Size Up Your GPS Investment Seminar

Kurt LawtonAudio, Equipment, GPS

Spending time this winter analyzing your precision practices is always beneficial. To this end, check out this DTN AG Online Seminar called “Sizing Your GPS Investment/Which Tools Fit the Farm,” hosted in September by DTN and The Progressive Farmer magazine.

The seminar discusses numerous topics: As more tools associated with GPS technologies come available, farmers are beginning to question which ones make the most sense in their operation. For farmers just getting into the GPS world, the question is how far to get into the technology. Is yield mapping enough? Or should the farmer jump right in to high-accuracy RTK signaling and autosteer equipment systems? This webinar will include a panel of farmers who have walked through those decisions and can add insight in to what they’re doing, how well it works, and whether it adds to their efficiency and profitabilility.

To listen to a wide variety of other excellent Webinars–from taxes and seed to tillage and grain marketing, visit the DTN AG Online Seminars page.

Wireless Soil Sensors Judge Crop Environment

Kurt LawtonPrecision Ag in the News, Research

Sensor technology continues to amaze me. Having watched this fascinating technology since the 1980s and written about its usefulness in monitoring everything from tractor components to grain quality, I’ve become a firm believer that such sensor precision truly pays.

Current research underway by engineers at Iowa State University aims to plant small (2×4 in.) prototype wireless soil sensors under crops. The goal is to give farmers another precision data layer of information to better manage nutrients, water and carbon to maximize yields and profits–and minimize environmental impact.

Think of the possibilities. 

Check out ISU’s sensor research team and their efforts.

Precision Ag In The News

Chuck ZimmermanPrecision Ag in the News

A report titled, “GPS Precise Positioning Markets 2008-2012,” is now available from Research and Markets according to a release posted on MarketWatch.

GPS Precise Positioning Markets 2008-12 includes details on the projected US$ 6-8 Billion value chain; starting with precision GPS infrastructure, continuing through the market for GPS receivers, finished GPS goods and concluding with GPS augmentation and distribution services. Markets covered include surveying, engineering, agriculture, mining, deformation monitoring, GIS, marine and aviation for both machine control and non-machine control applications for the time period 2008 through 2012.

The global value of precision GNSS products and services is approximately US$3 Billion in 2008 and predicted to grow to a value of between US$6-8 Billion by 2012, a CAGR of 19-23%, although prolonged economic downturn in North America and Europe could see growth slow to a CAGR of 15-19%.

GPS Helps Guide Women Farmers

Cindy ZimmermanGeneral

GPS can mean more than Global Positioning System for women farmers, according to agricultural marketing specialist Jane Eckert.

“The G stands for setting goals,” Eckert told a meeting for women who are principal farm operators in Wisconsin recently. “If we don’t have a goal set, then any old road will do and that’s not good enough for business anymore.”

“The P stands for passion because when you have clear and concrete goals that you have a burning passion to make happen, you are more likely to succeed,” said Eckert.

Finally, the S stands for Skills. “We have to be willing to learn new skills,” Eckert says. “That means we have to be willing to leave the farm sometime to take classes and take workshops.” That also means learning about new precision technology and information that can help the thousands of women nationwide who are principal farm operators be more profitable.

Eckert spoke at a conference for women farmers called, Connecting Threads – Weaving the Fabric of Agriculture.

What Technology Worked This Year?

Kurt LawtonFarmers, Tillage

The buzz is all about precision…steering, strip-till, fertilizer placement.

During Successful Farming magazine’s annual Crop Tech Tour, editors asked growers what technology worked in the field this year–given weather extremes that ranged from severe droughts to floods. 

Tom Loitz of Geneseo, Illinois, says his new strip-till system combined with row shut-offs on his planter showed strong payback when he entered the field to begin harvest recently.

“As I got out there this fall and opened up some fields, could really tell the difference with the row shutoffs versus last year when didn’t have them. The overlap wasn’t there, and you could really tell the difference. I think it’s a nice benefit,” he says, adding that the auto-steer system he’s used for the last four years is possibly “the greatest thing ever” in how it reduces his fatigue while running in the field.

Other farmers cited fertilizer costs, and found that moving to strip-till not only saved input dollars but helped the plants use fertilizer more efficiently. And one grower cited John Deere’s RowSense technology that helped him pick up down corn.

Steve Clementz, a precision ag adviser and farmer near Geneseo, Illinois, says things like precise sprayer swath control and auto-steer have helped farmers make up time that was lost because of poor early-season conditions that delayed planting. Also, tools like Deere’s RowSense will help farmers pick downed corn, which became an issue after a severe wind storm hit Clementz’ area earlier this summer.

“RowSense takes the stress out of combining leaned-over corn,” he says. 

Watch videos of two growers who describe their technology successes during their 2009 cropping season.

Aerial Precision

Chuck ZimmermanAg Group, Audio, NAAA

David EbyThis week I’m attending the National Agricultural Aviation Association Convention in Las Vegas. It’s the first contact I’ve had with this group and I’ve been learning a lot. For example, I didn’t realize how big a role precision agriculture is playing in aerial application. I guess it makes sense though. If you can use gps and variable rate on the ground then why not from the air?

One of the people who explained some of this to me was David Eby, AgSync, pictured on the left of Denise and Ryan Eby in their trade show booth. David says that they realized the need for aerial application companies to have a software solution for managing data, especially when they’ve got multiple planes in the air. So they developed AgSync, which is a web based solution for this problem. We’re sure seeing a growth in web based programming aren’t we? Even in ag!

David says they’ve been working closely with BASF on the development of this program. I’ve been hearing a lot of applicators here talking about BASF’s Headline fungicide and I asked him what that has meant for the business. He says “it has changed our world in aerial application.”

Listen to my interview with David here: [audio:http://zimmcomm.biz/naaa/basf-naaa-08-eby.mp3]

If you’d like to see some photos from the convention then check these out: NAAA Convention Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the 2008 National Agricultural Aviators Association Convention
is sponsored by: BASF.

Survey Says Less Steering Wheel Use

Kurt LawtonDealers, Research

Like farmers, more retailers are using their steering wheels less this past year–without going in the ditch!

Survey says…adoption of auto guidance grew from 27% use by retailers to 37% in 2008. Other growing precision technologies being applied for customers include GPS guidance using lightbars, satellite/aerial imagery, field mapping with GIS for legal/billing/insurance purposes, and GPS for logistics uses.

When asked how they see farmer use expanding in the next three years (percent of acres in their retail area), survey says…

  • soil sampling w/GPS will grow from 27% to 44% of acres
  • field mapping w/GPS will grow from 27% to 46%
  • variable seeding w/GPS will grow from 5% to 18%
  • variable fertilizer w/GPS will grow from 20% to 38%
  • satellite imagery will grow from 9% to 20%
  • lightbar guidance w/GPS will grow from 35% to 50%
  • auto guidance w/GPS will grow from 15% to 33%
  • yield monitors w/GPS will grow from 22% to 42%
  • yield monitors w/o GPS will grow from 26% to 32%

These facts, and plenty more, came from the 13th annual survey by Crop Life magazine and Purdue University’s Center for Food and Agricultural Business. Over 275 U.S. retailers responded. 

For some light winter reading, check out the entire 55-page report here 2008 dealership survey. You’ll also discover their opinions on barriers to growth and expansion, as well as how they see their role with manufacturers and customers.

How To Think About Variable Rate

Kurt LawtonPrecision in Practice, Resources

With fertilizer costs and 2009 cropping plans being top-of-mind right now, variable-rate (VR) application is an option you should explore to improve efficiency.

But where does one begin their thought process to understand the value of VR? The story of Durango Farms in Lacombe, Alberta is a story worth reading because it walks you through their thinking. This presentation was part of 2008 FarmTech Foundation of Alberta’s annual conference on new technology, environmental issues, agronomy and farm management topics. 

From Durango Farms experience, their advice is to do your homework to see if VR has a fit in your fields. From their experience, here are their 10 tips for looking at VR technology: 

1) Plan ahead. Make buying decisions that will allow implementation of VR at a later date. 

2) Allow enough time to make sure the systems are all working properly. 

3) Draw on experience and knowledge from others. Have a support team that you can draw on. 

4) If you are variable rating more than one product try to avoid blending. Much easier system to handle field to field if you have 

dedicated tanks for individual products. 

5) Larger air seeder tanks allow more flexibility and reduces tank changes during the season 

6) Use systems that give you feedback. As applied maps and yield monitors help to confirm what you did and the results. 

7) Understand practical implications between soil testing and application. Fall banding and winter wheat are examples of working 

within a narrow window. 

8) Fine tune your system over time. You are treating your fields differently than in the past. Understand the response and make 

changes accordingly. 

9) Define your limiting factors and their economic costs and then build the appropriate response. 

10) Look for other opportunities zone management can provide. 

You can read more valuable papers from past proceedings, too.

More Precision at Beltwide

Cindy ZimmermanEducation, Events, Software

Cotton growers who were not able to attend the recent Crop Management Seminar in Mississippi have another chance to hear more about precision during the upcoming Beltwide Cotton Conferences.

National Cotton CouncilThe National Cotton Council works closely with Cotton Incorporated on planning technical and producer sessions for the Beltwide, which this year will include workshops on zone fertility management, precision software for consultants and precision record keeping.

Cotton Inc economist Dr. Jeanne Reeves says precision record keeping can help producers manage input costs more effectively. “We’re going to show how all aspects of that – from the crop production side, to the accounting side, to keeping up with labor, filing tax returns – is all part of the software growers can use to manage their business,” Reeves said.

The Beltwide Cotton Conferences are scheduled for January 5-8 in San Antonio.