Yield monitor data, auto-guidance and planter/sprayer section controls are helping growers improve their bottom line, according to Indiana farmer Doug Davenport–as reported in Indiana Prairie Farmer. Speaking on a precision farming panel discussion, Davenport highlighted his list of precision efficiencies: Yield monitor data proves need for tiling, and how it will pay Auto-guidance allows for needed long days of planting, … Read More
Precision Farming Adoption And Payback
Ag Leader Technology and AutoFarm joined forces today in Ames, Iowa at the official opening of the new Ag Leader Academy to talk about their combined tools of precision agriculture with the media. Amidst the talks by management, touting the excitement of this alliance and their complete precision farming product offering, was a presentation by Iowa State University agricultural engineer … Read More
Thanksgiving Tweets for Farmers
If you like to eat – thank a farmer on Twitter today. Many agriculture advocates are taking part in tweeting the hashtag #thankafarmer today from 10 am through 12 pm CST. Twitter users are also expressing their gratitude with a #thankafarmer twibbon. The twitter efforts are just a small way to recognize and thank farmers for the abundant food they … Read More
Can Precision Farming Cure World Hunger?
I hope, as a precision farmer, you’ve added a ‘communicate with consumers’ recurring task to your weekly if not daily chore list. Whether you do it locally or globally, through talking or through social media, you should join the conversation to support your cause. Part of that effort is to monitor what’s said about your noble profession. To that end, … Read More
Hi-Tech Wired Magazine Talks Precision Farming
Always good to see high technology magazines talk about precision agriculture that’s happening down on the farm. My favorite hi-tech pub, Wired, just posted a nice story on their website: “Self-Steered Tractors and UAVs: Future Farming Is (Finally) Now.” A lot of the story was based on Idaho grower Robert Blair, who was named PrecisionAg’s 2009 Precision Farmer of the … 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
Precision Farming: How To Grow Your Technology
As an Iowa farm kid who grew up loving technology (I just chose to write about it and let my brother run it on the family farm), one of my passions is talking to farmers about their technology adoption—so I can learn and write stories that help others. And over the past 28 years of covering the incredible advances we’ve … Read More
Farmer Uses Insight To Start Precision Farming
Young farmers often have a drive for efficiency, and technology. North Plate, Neb., grower Nathan Kramer is no different. He knows the tools of precision agriculture can get him there. But data holds the key. “If you don’t know where you’re at, it’s hard to tell where you’re going,” Nathan says, with regard to their lack of baseline yield data. … Read More
Use Yield Monitor to Map ACRE Program Yields?
If you signed up for the ACRE program, you know that payments will be issued when two conditions are met for a commodity. Condition one: when actual state revenue falls below the state ACRE guarantee. Condition two: when the actual farm revenue falls below the farm ACRE guarantee. So, can you use your yield monitor to provide annual acreage and … 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