Cotton farmers, working with Clemson University, are achieving 30 to 50 percent nitrogen savings by side-dressing–without losing any yield, according to a recent report in Southeast Farm Press. For the past three years Clemson researchers at the Edisto Research and Education Center in Blackville, S.C., have been testing three different options for variable rate application of side-dress nitrogen on cotton. … 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
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
Farm Program Pays For Smart Nitrogen
Speaking of precision fertilization, if you’re thinking about trying Agrium’s ESN controlled-release nitrogen fertilizer product, check with your local NRCS office to see if you qualify for a $12-$24/acre payment in the CSP program. Deadline to apply is September 30. “Growers are already dedicated stewards of the land and we are very pleased to see the government rewarding them for … Read More
Add Precision Farming Promotion To Your Chore List
One important item on your list of daily chores should be to help educate our customer, the consumer. To that end, National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) has a site called Corn Farmers Coalition. Not only does it highlight growers using precision agriculture tools that help reduce environmental impact (see “Farmer Innovations” tab), it also features excellent corn facts. It was … Read More
Precision Fertilizer Use Helping Shrink Hypoxia Zone
A good story that appeared recently in Wallaces Farmer magazine highlights farmer efforts to continually improve precision fertilizer application. In fact, it reports that the “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico has shrunk and that Nitrogen delivery has been reduced by 21 percent. The “hypoxia zone” in the Gulf of Mexico is significantly smaller this year than scientists predicted … Read More
Southern Precision Agriculture Conference
Southern growers interested or already involved with the efficient tools of precision agriculture should take part in the upcoming January conference in Tunica, Mississippi. The Southern Precision Agriculture Conference will be held January 12th and 13th, 2010, at Harrah’s Tunica Convention Center in Tunica. It will be part of a joint meeting with the National Conservation Cotton and Rice Conference, … Read More
Precision Farming Advances in Popular Science
Popular Science magazine did a nice job providing readers with a glimpse into the precision agriculture research that is needed to grow twice as much food by 2050. The writer talked about how this challenge is everyone’s problem, but scientists are hard at work fomenting a second green revolution. Here are the research projects that the magazine chose: 1. Sahara … Read More
Precision Farmers Cut Pesticide Use With Seed
While the anti-agriculture activists spout misinformed data about how genetically-modified grains have not boosted yields nor reduced use of fertilizer or chemicals–those of us living and breathing modern precision agriculture know the truth. In my hundreds and hundreds of interviews I’ve done over the years with progressive farmers (in stories that have appeared in Progressive Farmer, Farm Industry News and … Read More