GROWMARK Manager of Agronomy Services Dr. Howard Brown may have started the FS Green Plan Solutions Pursuit of Maximum Yields (POMY) program, but he doesn’t like to call it “his baby” – he gives all the credit to MOM. “It’s all about MOM,” Brown said at the POMY event Thursday in Bettendorf, Iowa. “It’s about Maximizing yield, Optimizing nitrogen utilization … Read More
Administration Backtracks on Child Labor Rules
The administration is rethinking plans to prevent children from doing many types of farm work. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) this week announced that a proposal which would have barred children from many on-farm tasks will be revised to allow broader exemptions for parents who own or run agricultural operations. The proposed rules would have prevent children younger than … Read More
Learning More About Fungicide Use
The use of fungicides for overall plant health has been a new growth area for agriculture in recent years. As that occurs, farmers and crop consultants continue to find out more about best times to apply and best ways to use them during the season. “There was a time not that long ago, when to consider applying a fungicide post-emergence … Read More
Questions Remain over LightSquared Spectrum Usage
Over the past year, the National Corn Growers Association has monitored issues surrounding the wireless broadband company LightSquared. While the Federal Communications Commission considers approval of LightSquared’s proposed terrestrial based broadband network, NCGA remains concerned about the effects it would have on precision farming. GPS technology has become an important tool for farmers as they improve their efficiency in seed, … Read More
Ag Aviators Facing Unnecessary Regulations
Like all of agriculture, aerial applicators are facing potentially onerous regulations that could ground them if they are allowed to continue. The biggest issue they are dealing with right now is the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, which National Agricultural Aviation Association executive director Andrew Moore told me just went into effect on Halloween. “It’s kind of … Read More
Soybean Seed Treatment Growing
Seed treatment can be classified as a precision application for growers because it allows crop protection to be used more precisely right at planting within the seed itself. Seed treatments have actually been around for decades and it’s reached the point that virtually all of the corn seed planted today is treated with some type of crop protection technology. However, … Read More
There’s an app for that, too
There are Android and iPhone apps for just about everything. My friend, Jason Webster runs the Practical Farm Research for Beck‘s Hybrids in Downs, Ill. In addition he farms, too. Jason fully admits he doesn’t always practice what he used to preach about scouting fields during the growing season. Because of that – he’s gone to a more sophisticated form of scouting. One that he utilizes and … Read More
Precision.AgWired.com for Georgia Peanut Grower
Kreg Freeman of Colquitt, Georgia is a double winner for his 2010 peanut crop that yielded a whopping 6626 pounds per acre. Kreg, pictured here with University of Georgia Extension Peanut Agronomist John Beasley accepting his award as the statewide winner in the Georgia Achievement Club this year for the 100-300 acre category, credits a good part of his increase … Read More
Researchers Call for “Redesign” of US Agriculture
As work toward a new Farm Bill officially begins some are calling for a “whole-system redesign” of U.S. agriculture. A recent report from the National Research Council Committee on Twenty-First Century Systems Agriculture has proposed a new direction for farm policy that would “incorporate innovative agricultural systems such as organic farming, grass-fed and other alternative livestock production systems, mixed crop … Read More
Alltech Launches Farming Film Festival
Alltech is looking for videos that tell the story of how game changing innovations are helping farmers feed the world. The Kentucky-based animal health and nutrition company has announced the first ever “Farming Film Festival,” offering a $2,000 grand prize. Following the theme of the Alltech 27th Annual International Animal Health and Nutrition Symposium, The Game Changers, video submissions should … Read More