Using an airplane with LIDAR (light detection and ranging) sensors is helping USDA-ARS researchers build better management zone maps that can accurately predict yields based on topography. With the maps fed into computerized, variable-rate fertilizer applicators, precision farmers can divert more of their costly fertilizer to the highest-yielding zones and the least to the lowest-yielding zones. They can also use … Read More
Think About Your Precision Nutrient Plan
Best Management Practices, or BMPs, are essential for precision farming. Nate Taylor at ZedX wrote a good blog post yesterday on this subject. As with any business, developing Best Management Practices (BMP) is essential to continued success and profitability. As you develop BMP’s for your farm, a critical piece to include are Nutrient Management plans. In this post we are … Read More
Making Field Operations More Efficient
While driving back and forth across field after field planting seed, spraying or spreading fertilizer, have you thought much about ways to make that task more efficient? Obviously, if you have auto steering, you’re saving passes due to reduced overlap. But have you thought about turning time, wheel traffic pattern, shallow secondary tillage, harvest efficiencies and other uses of precision … Read More
Variable Rate Fertilizer/Manure Saves Money and Environment
Auburn University biosystems engineer Jonathan Hall recently highlighted the value of prescription maps and VR (variable-rate) application to reduce runoff and save up to 30 percent in annual costs. With the spring growing season finally underway, many Alabama farmers are fertilizing their fields to enhance crop yields. Most people are familiar with farm-grade fertilizers such as 8-8-8 and 10-10-10. Granular … Read More
Precision Soil Sampling Saves Money
Precision farming techniques are driving growth in soil sampling say Midwest soil labs, according to a report in Midwest Producer. “At the peak of the season we’ll test 20,000 samples each day,” says Kennard Pohlman of Omaha’s Midwest Labs. “We always test the organic matter in the sample and the pH. You want to verify the nitrogen carryover and the … Read More
Precision Farming By The Zone
The Furrow magazine, produced by John Deere, profiled several growers on their use of precision farming management zones in a story called “Farming In The Zone” in their March 2010 issue. Broadwater, Neb., grower Frank Lussetto says zone management helped him accomplish three broad goals of being agronomically sound, economically smart and environmentally safe. He uses zone maps for phosphorous, … Read More
Time Savings With Precision Farming Equipment
We like to write weekly about how growers and how company technology makes precision agriculture pay. Part of making these tools pay almost always includes time savings—which isn’t always as black and white as input dollars saved. Today I spoke with Hannibal, Mo., grower Mark Lehenbauer about his first decade with precision farming tools on their corn-soybean operation. Mark, who … Read More
Wireless Soil Monitors for Precision Irrigation
Water use efficiency is vital for agriculture as our global population continues to grow. To help growers minimize water use while maintaining crop yields, Cermetek offers the new AquaMon Wireless Soil Monitoring Network. AquaMon allows active monitoring of the soil. Knowledge of soil conditions is essential to achieve high crop yield with less water. Maintaining the optimal level of moisture … Read More
Deere Offers RowCommand For Chain-Drive Planters
John Deere’s RowCommand, which allows for seed savings by avoiding overplanting, is now available for chain-drive planters. Introduced in 2008 for Pro-Shaft drive planters with MaxEmerge and Pro-Series XP row units, RowCommand has become a widely used planter component for many row-crop producers. “As the cost of seed continues to rise, more producers are looking for ways to maximize their seed investment through … Read More
Precision Agriculture Starts At Soil Level
While we often talk product and technology innovation, you truly cannot achieve real efficiency without knowing your various soils in every field. It all starts with regular soil tests, and many astute growers use this information to build management zones in every field–as the basis for variable-rate applications. Soil testing is not a budget line-item that should be cut. University … Read More