participating.

ZimmPoll is sponsored by Rhea+Kaiser, a full-service advertising/public relations agency.

USDA Launches CropScape Data Service

Cindy ZimmermanAerial Imagery, USDA

To provide easier access to geospatial satellite products, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) has just launched CropScape, a new cropland exploring service.

CropScape provides data users access to a variety of new resources and information, including the 2010 cropland data layer (CDL) just released in conjunction with CropScape. The new service offers advanced tools such as interactive visualization, web-based data dissemination and geospatial queries and automated data delivery to systems such as Google Earth.

“CropScape delivers data visualization tools directly into the hands of the agricultural community without the need for specialized expertise, GIS software or high-end computers,” said Mark Harris, NASS Research and Development Division director. “This information can be used for addressing issues related to agricultural sustainability, land cover monitoring, biodiversity and extreme events such as flooding, drought and hail storm assessment.”

NASS produced the 2010 CDL using satellite image observations at 30-meter (0.22 acres per pixel) resolution and collected from the Resourcesat-1 Advanced Wide Field Sensor (AWiFS) and Landsat Thematic Mapper. The collection of images was categorized using on-the-ground farm information including field location, crop type, elevation, tree canopy and urban infrastructure. All prior CDL products dating back to 1997 are also hosted by CropScape.

CropScape was developed in cooperation with the Center for Spatial Information Science and Systems at George Mason University, Fairfax, Va. The research and development of CropScape and the NASS partnership with George Mason University reflect NASS’s continued commitment to improve U.S. agricultural production, sustainability and food security.

Check it out here.

Everything But The Squeal

Melissa SandfortAgricultural Anthropology

About 20 years ago, my grandfather wrote a book about our family history. He had it printed, and as we unpacked at our new house, I came across that family story, neatly bound and stored amongst my set of office books. I later sat down with him to hear about one such experience contained in the book, and am now debating about eating that 150 pounds of pork in our freezer. (Ah, but I’d never let good meat go to waste!)

Here are some excerpts from his book: Hogs were raised for family food and for market. Butchering was done in the late fall or winter so that the carcass could be chilled … The hog was scalded in the hot water; judgment was used in leaving it long enough to loosen the hairs in its skin but not long enough to cook the outside of the flesh … The innards were removed, with the heart, liver and small intestine saved for future use … Some of the meat was kept in salt brine in a wooden barrel; the bacon and some sausage was cured over a smoking hickory wood fire in a small closed building; some sausage patties were kept in a container of lard … The small intestines which had been saved were thoroughly cleaned and washed, turned inside out and washed again and soaked overnight in salt water. They were used as casings for some of the sausage that had been ground. Mother cooked the feet, removed the toenails and made pickled pig’s feet; the jowls of the head were made into jowl bacon … the brains were removed for a special treat.

Someone has said that when a farmer butchered a hog, he used everything but the squeal.

This makes me wonder: first, cooking with all that lard, how did people in the 1930s stay so thin? Second, how did they ever clean up the kitchen table after slapping hog halves down to be cut? And lastly, what kind of treat is brain?

This picture is a hog scraper, used to scrape the hair from the hog when butchering. I think I prefer eating great-tasting pork, and living with my ignorance of not knowing how it’s butchered. I’m going to pretend I didn’t read this part of the book.

Until our next history lesson …

Wireless Irrigation Sensor Workshops

Kurt LawtonEducation, Events, Irrigation, Remote sensing, sustainability, University

If you irrigate and have not considered wireless sensors, the time is now to save money and improve yields.

The University of Missouri will sponsor three free breakfast workshops on wireless soil-moisture monitoring for timing irrigation. The workshops will feature representatives from six leading manufacturers of wireless sensors.

The workshops will take place Jan. 18 in Kennett, Jan. 19 in Sikeston and Jan. 20 in Columbia.

“The price of wireless technology has decreased so much in recent years that the annual cost for complete wireless systems can be as low as three to six dollars per acre,” said Joe Henggeler of MU’s Commercial Agriculture Program and workshop coordinator. “It won’t take too much extra cotton, corn or soybeans to pay for that investment.”

MU specialists and others will provide information on types of sensors, how far they can transmit signals and their usefulness to farmers. Company representatives will briefly explain their products.
Use of wireless sensors by 500 farmers in Nebraska has shown an average pump savings of $25 per acre for corn and $19 per acre for soybeans. Missouri survey results show that irrigators who use sensors have yields that are much higher than irrigators who do not use the wireless technology, Henggeler said.

Computer workstations linked to Google Earth will be available for use by farmers and company representatives. Farmers will be able to zoom to aerial views of their farms to see where to place sensors, measure the distances involved and observe if there are obstructions that may block signals.

The companies to be represented at the workshops are Campbell Scientific, Decagon Devices, Irrometer Company, John Deere Water, Onset Computer Corporation and Smartfield. Smartfield manufactures an infrared canopy temperature sensor that can determine when a crop needs to be watered.

Data is gathered 24/7 on the crop’s moisture conditions and is displayed on the computer as graphs. Almost all of the products can be set up to text-message an irrigator when a crop needs water.
Henggeler said he is pleased with the companies that will be represented at the workshops and with the personnel they will be sending. “Companies are not just sending regular sales staff but their vice presidents, product managers and other higher-echelon staff. They are eager to meet Midwestern irrigators because they feel they have products that will help them and they want to start partnerships here.”

Workshops are free of charge, but attendees are asked to preregister at http://agebb.missouri.edu/irrigate/bhconf/2011/prereg.htm.
Workshops begin 7 a.m. with a hot breakfast and conclude at 10 a.m. Dealers will be available later in the day to make site visits. Special workshop discounts will be awarded to attendees.

Dates and locations of the workshops:
-Tuesday, Jan. 18: American Legion Building, Kennett, Mo.
-Wednesday, Jan. 19: Clinton Building, Sikeston, Mo.
-Thursday, Jan. 20: MU Bradford Farm, Columbia, Mo.

For more information, see http://agebb.missouri.edu/irrigate/bhconf/2011/agenda.htm, or contact Joe Henggeler at 573- 225-7986 or henggelerj@missouri.edu.

On-Farm Research Session at AG CONNECT

Cindy ZimmermanAg Connect Expo, Audio, InfoAg

Precision agriculture is the focus of many educational sessions at the 2011 AG CONNECT Expo in Atlanta this weekend. One of the very first sessions that was held on the Friday special preview day was “Implementing an On-Farm Research Program” presented by precision agriculture advocate Harold Reetz of Reetz Agronomics.

“Every farmer ought to have an area set aside that he’s testing new things under his management conditions,” Harold said. “We have a lot of new equipment, new products, new varieties that are coming on line and as we get to site specific management and fine-tuning the management on your farm, you really have to evaluate each of those things on your farm under your conditions to see if it fits and will improve your profits or your environmental impact.”

He explains that site-specific technology provides the tools to do the research. “Every field can be a research plot where we’re testing something new. We can set it up on the computer, apply the treatments as you’re doing normal farming operations,” he said. “You learn more about your operation and how you can improve what you’re doing.”

I also chatted with Harold about how fast the technology for precision farming has grown in just the last 15 years, now incorporating wireless internet and smartphones, “We’re doing so much more than we dreamed of 15 years ago – it’s unbelievable!” he says.

Harold also talks about the recently formed International Society for Precision Agriculture and the2011 InfoAg Conference, coming up July 12-14 in Springfield, IL.

Listen to the whole interview with Harold here: [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/AEM/agconnect-11-reetz.mp3″ text=”Harold Reetz at AG CONNECT”]

You can see photos from AG CONNECT
2011 AG CONNECT Expo Photo Album

New Guidance Products from Leica

Kurt LawtonCompany Announcement, Displays, Guidance

Leica Geosystems just launched a full suite of new products for steering guidance, as well as new features to its mojo3D and mojoMINI displays.

Leica’s SteerDirect Solutions. With many new SteerDirect solutions available, Leica Geosystems now steers a broad range of tractors, combines and sprayers across all major brands.

The new SteerDirect Hydraulic option is a compact, integrated solution designed to work with the Leica mojoRTK auto-steer console. This unique hydraulic kit was designed with a number of cost-saving features, including a single bracket and a simplified design to streamline installation – saving time and money.

“When we decided to expand our steering platforms to include a hydraulic solution, we knew we wanted to develop a simple, easy-to-install solution that would be affordable for our customers,” says Rob Doncon, product manager at Leica Geosystems.

New Leica mojo3D. The new Leica mojo3D guidance display has been upgraded with a number of new features, including the new Ultimate Curve guidance option, Boundary Recording, and the ability to upgrade to GLONASS satellites.

The new and improved Leica mojo3D is a smarter precision guidance system designed to help farmers large and small create a customized solution to fit their individual needs.

New Leica mojoMINI. The Leica mojoMINI also has a number of new features, making this entry-level display a must-have for any farm operation. The Leica mojoMINI is a great solution for anyone looking for an affordable way to start saving money in the field by enhancing driver accuracy and reducing overlap. Plus, with new features like Boundary Recording, Coverage Mapping and Continue Field, the Leica mojoMINI is even more useful.

“Adding these new features to the mojo3D and mojoMINI takes these displays to the next level in ag guidance,” says Peter Bailey, product manager at Leica Geosystems. “We’ve worked hard over the past year to deliver some significant new features that make the products easier to use in a wide range of applications.”

To learn more about the available SteerDirect options and all of the Leica Geosystems agriculture products, drive straight to your local dealer or visit us online at www.AgGuidance.com

Smart Phone Farming

Cindy ZimmermanAg Connect Expo, Events

An Indiana-based mobile technology company has developed a farming and industrial smart Phone application that will be spotlighted during AG CONNECT Expo 2011 in Atlanta.

LoadOut Technologies CEO Neil Mylet will be presenting the company’s technology during an AG CONNECT breakout session from 9:30-10:30 Saturday morning.

Mylet will discuss various applications and different types of Smartphone features that can help make any farming operation more efficient. He will also discuss where the mobile devices are going in the future, and highlight the top 5 applications for agriculture.

Following the session, Mylet will also host a roundtable discussion on ideas, solutions, and ways agriculture can foster technological entrepreneurship to transform farms and communities of rural America.

Raven Expands Precision Ag into China

Cindy ZimmermanInternational, Raven

Raven Industries has announced a new partner, BDStar Navigation, will be the exclusive distributor in China for Raven precision ag products, including SmarTrax RTK™and Cruizer II™, and will help solidify Raven’s position as a leading international provider of precision agriculture products.

“We’re very excited to enter into this new market and the opportunities it brings for both Raven and our new partners at BDStar,” said Matt Burkhart, Vice President and General Manager for Raven Industries, Applied Technology Division. “Our continued partnerships and growth in international markets show our commitment to being a global provider of precision technologies, benefiting growers and operations throughout the world.”

Yang Lizhuang , General Manager of GNSS Division BDStar said, ” The cooperation of BDStar and Raven will provide a complete, full-line solution for our customers, and that will certainly lead the way for Precision Agriculture in China.”

A more precise application will offer growers better yields, and customers will see an immediate return on investment with their Raven precision products through reduced waste and input costs, including fuel and operator fatigue. This new product offering is available today through the BDStar distribution network.