Agriculture and Biosystems Engineering students at Iowa State University will get to play with and learn from the latest tractor technology thanks to a generous donation from John Deere. Tony Kajewski, continuing improvement engineering manager at John Deere Waterloo Tractorworks, presented gold keys to the tractor to Jonathan Wickert, dean of engineering, and Joe Colletti, senior associate dean of agriculture … Read More
Collaboration Delivers Satellite Images To Canadian Farmers
German-based RapidEye, who uses a constellation of five satellites to photograph earth for numerous industries, partnered with Canadian companies GeoFarm and Agri-Trend to supply growing season images to farmers across Canada. In a collaborative effort, GeoFarm, Agri-Trend, and RapidEye began working together at the beginning of 2009 to offer enhanced satellite imagery solutions to Canadian clients by offering “near real-time” … Read More
Precision Soil Sampling Made Easier
With the advent of quality mobile and desktop software, as well as rugged mobile devices with GPS capabilities, precision soil sampling has greatly improved. I talked this week to George Ropp, a retired county extension agent turned soil fertility consultant in northwest Ohio, who has a lot of experience with such technology. His use spans way back to the early … Read More
Precision Agriculture At Beltwide Cotton Conference
Precision farming techniques and practices are taking center stage at this year’s Beltwide Cotton Conference in New Orleans, January 4-7, 2010. According to a report in Mid-South Farmer magazine, Bill Robertson of the National Cotton Council says Randy Taylor, Oklahoma State University will set the stage for the precision agriculture theme Tuesday morning at the general production conference with a … Read More
Monitoring Your Yield Monitor
Grain yields must be corrected for moisture, otherwise wetter heavier grain will skew yields higher while drier, lighter grain will appear to decrease yields, says Matt Digman, University of Wisconsin Biological Systems Engineer. “Changes in corn variety, moisture content and individual kernel density can lead to measurement error. It is recommended that a calibration load be entered every 2-3 weeks, … Read More
Researchers Using GPS To Cut Erosion With Waterways
It’s a proven fact that grass waterways and stream buffer strips reduce erosion and runoff. Current research at the University of Kentucky strives to develop reliable prediction models for accurate placement of these grassy strips in a field using GPS. Tom Mueller, associate professor in the University of Kentucky (UK), College of Agriculture, guided Adam Pike, UK graduate student, on … Read More
The Power of Harvest Data
High input costs, lower grain prices and a tough overall economy are driving farmers to seek efficiency in every part of every field they farm. The good news is that growers can capture data for every pass they make over a field today—which yields powerful information, and profits. To this end, I spoke recently with Luke James, software trainer and … Read More
Check Out Precision Agriculture At Sunbelt Ag Expo
Southern growers get a chance to check out the latest precision farming technology at the annual Sunbelt Ag Expo farm show, set for October 20-22 in Moultrie, Georgia. Now in it’s 32nd year, it features 1,200 exhibitors and 600 acres of field demonstrations. And this year the show will feature a new Technology Innovations and Solutions series of seminars, sponsored … Read More
Precision Farming And Water Quality Efforts
Precision agriculture is more than just right source, right rate, right time and right place. It’s also about responsible conservation measures to help reduce nutrient and soil loss. It’s anyones guess if the EPA will try to regulate farm field runoff. But irregardless of that, there are good programs in place now to help farmers pay for sound conservation practices … Read More
Precision Terrace Design Coming To Web
Designing field terraces will soon become easier thanks to a new Internet-based terrace design tool under development at the University of Missouri. Allen Thompson, Associate Professor of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, says his computer-assisted tool can upload GPS-based topographical data to facilitate design and installation on complex fields. Another benefit, aside from cutting the terrace development process in half, is … Read More