Trimble Transforms Data with New Software

Kelly MarshallAgribusiness, Data, Satellite, Software

TRSS_FeatureTrimble has released a new software solution– the Trimble Remote Sensing Suite.  The new software promises to transform satellite data into high-quality information using satellite imagery processing and software for object-based feature extraction.  The information can be used by geospatial professionals for agriculture, environmental, urban planning and a variety of other applications.

“Quickly extracting relevant and accurate information from large satellite data sets can transform work processes for better decision making,” said Alain Samaha, business area director of GIS and Software for Trimble’s Geospatial Division. “Our new remote sensing package combines highly accurate image processing with leading satellite image analysis capabilities to create an end-to-end data to intelligence solution.”

Trimble’s Remote Sensing Suite combines the capabilities of the new Inpho SATMaster module and eCognition software. SATMaster streamlines the workflow to process satellite-based imagery and deliver high-quality results. Through satellite triangulation, geospatial professionals can generate digital surface and terrain models from overlapping satellite scenes, providing a rich model of the real world. These models can be used to quickly generate terrain-corrected orthophotos and continuous, seamless mosaics over large project areas. The models and imagery can be easily combined within eCognition software for the automated extraction of GIS-ready layers using powerful object-based image analysis. Professionals can create high-quality, valuable information in a streamlined workflow – saving time and operation costs.

Click here to read more about the specifics of the Trimble Remote Sensing Suite.

 

Ag Leader Introduces Electric Drive

Lizzy SchultzAg Leader, Equipment, Farm Progress Show, Gadgets, Harvesting, Uncategorized

fps-15-agleader-lundgrenAg Leader Technology is proud to introduce a new row-by-row electric drive product to its SeedCommand™ planter control line.

The electric drive option will offer growers reliable individual seed shut-off, as well as precise, row-by-row control of planter performance to incorporate variable rate planting on a per row basis. It will provide the ability for growers to make instant adjustments to population rates and consistent seed spacing, despite changes in planting speed, field conditions, or on curves and headlands, allowing growers to achieve maximum turn compensation.

“Imagine you’re going around a curve: In a typical planting scenario, the inside rows are gonna be planting and spacing seeds a lot closer together than on the outside of the planter, so what the electric drives will do is compensate for that, to make sure that the spacing is the same across the whole planter,” said Alex Lundgren, Ag Leader Technology Product Marketing Specialist, in an interview at the 2015 Farm Progress Show.

This technology will be true to Ag Leader’s “color-blind” approach, so the electric drives will be built to install on most major planter brands on the market: “We’ll be able to retrofit a lot of the meters out there on the market, so, Kinze, John Deere, Case, shaft drive or chain drive, it doesn’t matter-we can hook up to those,” says Lundgren.

The system is also ISOBUS compliant and can be used with any VT Task Controller display.

Electric drives will be added to the SeedCommand line with a limited release this spring and full production in 2017.

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Alex here:
[wpaudio url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/zimmcomm/fps-15-agleader-lundgren.mp3″ text=”Interview with Alex Lundgren, Ag Leader Technology”]

2015 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

Coverage of the 2015 Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Coverage of the 2015 Farm Progress Show is sponsored by John DeereCoverage of the 2015 Farm Progress Show is sponsored by GrowmarkCoverage of the 2015 Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Bayer CropScience

When Does it Pay to Spray?

Jamie JohansenAgribusiness, Audio, Bayer CropScience, Farm Progress Show, Fungicides

DSC_0305Application timing for fungicides is extremely important. Growers are constantly looking at the economic values when it comes to spraying. I spoke with Bayer CropScience’s Thorsten Schwindt, sr. product manager, broadacre fungicides, to learn more about when it pays to spray during the recent Farm Progress Show.

“One key aspect any grower should talk to their agronomist about is getting a product that gives them enough curative action at the time you enter the field.” This ensure that if you are budgeting and only using one spray you really get a return on your investment. Thorsten said most corn and soybean fungicides are preventatives and often growers find themselves spraying too late.

Looking into next year, Thorsten recommends, “Build in a fungicide spray in plant application early enough so you stay ahead of the curve.”

Listen to my complete interview with Thorsten to learn more about when it pays to spray and what Bayer CropScience has coming down the pipeline in their fungicide marketplace. [wpaudio url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/zimmcomm/fps-15-bayer-schwindt.mp3″ text=”Interview with Thorsten Schwindt, Bayer CropScience”]

2015 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

Coverage of the 2015 Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Coverage of the 2015 Farm Progress Show is sponsored by John DeereCoverage of the 2015 Farm Progress Show is sponsored by GrowmarkCoverage of the 2015 Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Bayer CropScience

UAV’s Grounded for Take Off at #FarmProgressShow

Joanna SchroederAerial Imagery, Agribusiness, drone, Farm Progress Show, UAV

One of the big attractions for Farm Progress Show this year was to be the UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) showcase, or drones, the popular agriculture term. But this was not to be as the drones were grounded by the FAA. Yes, you read correctly – the UAV’s were grounded for take off the first year of the UAV demonstrations.

Precision Drone participated in the Farm Progress Show 2015 UAV demos.

Precision Drone’s participated in the Farm Progress Show 2015 UAV demos.

Fortunately it didn’t keep growers from heading out to the field to learn more about how drones will innovate the agricultural industry. I also checked out a few contenders including Crop Copter and Precision Hawk.

I also learned about the partnership between Agribotix and AGCO. The “all-in-one” combines Agribotix’s FarmLens cloud-based data platform with the purpose-built SOLO AGCO edition quadcopter, built on the 3D Robotics Solo platform, that the two companies say will provide customers with an efficient, reliable way to collect and analyze field data for precision agriculture applications.

“Our partnership with AGCO gives our customers a best-in-class ag intelligence solution, enabled by a robust, purpose-built drone,” said Agribotix CEO, Lou Faust. “Both companies are 100% focused on agriculture, so we understand the kind of reliable information farmers need to better manage their farms and increase their bottom lines. That’s confidence for our customers.”

There were several other companies showcasing their UAV technologies including Trimble and Precision Drone. All the showcasing companies (not including the hobby drones) were precision ag-focused with products ready for market as soon as the FAA clears drones for takeoff.

Check out my Slideshare Drone Preview from the Farm Progress Show.

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2015 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

Coverage of the 2015 Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Coverage of the 2015 Farm Progress Show is sponsored by John DeereCoverage of the 2015 Farm Progress Show is sponsored by GrowmarkCoverage of the 2015 Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Bayer CropScience

Precision Bytes

Kelly MarshallAgribusiness, Precision Ag Bytes

precision-bytes

  • Arysta LifeScience is pleased to announce that select RANCONA Seed Treatment products have received FIFRA 2(ee) recommendation for flag smut, Urocystis agrpyri, control on wheat in the U.S. this season.

  • Warren Hragyil has taken the reins as VP of Crop Protection at Aligned Ag Distributors LLC.  Warren will handle crop protection procurement, rebate management, and oversee day-to-day operations for Aligned Ag Distributors LLC at the Ames and Eldora locations.

Syngenta Introduces Orondis Fungicide

Kelly MarshallAgribusiness, Fungicides, Syngenta, Vegetables

syngentaOrondis fungicide from Syngenta has been approved for use by the EPA as the first fungicide in the FRAC group U15.  The fungicide was created to control soil and foliar disease in vegetables, potatoes and tobacco.  Orondis is expected to be available for the 2016 season, pending states’ approval.

Orondis contains the active ingredient oxathiapiprolin and offers a new mode of action for outstanding control of economically important soil and foliar diseases caused by Oomycete fungi in vegetables, potatoes and tobacco. Syngenta secured a license to develop and market products containing oxathiapiprolin from DuPont in 2013 and has exclusive rights in North America for foliar and soil use on vegetables, potatoes, tobacco and other specialty crops.

“Orondis is an excellent foundation fungicide and offers growers a new tool in their disease control programs,” said Bernd Druebbisch, fungicide product lead, Syngenta. “Its new mode of action complements and enhances our diverse fungicide portfolio.”

Orondis will be avaliable as three separate products, Oronids and Ridomil Gold for soil-borne Oomycete disease in vegetables or tobacco, Orondis and Bravo for downy mildew and late blight in potatoes and vegetables, and Orondis and Revus for downy mildew and late blight in leafy vegetables, potatoes, tobacco and other vegetables.

“In extensive trials, Orondis has shown outstanding efficacy at significantly lower active ingredient rates, compared with other fungicides,” said Paul Kuhn, technical product lead, Syngenta. “It has demonstrated an ability to greatly reduce disease severity in treated fields and provide measurable improvements in yield.”

Dieselex Gold Challenge at #FarmProgressShow

Cindy ZimmermanAudio, Biodiesel, Farm Progress Show, FS System, Growmark

fps-gmk-dieselexThe gold standard for diesel is the fuel that powered the engines at the 2015 Farm Progress Show – as it has for many shows before.

“We’re happy to do that to get our fuel in the equipment to show what it can do,” said Randy Moore with the GROWMARK FS Energy Division of the Dieselex Gold brand.

“Dieselex Gold is a premium diesel fuel,” says Moore. “More horsepower, cleaner burning engines, and more fuel efficient are the biggest advantages of using it.”

GROWMARK FS is so confident that Dieselex® Gold is the best fuel to power and protect engines that they offer the Dieselex Gold challenge. Simply purchase Dieselex Gold and compare it to your current diesel. If it doesn’t deliver superior fuel efficiency, engine starts, horsepower and more, they will reimburse you the difference in price between your fuel and ours. Click here for more details.

Listen to an interview with Randy from FPS: [wpaudio url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/zimmcomm/fps-gmk-dieselex.mp3″ text=”Interview with Randy Moore, GROWMARK FS Energy”] 2015 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

Coverage of the 2015 Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Coverage of the 2015 Farm Progress Show is sponsored by John DeereCoverage of the 2015 Farm Progress Show is sponsored by GrowmarkCoverage of the 2015 Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Bayer CropScience

Hay-Now Offers Forage-Specific Fertilizer

Kelly MarshallAgribusiness, Fertilizer, Hay

Monty's plant and soilMonty’s Plant Food Company has released a new foliar applied liquid fertilizer.   Hay-Now contains N, P, K along with Sulfur, Iron, and Zinc and is designed specifically for hay crops and pastures.  It may be applied without removing animals from the field and can be tank-mixed with herbicides or pesticides.

Formulated to deliver readily available nutrients during the vegetative growth stage, it enhances growth and root development. Additionally, Hay-Now supports hay crops and pastures during periods of stress, helping to maximize production.

“This new liquid fertilizer formula is extremely cost-effective because of the addition of Sulfur and Iron,” says Joe Dedman, Monty’s Vice President of Agronomy. “Our growers who are already using this product have seen great results with minimal time and money invested.  Hay-Now is the result of 10 years of pasture trial research using Monty’s already proven technology. Healthier grasses mean healthier animals and, ultimately, a better producing farm, all-around.”

Application is easy. Apply Hay-Now after every cutting with 3 – 4 inches of re-growth. If grazing, apply Hay-Now every 30 to 45 days. This liquid fertilizer can be foliar applied anytime from early spring green-up through fall with a suggested rate of 1 to 2 quarts diluted in 10 – 20 gallons of water per acre.

For more information visit montysplantfood.com or contact Monty’s Plant Food at (800) 978-6342.

John Deere’s Exact Emerge Retrofit Kit

Jamie JohansenAgribusiness, Audio, Farm Progress Show, John Deere, Planting

Screen Shot 2015-09-14 at 9.58.54 AMEmily Wilson works in part services and attachment marking for John Deere. One of her roles during the recent Farm Progress Show was to chat with attendees about how they can amp up their older model planters with John Deere’s Exact Emerge Retrofit Kit.

“A used planter can now go 10 miles an hour with the same accuracy as the brand new Exact Emerge Planter.”

Emily said they just launched the kits and most farmers aren’t aware of the it’s possibilities. “Dealers are taking orders now and they will be available from the factory in November of this year.” She added that dealers are offering financing options and incentives for those interested in bringing a Retrofit Kit home to use on their operations.

Listen to my complete interview with Emily here: [wpaudio url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/zimmcomm/fps-15-jd-wilson.mp3″ text=”Interview with Emily Wilson, John Deere”]

2015 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

Coverage of the 2015 Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Coverage of the 2015 Farm Progress Show is sponsored by John DeereCoverage of the 2015 Farm Progress Show is sponsored by GrowmarkCoverage of the 2015 Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Bayer CropScience

Husker Harvest is Right Around the Corner

Kelly MarshallEvents, UAV

HHD15-flagThe 38th annual Husker Harvest Days are set for September 15-17 in Grand Island, Neb.  Last year farmers and ranchers for 28 states and several countries attend the event.  Visitors had the opportunity to see more than 600 exhibitors.  Highlights for this year are the field demonstrations, including corn combining, tillage, haying, and precision farming.  New this year will be a UAV demonstration.

Combining demos run each day from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Fields 1, 2 and 3. Each company will comment on their combine, grain cart or other piece of machinery before they demonstrate in the field. 

Field preparation equipment will follow the combines in the same field. Tillage demos feature primary and secondary tillage tools as well as high-speed vertical tillage machines. Haying demos include mowing, raking, baling and hay handling. They are planned each afternoon from 2:30 to 4 p.m. in Field 4 all three days.

UAV  demonstrations will debut at this year’s Husker Harvest Days. Located in the DI East area at the southeast corner of the show site, numerous UAV manufacturers and marketers will be demonstrating and explaining their drones and capabilities throughout each day of the show. Each company will have 15 minutes of flight time. 

The show also holds the title of “The world’s largest totally irrigated working farm show.” All of the nation’s largest irrigation companies and many irrigation pump, parts and associated equipment manufacturers and distributors are exhibitors at the show.

Admission is $12 for adults, $6 for ages 13-17, and ages 12 and under are free. See the website for more information.