The Senate Agriculture Committee held a hearing this week on advanced biofuels. One of the witnesses at the hearing was NASCAR team owner Richard Childress who talked about the many benefits of corn-based biofuels, such as the higher fuel performance he has seen in more than five million miles of racing since the E15 ethanol blend was introduced in the … Read More
Proper Preparation Best for Propane Equipment
Spring is in the air, and planting is either started or getting ready to get started across the country. The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) is urging farmers who use their fuel to make sure spring preparation includes prepping that propane-fueled equipment. Irrigation Engines After a long winter, rodents, debris, and exposure to the elements are the most common … Read More
Corn Growers, NASCAR Aim to Make April Greener
Corn growers across the country are either busy planting or getting ready to plant. A little different initiative also shows their environmental concern. This month, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is joining NASCAR for the second year of the NASCAR Race to Green Campaign. The goal of NASCAR Race to Green is to highlight the accomplishments of NASCAR Green™ … Read More
Davis Real-Time Weather Monitor Wins Award
A real-time remote weather monitor has been recognized at the 2014 Connected World Conference in Chicago. The Vantage Connect, Davis Instruments’ solar-powered weather telematics data logger, was honored for providing real-time weather conditions for precision agriculture and is used by companies such as Finland’s Vapo, to manage harvests, document required weather conditions and share data. “With the growing need to … Read More
Researchers Look to Take Precision Ag to Next Level
Computerized sensors, automatic sprayers, and even one day, driverless, GPS-guided tractors might seem pretty realistic in the world of precision agriculture. But a researcher in Texas is looking to take the technology to the next level. In this article from Texas A&M, Dr. Alex Thomasson, an agricultural engineer for the school, says he wants to develop sensors and computer hardware … Read More
Farmland Stars Light Up Commodity Classic Preview
It wasn’t a red carpet event, but some farmers still really shined as Commodity Classic went to the movies last week with a sneak preview of the feature length documentary “Farmland,” which will debut later this month. The media was allowed to watch, but not report on, the movie – but we are able to meet and talk with some … Read More
Deere Shows How to Be Accurate Up to 10 MPH
Imagine getting your work done at twice the speed you normally do! Producers attending this year’s Commodity Classic in San Antonio got to see more of John Deere’s new ExactEmerge planting system, which allows planters to be accurate at speeds up to 10 MPH. Kelby Krueger, product specialist with Deere’s Seeding Group, explained to Leah on the trade show floor … Read More
Clean Fields, High Yields: Acceptance & Planning
It seems like a pretty common sense idea in weed management: cleaner soybean fields will equal better yields when harvest time comes around. But Bryan Young, a professor of weed science from Purdue University who conducted the BASF-sponsored learning session, “Clean Fields, High Yields: The Keys to Solving Your Weed Problems in 2014,” at Commodity Classic told the farmers attending … Read More
Deere Brings Technology and Farming Together
They’ve been innovating ever since John Deere himself introduced the first steel plow nearly 180 years ago that transformed the American Great Plains into the world’s food basket it is today. Now the good folks at Deere have shown off their latest innovation at Commodity Classic in San Antonio: FarmSight. “Farmsight is our approach to how we think technology and … Read More
Deere Shows off More Efficient 7 & 8 Series Tractors
More information means greater efficiency out in the field, and that’s why our friends at John Deere were glad to show off their latest line of 7 and 8 series tractors to the farmers attending Commodity Classic in San Antonio. Leah caught up with Jarrod McGinnis, Deere’s marketing manager for these machines. He told her one of the biggest features … Read More