Precision | Page 280 | News and reviews from the precision agriculture industry

Agri-Women “Drive Across America”

Kelly MarshallAugust 8, 2015Ag Group, Agribusiness, Education, Events

Valent U.S.A. is sponsoring American Agri-Women in a five-month education and advocacy tour to celebrate 40 years of advocating for ag. The “Drive Across America” entails a specially wrapped pick-up truck and a variety of educational, network, and advocacy events. The drive will end at the annual conference in Portland, Maine.

“Valent’s commitment to agriculture helps farmers be good stewards of the land, producing some of the best food in the world. We are pleased to have them join us on our Drive Across America as we celebrate agriculture,” says President Sue McCrum.

“Valent is proud to sponsor the AAW Drive Across America,” said Meg Brodman, Senior Manager, Marketing Communications at Valent U.S.A. Corp. “Women have always been part of American agriculture, and today specifically comprise 30 percent of all U.S. producers. At Valent, we celebrate diversity of thought and insight in all aspects of our business. As the industry changes and the next phase of talent and leadership takes hold, we embrace the skills and insight of women in agriculture.”

In addition to Valent, the event has over 50 sponsors, including McCain Foods USA, Bayer Crop Science, Penobscot McCrum, The Renewable Fuels Assn., Syngenta, CCI Marketing, Co Bank, Freestyle Productions, Sunrise Agricultural Associates, and Agri-Pulse as the media partner. You can follow Agri-Pulse Communications for news updates and special interviews.

AAW’s more than 50 state and commodity affiliates are also supporting the campaign through events, financial support and more.

Follow the event on Twitter with the hashtag #AAW40years or follow the event on Facebook, www.Facebook.com/AgriWomen/.

iCropTrak and Mobile Farm Management

Chuck ZimmermanAugust 7, 2015Agribusiness, Audio, CropTrak, Farm Management, InfoAg, Scouting, Video

Long time AgWired Precision supporter Aaron Hutchinson, iCropTrak, had a very busy time at the 2015 InfoAg Conference. Even so, I found a few minutes with him to talk about the products being offered by his company.

One of those products is DIRT (Data Information Reporting Tool) which he says is a way of thinking about Excel and reporting on the iPad. Another is a pixel perfect technology that is a plugin to Microsoft Word so that if you have a form you need to fill out it can be duplicated (ex. govt. form). And finally, Aaron says they’re talking about their new PC product in which they’ve taken their technology which runs on the iPad and made it so that it runs on a PC as well. In my conversation with Aaron he provides examples of how these products are being used.

You can listen to my interview with Aaron here or watch it below. Please feel free to share. [wpaudio url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/zimmcomm/infoag-15-icroptrak.mp3″ text=”Aaron Hutchinson, iCropTrak”]

2015 InfoAg Conference Photo Album

Coverage of the InfoAg Conference is sponsored by

Prez Candidate Rand Paul Wants an End to WOTUS

Joanna SchroederAugust 7, 2015Agribusiness, climate, environment, Fertilizer, Pesticides

Republican Presidential Candidate and Kentucky Senator Rand Paul wants to end the Environmental Protection Agency’s Waters of the US legislation. He said that the EPA is perpetrating the largest land grab of American farmland in history and non one is paying attention. He kicked off a statewide radio campaign in Iowa week “decrying the Obama Administration’s land grab of Iowa farmland”. The ad is focused on the Waters of the US legislation (WOTUS) and highlights the devastating consequences of the new regulation.

“In Washington, DC, President Obama and the EPA are trying to quietly being the greatest government land grab in Iowa history, said Paul. “Obama’s looming ‘Waters of the US’ regulation will place 97 percent of Iowa land adn evry farm under greater government control by federal government.”

The American Farm Bureau (AFBF) has detailed the potential effects the rule could have on Iowa, along with all states and has a “Ditch the Rule” campaign underway. AFBF writes that, “Farmers’ and ranchers’ ability to remain in production often depends on being able to use the types of farm practices that would be prohibited if EPA denies a permit for them. For example, building a fence across a ditch, applying fertilizer or pesticides, or pulling weeds could require a federal permit. The proposed rule, in effect, would give EPA veto authority over a farmer’s or rancher’s ability to operate.”

Paul has pledged to reverse this legislation on his first day in the White House should he be elected.

Listen to the radio ad here.

Learn More About New Holland Sprayers

Jamie JohansenAugust 7, 2015Agribusiness, Equipment, New Holland, Spraying

Sprayers at New Holland Agriculture fall under the specialty products division along with grape harvesters. During New Holland’s Media Days, members of the trade media received a hands-on learning experience to grasp all the specs on their line of sprayers.

The advantages of a front mount boom are many. With a front boom, you get the best of all views and never need to turn in your seat to monitor spraying action. Nozzles are located behind the boom, so you have a complete, unrestricted view of every nozzle. Spray is delivered into the crop before the tires go over it, eliminating the potential for dust to neutralize the spray.

Watch Chuck’s video to learn more about the sprayers tank capacity, boom construction and more.

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New Holland Media Days 2015 Photo Album

DuPont Opens Integrated Seed Science Center in Iowa

John DavisAugust 7, 2015Agribusiness, Dupont Pioneer, seed

DuPont has officially opened its new Integrated Seed Science Center in Iowa. This news release says it is the second facility in the DuPont Integrated Seed Science Network that is dedicated to developing and testing seed treatment formulations, applications and seed handling techniques.

“The Johnston Integrated Seed Science Center ultimately helps us make our seed treatment products perform better for growers,” said Jeff Daniels, technical agronomy and application lead of the DuPont Seed Treatment Enterprise. “The facility gives us on-the-ground capabilities to match treatments with genetics for the best integrated seed solution for our customers.”

Aimed at ensuring growers get the most out the seeds they plant, the Integrated Seed Science Center brings together a wide array of equipment, technology and training resources, including:

– Laboratories to evaluate the right combination of seed-applied products to help protect the seed and optimize yield potential.
– Treating and drying testing to better understand how components and processes interact which delivers a higher quality assurance and enhances product stewardship.
– Real-world testing conditions for products and equipment.
– Plantability evaluations that check for accuracy through planter meters and seed flow, essential for modern day planters.
– Training lab to facilitate superior seed application and seed handling techniques to ensure a consistent grower experience with treated seed.

DuPont opened its first Integrated Seed Science Center in Wilmington, Delaware, last year and a third facility is planned for South America.

US Ag Production Cost Nearly $400 Billion in 2014

Kelly MarshallAugust 7, 2015Agribusiness, USDA

The 8.3 percent increase in agriculture production from 2013 to 2014 is the largest since 2008. Last year U.S. farmers spent $397.6 billion on agricultural production, according to the Farm Production Expenditures as reported by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

Feed, already the largest expenditure category for U.S. farmers, also saw the largest increase since 2013. In 2014, producers spent $63.7 billion on animal feed, up 16 percent from the previous year. Farm services, livestock, poultry and related expenses, and labor were the other three major categories that saw an increase of 11.4 percent, 11.3 percent, and 8.6 percent respectively.

Per farm, the average expenditures total $191,500 compared with $175,270 in 2013, up 9.3 percent. As in the previous year, crop farms account for the majority of production expenditures in 2014, although the gap between two sectors was significantly smaller than in the previous years. The average expenditure per crop farm totals $213,150 compared to $173,285 per livestock farm.

The plains region saw the largest increase in expenditures. You can view the entire summary online.

Obvius Fungicide Seed Treatment Gets EPA Registration

John DavisAugust 7, 2015Agribusiness, BASF, Fungicides

BASF’s Obvius fungicide seed treatment has received full registration from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This news release from the company says fungicide can be used on pulse, podded vegetables and canola. State registrations are forthcoming.

“This is the newest tool from BASF to help growers get their season off on the right foot,” said Justin Clark, Technical Marketing Specialist, BASF. “With three unique modes of action, it provides broad spectrum seed and seedling disease control from the start.”

Powered by Xemium® fungicide and F500® fungicide, the same active ingredients found in Priaxor® fungicide, as well as metalaxyl, Obvius fungicide seed treatment helps provide seedling disease control pressure often found in areas where pulse, podded vegetables and canola are grown.

Research field trials in 2015 showed that applying Obvius fungicide seed treatment can result in more rapid and increased emergence, long-term residual disease activity and improved seedling health. Troublesome seedling diseases it controls include Ascochyta blight, Pythium, Fusarium, Rhizoctonia, Botrytis and others.

In trials conducted by Montana State University in 2012, treated lentil crops experienced only a 2 percent incidence in Ascochyta blight, a devastating seedling disease. This compared to a 21 percent disease incidence in the untreated check. Additionally, Obvius fungicide seed treatment has proven superior activity against Rhizoctonia, which can lead to root rot and seed rot in pulse and podded vegetable crops.

Local BASF dealers have more information.

The MapShots Showcase at InfoAg Conference

Chuck ZimmermanAugust 6, 2015Agribusiness, Audio, InfoAg, MapShots, Software, Video

This was the 20th InfoAg Conference and Ted Macy has attended them all. During the conference he was the producer/director and star of the MapShots Showcase. Ted says we’re at a revolutionary point with data quality that allows for less hands on work. However, his company has had to deal with issues like customers who haven’t set up their monitors correctly and there are other issues like that. This year he says his team has spent many man hours helping customers make the data they’re getting better rather than coming out with more new features and functionalities.

AgStudio is the flagship product for MapShots. Ted says customers are very interested in things like the AgStudio integration with GeoVantage to provide aerial imagery and also talking about what automated data sources to use.

You can listen to my interview with Ted here or watch it below. Please feel free to share. [wpaudio url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/zimmcomm/infoag-15-mapshots.mp3″ text=”Ted Macy, MapShots”]

2015 InfoAg Conference Photo Album

Coverage of the InfoAg Conference is sponsored by

Precision Ag Connection Results In

Jamie JohansenAugust 6, 2015ZimmPoll

Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “How are you connecting your precision equipment and data?”

It looks like many of our readers haven’t quite adopted the wireless capabilities when it come to connecting precision equipment. It looks like the majority of you are utilizing memory cards and USB sticks. However, after attending the 2015 InfoAg Conference the Cloud is here and it looks like it is the key to efficiency.

Here are the poll results:

Memory cards – 33%
USB sticks – 33%
Cloud (wifi)- 1%
Cellular network – 17%
Other – 16%

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, What brings you to the county, regional or state fair?

We are in the heat of fair season. Whether its a county, regional or state fair it is easy to find one to attend. I have exhibited livestock at fairs my entire life and I hope to instill my love for the fair life into my daughter very soon. Some people go for the food, the great concerts, to exhibit their livestock or to simply take in all the sights. Tell us why you love the fair. Is it for the overall experience or is it the craving of a footlong corn dog?

Speed & Simplicity with FarmMobile

Jamie JohansenAugust 6, 2015Agribusiness, Audio, Data

Heath Gerlock wears a lot of hats at FarmMobile; founder, director of marketing are just a few. But one of his main roles is making sure farmers have a good understanding of what FarmMobile can offer them. During the 2015 InfoAg Conference, I stopped by their booth to learn just that.

“FarmMobile is really about facilitating the fastest path from data on machines to the decision makers. We want to strengthen the relationships between agronomists and the farmer, relationships between implements, seed and chemicals dealers and the farmer. The way we do that is by making those relationships work faster with faster data.”

FarmMobile made a small orange box that comes with all the wiring necessary to plug right into a farmers machinery. It uses cellular data and a high precision GPS receiver and sends the data to the filing cabinet in the sky. The grower can then share that data with trusted server providers a couple of different ways.

“It is not about the hardware. It is about reducing a painful process farmers are dealing with right now. Moving data from thumb drives has historically been the way a farmer gets data off machines to his service providers. 80% of the data stays on the machines, which means it’s not being used far more intelligently. We element thumb drives and all of the different mechanisms used to get that data out. You plug in our little orange box and it just happens magically.”

Listen to my complete interview with Heath to learn about FarmMoblie’s farmer feedback and how you can get your hands on your very own little orange box. [wpaudio url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/zimmcomm/infoag-15-farmmobile-gerlock.mp3″ text=”Interview with Heath Gerlock, FarmMobile”]

View and download photos from the event here: 2015 InfoAg Conference Photo Album

Coverage of the InfoAg Conference is sponsored by

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