Scientists at the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service recently developed a simple, web-based tool that helps producers easily understand the quality of water flowing off their fields – the Water Quality Index for Agricultural Runoff (WQIag). “Water quality is complex,” said NRCS National Water Quality and Quantity team leader Shaun McKinney. “Experts usually focus on one aspect of water quality … Read More
Ag Organizations Applaud Six Countries
Key members of the U.S. agricultural value chain have joined together to applaud the work of the United States and like-minded governments to promote the importance of science-based regulations to facilitate trade of agricultural commodities derived from agricultural biotechnology. In a joint statement, the United States was joined by the governments of Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada and Paraguay to announce … Read More
Hybrids Perform Well With Delayed Planting
Growers across the Corn Belt are either anxiously waiting to get into their fields or are in the early stages of planting their 2013 corn crop. If cool, wet weather continues, planting will be delayed for many growers and prompt questions about switching to earlier season hybrids. Long-term research studies from DuPont Pioneer and several universities show that adapted, full-season … Read More
Soybean Executive Named NAWG CEO
Longtime soybean industry executive Jim Palmer has been named chief executive officer of the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG). Palmer was selected by the NAWG Board of Directors after a search process led by the NAWG officers and grower-leaders of the National Wheat Foundation, NAWG’s affiliated charitable organization. He will officially begin work with the Association and Foundation as … Read More
Conservation Stewardship Program 2013
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) will provide nearly $175 million in funding for up to 12.6 million additional acres of enrollment this year. Vilsack explained that although applications are accepted all year, farmers, ranchers and forestland owners interested in CSP should submit applications by May 31 to their local NRCS … Read More
Getting Precise with Seed Treatments
You’ve spent some good money to treat those seeds before you plant them in the ground. But the dust that forms when the treated seeds rub together and rub off those expensive treatments is more than a loss of protection and an irritant for workers – it’s like money blowing away in the wind. Charlie Hale, marketing strategy and support … Read More
Adoption Survey Sneak Peek
Precision Ag Special Reports’ sister magazine CropLife, in cooperation with the Center for Food and Agricultural Business and Department of Agronomy at Purdue University with financial support from Trimble, have partnered to complete the 16th Precision Agricultural Survey. Sent to 2,500 agricultural retailers across the U.S., the survey looked at the use of precision technology and services at the retail … Read More
Controlled-Release Nitrogen Fertilizers
Nitrogen (N) fertilizer applied as anhydrous ammonia, UAN solutions or urea can be lost if adverse (primarily wet) weather conditions precede the uptake by crops. According to DuPont Pioneer, controlled-release nitrogen fertilizers can reduce these losses by delaying the initial release of N and providing it gradually to better match its availability with crop uptake needs. Controlled-release, also called slow-release … Read More
G8 Conference Kick Off
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, along with Bill Gates, and U.S. Chief Technology Officer Todd Park, today kicked off a two-day international open data conference, saying that data “is among the most important commodities in agriculture” and sharing it openly increases its value. Among some of the speakers will be USDA Chief Scientist Dr. Catherine Woteki and Dr. Simon Liu, Director … Read More
Precision Ag Has Implications On Food Security
Precision agriculture promises to make farming more efficient and should have an important impact on the serious issue of food security, according to a new study published in Significance, the magazine of the Royal Statistical Society and the American Statistical Association. Spatial variation is at the core of precision agriculture and geostatistics. All aspects of the environment — soil, rocks, … Read More