First off, I order 12 consecutive days of sunshine across the US so we can keep those yield monitors spinning to map data—to help close out a very odd summer and fall. Thinking of brighter days ahead, be sure to make mental/written notes as harvest progresses, because hybrid/variety selection time is upon us. To that end, I talked this week … Read More
Precision Harvest: Don’t Stop Scouting
With rain, early freeze and overall cool summer conditions, 2009 harvest has become very challenging for some parts of the Corn Belt. This week’s Integrated Crop Management e-newsletter from Iowa State University highlights issues that need attention. 1. Corn Quality Issues: – Frost-damaged corn often stops at 17-18% moisture (stopped at 20-22% in 2008 in Iowa). Expect low test weights … Read More
Harvest Data That Keeps On Giving
Whether you’re a novice at collecting harvest data or an old pro who could wallpaper his office with yield maps and more—you understand that more data layers beyond yield are necessary to add management decision value. I talked to Bruce West this week, who helps growers adopt just about every precision farming solution imaginable through his independent company West Enterprises … Read More
Deere Donates Precision Ag Tractor to Iowa State
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
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
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
Variable Rate Precision Farming — The Next Big Thing
My friend and former colleague, Farm Industry News senior editor Jodie Wehrspann, pegs variable-rate (VR) technology as the biggest overlooked story in precision agriculture in a recent piece she wrote. I couldn’t agree with her more. I’ve written many stories of progressive farmers who have been using this VR technology for years, and are making it pay, while learning its … Read More