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
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
Farm Program Pays For Smart Nitrogen
Speaking of precision fertilization, if you’re thinking about trying Agrium’s ESN controlled-release nitrogen fertilizer product, check with your local NRCS office to see if you qualify for a $12-$24/acre payment in the CSP program. Deadline to apply is September 30. “Growers are already dedicated stewards of the land and we are very pleased to see the government rewarding them for … 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
France Tests N Fertilization Using Remote Sensing
RapidEye, a German-based GIS mapping technology provider, is working with a France company to test and deliver biomass maps that can help farmers improve Nitrogen efficiency in wheat and canola fields, as reported by Vector1Media. RapidEye provided S2B’s VISIOPLAINE platform with biomass maps to support nitrogen fertilization of canola fields for five regions from early winter 2008 to early spring … Read More
Precision Fertilizer Use Helping Shrink Hypoxia Zone
A good story that appeared recently in Wallaces Farmer magazine highlights farmer efforts to continually improve precision fertilizer application. In fact, it reports that the “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico has shrunk and that Nitrogen delivery has been reduced by 21 percent. The “hypoxia zone” in the Gulf of Mexico is significantly smaller this year than scientists predicted … 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
Precision Farmers Cut Pesticide Use With Seed
While the anti-agriculture activists spout misinformed data about how genetically-modified grains have not boosted yields nor reduced use of fertilizer or chemicals–those of us living and breathing modern precision agriculture know the truth. In my hundreds and hundreds of interviews I’ve done over the years with progressive farmers (in stories that have appeared in Progressive Farmer, Farm Industry News and … Read More
InfoAg Talk: Understand Nutrient Variability
Growers need to focus on getting the right nutrient source applied at the right time, rate and place, says Steve Phillips, southeast region director of the International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI). In his talk at the recent InfoAg precision agriculture conference, Phillips outlined the top 10 reasons why we need to understand spatial variability for nutrient management. 10. We need … Read More