Farm Bill Expires, So Do Conservation Programs

John DavisAFBF, Conservation, Farm Bill, Government

As Congress and the President wrestle over the budget and whether or not it should be tied to the Affordable Care Act, aka “Obamacare,” not only has the government shut down, but farm programs have come to a halt as the one-year extension of the last Farm Bill expired on Oct. 1. And that has meant some key conservation programs, … Read More

Digi-Star Emphasizes Precision in New Brand Image

John DavisAgribusiness

Wisconsin-based Digi-Star, a company specializing in precision equipment for feed management, livestock weighing, harvesting technology, planting solutions and nutrient management, unveiled a new brand image. This company news release says the new logo with the tagline “Precisely,” represents Digi-Star’s continued goal of providing customers with valuable data that helps them make profitable management decisions and was debuted at this week’s … Read More

Better Test for Glyphosate Resistant Cotton Weeds

John DavisCotton, USDA

A USDA Agricultural Research Service scientist is working with Monsanto to develop a kit that cotton growers could use to determine whether weeds in their fields are glyphosate resistant. Don Parker, Manager of Integrated Pest Management for the National Cotton Council, explains that early detection is key in managing glyphosate-resistant weeds. “If a resistant weed is detected early, alternative measures … Read More

REAP Funds Make Rural Areas More Energy Efficient

John DavisEnergy, USDA

Farmers, ranchers and small businesses in rural areas of 22 states will benefit from projects designed to use energy more efficiently, as well as making sure renewable energy from rural America is a significant part of the mix. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the latest round of grants and loans being made available through the Rural Energy for … Read More

Rural Internet Talk of Next Farm Foundation Forum

John DavisInternet

Walk down the street in most major American cities today, and it’s pretty easy to get a high-speed wireless Internet hook-up. But move away from the city lights and into rural America, and it’s a different story. Too many farms lack real access to the web … ironic considering how much more reliant precision agriculture has become on the Internet. … Read More

MyAgCentral Connects Producers, Advisors and Data

John DavisAgribusiness, Audio, Data Collection, InfoAg, Internet

Recently, we told you about a new cloud-based precision data service called MyAgCentral.com. During the recent 2013 InfoAg Conference, Chuck was able to catch up with Steve Cubbage, the President of Prime Meridian, a company behind MyAgCentral.com and find out a little more. “It’s a subscription-based service for growers, retailers and service providers that brings technology together,” Steve said. “There’s … Read More

John Deere Shows Work in Key Trends at InfoAg

John DavisAg Group, Agribusiness, Audio, InfoAg, John Deere

Keeping up with new trends in precision agriculture can be a little easier with the right partner company. Just before one of the sponsors innovation showcases at the 2013 InfoAg Conference, Chuck caught up with Patrick Sikora from John Deere (on the left in the picture), who said his company is highlighting some of the key trends in precision agriculture … Read More

Monsanto: Precision Farming Part of Conservation

John DavisAg Group, Agribusiness, Audio, Conservation, CTIC, Monsanto

Monsanto was one of the sponsors on the recent Conservation Technology Information Center tour in Livingston County, Ill., and Chuck caught up with the company’s Emilio Oyarzabal, who said the CTIC’s work is very important to Monsanto and its customers. “We need agriculture more than ever,” Emilio said, but he added that farmers are being accused of doing environmental damage. … Read More

SPADE Digs Into Precision Information

John DavisAg Group, Audio, InfoAg

Having lots of data is good for precision farming, but that data has to meet certain standards for it to mean anything consistently for users on the other end. That’s why the 2013 InfoAg Conference on precision agriculture addressed the subject with Jim Wilson, Standards Director, for Ag Gateway, a non-profit organization that looks to promote, enable and expand e-business … Read More