Is sustainability reshaping agriculture? Will it affect your operation? That debate was front and center at a Case-IH sponsored forum during the recent Ag Connect Expo. “We recognize sustainability is a huge buzz word, it means a lot of things to a lot of people, and one panel discussion won’t answer all the questions surrounding this issue,” said Jim Walker, … Read More
UK Leaders Tout Benefits of Precision Ag
GM crops and precision farming benefits are being pushed back onto the national agenda in the UK, with the focus to help beat climate change, according to a report in The Guardian newspaper. Former cabinet minister Chris Smith, now chair of the Environment Agency, addressed farmers at the annual conference of National Farmers’ Union, saying that “climate change will create … Read More
Indiana Farmers Want Row Shut-Offs
Indiana Prairie Farmer magazine wrote a recent story quoting a Franklin, Ind., precision farming consultant Greg Kneubuhler who says the next hot tool farmers want to invest in is row shut-offs for planters. He says a savings of 5 percent can be achieved, which can deliver a payback in two years. And in some cases, with irregular-shaped fields, payback can … 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
Bread from Precision Agriculture by EarthGrains
Sara Lee is taking a unique approach to market its 100% Natural line of EarthGrain brand bread. They are promoting wheat, known as Eco-Grain, grown by precision farming growers who use variable rate fertilizer driven by satellite imagery. And they’re calling it a movement, “Helping to preserve the earth, one field at a time.” Horizon Milling (a joint venture between … Read More
Training Can Truly Speed Precision Ag Adoption
As with any piece of machinery, computer, etc., there’s always a bit of a learning curve. Same goes for precision farming equipment. A good dealer with good technicians can be worth their weight in gold. But good ongoing training from a manufacturer can really help speed the adoption process. To that end, this week I asked Jessica Reis, Marketing Communications … Read More
No-Till Precision Products of the Year
No-Till Farmer recently announced the top No-Till Products of 2009 according to a poll by readers, and the overall winner was Precision Plantings Keeton Seed Firmer. The Keeton Seed Firmer was voted the top no-till product in the Planter/Drill Attachments category and was among 11 finalists entered in the overall Product of the Year voting. Precision Planting, the manufacturers of … Read More
2009 Top Stories on Precision.AgWired.com – July to December
Yesterday, I provided my list of the “Best of Precision.AgWired.com 2009” for January through June. Today’s list of stories runs from July through December. And tomorrow, look for the top product-related stories of the year. I hope you continue to find value in the information provided. And, as always, we appreciate any and all comments from our readers. Enjoy. And … Read More
Technology Helps Farmers Plant and Fertilize More Precisely
Precision guidance, autopilot and other precision agriculture technologies can give farmers yield advantages and input savings when implemented into certain cropping systems, said a Purdue University agronomist. “Automatic guidance gives producers precision farming capabilities throughout the growing season by allowing them to map tillage operations and crop planting, spraying and harvest, and can help tailor fertilizer and chemical applications to … Read More
Nebraska Technology Conference Coming in January
All agricultural technology enthusiasts are invited to attend the 10th Annual Nebraska Agricultural Technologies Association Conference (NEATA), January 27-28, 2010 at the Midtown Holiday Inn, Grand Island, NE. Pre-conference programs will focus on Optimizing Pivot Irrigation Management (9:00 to 4:00) and Social Media Applications in Agriculture (1:00 – 4:00) will be offered the afternoon of January 27. The conference opens Wednesday … Read More