New Variable-Rate Prescription Software Service

Kurt LawtonCompany Announcement, Dealers, Fertilizer, Planting, Retailers, Software, Spraying, Variable rate

Designed for dealers, crop consultants and other ag professionals, new FieldRx is a web-based precision farming engine that creates customized site-specific recommendations for any crop. Just in time to begin soil sampling in preparation for the 2011 growing season, FieldRx is bringing crop consultants and agricultural dealers a more user-friendly program for writing custom fertilizer prescriptions. Designed by ag professionals … Read More

One-stop Control For All Fall Applications Saves Money

Kurt LawtonAg Leader, Displays, Fertilizer, GPS, Guidance, Insights Weekly, Spraying, Variable rate

As weather across the Corn Belt improved this week to help speed harvest, some farmers are either thinking about or applying fall fertilizer. I checked in with Ag Leader’s Chad Huedepohl yesterday, and he reminded me of the many benefits of controlling these product applications with their DirectCommand system linked with either the INTEGRA or EDGE displays. “Whether growers are … Read More

New Trimble Display Touts Affordable Capabilities

Kurt LawtonCompany Announcement, Displays, GPS, Guidance, Planting, Satellite, Spraying, Variable rate

Trimble recently introduced its latest in-cab, touch screen CFX-750 display. The 8-inch, full-color display allows farmers to choose the specific guidance, steering and precision agriculture capabilities that best fit their farm’s particular needs. The farmer can upgrade the CFX-750 display as business needs change, including adding GLONASS capabilities, or adding section and rate control for crop inputs such as seed, … Read More

Precision Farming Tools Can Reduce Your Environmental Footprint

Kurt LawtonAg Leader, Conservation, Fertilizer, Guidance, Insights Weekly, Planting, seed, Spraying, Variable rate

Conservation. Sustainability. Water Quality. These hot topics are on the minds of government, and should be a continued focus by every grower. As you look at your operation, and your investment in precision farming equipment, it pays to think proactively and adopt components that can improve your environmental footprint. I spoke the other day with Iowa farmer Tim Palmer, who … Read More

Farm Works Expands Software Offerings

Kurt LawtonCompany Announcement, Software, Spraying, Trimble, Variable rate

Farm Works Information Management, a division of Trimble, just announced three new products to expand its capabilities for growers and agribusinesses. Farm Works Mobile streamlines data management in the field by bundling record keeping, scouting, soil sampling, and variable rate application into one low cost solution. Field records include application dates, hybrid locations, field and weather conditions, scale tickets, and … Read More

Precision Planting Pays

Joanna SchroederAudio, Corn, Farm Progress Show, Planting, Variable rate, Video

“Precision Planting’s business is trying to make sure seeds get into the right space at the right distance and seeds only land where they need to land,” Precision Planting’s Jason Larkin explained to me during the Farm Progress Show. We use precision technology to know where the tractor is at and where the plant is at to control population, so … Read More

Attend A Great Farm Show To Relax And Learn Before Harvest

Kurt LawtonAg Leader, Company Announcement, Education, Equipment, Events, Farm Progress Show, Farmers, Fertilizer, GPS, Guidance, Insights Weekly, Remote sensing, Variable rate

As the nights begin to cool, we know harvest is just around the corner. But before your mind gets totally wrapped around the culmination event of your hard work, take a break to visit and learn at one of the best outdoor farm shows, the Farm Progress Show, Aug. 31 through Sept. 2 near the central Iowa community of Boone. … Read More

Precision Ag Expo Touts Variable Rate Technology

Kurt LawtonEducation, Events, Fertilizer, Planting, Remote sensing, Satellite, seed, Variable rate

Producers came to learn at the recent Precision Ag Expo field days held recently in North Dakota. Numerous questions, according to a story in Farm & Ranch Guide, aimed at gathering facts about zone maps, satellite imagery and variable rate precision farming. Kelly Sharpe, of GK Technology, Inc., in Halstad, Minn., said his company creates variable rate mapping, taking an … Read More

ARS Using Field Topography To Improve Fertilizer Use

Kurt LawtonAerial Imagery, Conservation, Education, Fertilizer, Remote sensing, Research, Variable rate

Using an airplane with LIDAR (light detection and ranging) sensors is helping USDA-ARS researchers build better management zone maps that can accurately predict yields based on topography. With the maps fed into computerized, variable-rate fertilizer applicators, precision farmers can divert more of their costly fertilizer to the highest-yielding zones and the least to the lowest-yielding zones. They can also use … Read More

Consider Sidedress N Applications Or Mapping with OptRx Sensors

Kurt LawtonAg Leader, Corn, Dealers, Fertilizer, Insights Weekly, Retailers, Spraying, sustainability, Variable rate

As corn continues to grow across the Midwest, areas of heavy rain in portions of states may cause more problems than just pond replanting. Loss of applied Nitrogen can cause valuable yield loss. I spoke with Cory De Jong, Certified Crop Advisor and GIS/Agronomy Sales at Sully Cooperative Exchange in Sully, Ia. today. They tested the Ag Leader OptRx crop … Read More