Precision Agriculture and Precision Communications from Retailers

Kurt LawtonAg Leader, Dealers, Education, Equipment, Retailers, Trimble

As most growers involved in precision farming technology will tell you, the value of their local retailer and its technicians is priceless when it comes to installation, upkeep and troubleshooting. Is your precision ag retailer delivering on your needs? One such example of precision efforts and communications can be found in Iowa at HTS Precision Ag Solutions, with locations in … Read More

Soil Test Service Tests SMS Mobile PC Software

Kurt LawtonAg Leader, Dealers, Insights Weekly, Software, Variable rate

The advent of handheld computers with valuable ag software has been great to collect more in-field data whether it’s recording such things as pest/weed locations, soil sample locations and much more. But if you’re a constant user day after day, that tiny screen can get tough on the eyes. That is exactly the challenge that John Gullidge and their 20 … Read More

New Variable-Rate Prescription Software Service

Kurt LawtonCompany Announcement, Dealers, Fertilizer, Planting, Retailers, Software, Spraying, Variable rate

Designed for dealers, crop consultants and other ag professionals, new FieldRx is a web-based precision farming engine that creates customized site-specific recommendations for any crop. Just in time to begin soil sampling in preparation for the 2011 growing season, FieldRx is bringing crop consultants and agricultural dealers a more user-friendly program for writing custom fertilizer prescriptions. Designed by ag professionals … Read More

Remote Machinery Diagnostics Capabilities

Kurt LawtonDealers, Education, Equipment, GPS, Harvesting, Internet, Planting, Retailers, Satellite

More equipment companies involved in precision agriculture are deploying remote diagnostic capabilities as part of a broader telematic system offering. Farm Industry News offers a fascinating look at some of the current technology. After being on the agriculture market for almost a decade, telematic systems that once were thought to be useful mostly to large farming and custom application operations … Read More

SMS Software Users Get Hard Core Certified Training

Kurt LawtonAg Leader, Dealers, Education, Insights Weekly, Software

Computers and software are an essential element in a grower’s toolbox to achieve greater efficiency. Without advanced software, the coming explosion of variable-rate prescriptions and precise field management zones will not be possible. Even if you are not a power user of software yourself, it’s nice to know that those suppliers creating maps and prescriptions for your fields have the … Read More

Consider Sidedress N Applications Or Mapping with OptRx Sensors

Kurt LawtonAg Leader, Corn, Dealers, Fertilizer, Insights Weekly, Retailers, Spraying, sustainability, Variable rate

As corn continues to grow across the Midwest, areas of heavy rain in portions of states may cause more problems than just pond replanting. Loss of applied Nitrogen can cause valuable yield loss. I spoke with Cory De Jong, Certified Crop Advisor and GIS/Agronomy Sales at Sully Cooperative Exchange in Sully, Ia. today. They tested the Ag Leader OptRx crop … Read More

Auto Steering Plants More Acres Efficiently with Less Stress

Kurt LawtonAg Leader, Dealers, Equipment, Guidance, Insights Weekly, Planting, Retailers

We’ve written before about economic savings derived from auto steering and auto planter row shut-off off. But many growers often favor the aspects of increased productivity with less fatigue at the end of the day. We spoke with Adam Gittins, Precision Ag Sales Manager for HTS Precision Ag Solutions in Harlan, Iowa, about the current planting season and local farmer … Read More

Alliances Among Precision Ag Companies

Kurt LawtonDealers, Industry News, sustainability

In an effort to offer growers more complete precision farming guidance and application packages, more precision ag companies are forming alliances, as reported in a recent issue of Farm Industry News magazine. A review of recent partnership/purchase announcements highlights the trend. Ag Leader and AutoFarm; Raven Industries, SST Software, Ranchview, and Buhler Industries/Versatile; and Hemisphere GPS and Third Eye Maps … Read More

The Value of Software Training

Kurt LawtonAg Leader, Dealers, Fertilizer, Insights Weekly, sustainability

Friday, I wrote about how Ag Leader listened to customers of their SMS Advanced software and built a Certified Training program to give participants deeper knowledge that helps their own business. This weekend I spoke with Justin McCuiston, who helps customers of the farmer-owned cooperative Farm Service Inc., in northeast Arkansas with variable-rate fertilizer programs, yield mapping and other precision … Read More

Blue Delta Dealer Network Announced

Chuck ZimmermanAg Leader, Audio, Dealers, IA Power Farming Show

Ag Leader Technology has announced the Blue Delta Dealer Network. At the Iowa Power Farming Show I spoke with Mike Olson to learn more about it. He’s pictured working in the booth here at the show. Basically, Ag Leader Technology has developed a new elite precision farming distribution network in an effort to bring more structure to a growing precision … Read More