Precision | Page 282 | News and reviews from the precision agriculture industry

Getting More from UAVs

Kelly MarshallAugust 4, 2015Agribusiness, drone, InfoAg, UAV, webinar

Don’t worry. If you missed the Hexagon Geospatial booth at InfoAg 2015, there’s still a chance for you to witness an IMAGINE UAV demonstration– this time from the comfort of your own computer.

The UAV market is expanding rapidly and changes are everywhere. The webcast will focus on the possibilities and potential of UAVs for use in agriculture, with ideas for getting more value from your data. The presentation will include components for building a robust workflow and model a real solution for growers today.

News From Custom Harvesters at #AgMedia

Cindy ZimmermanAugust 4, 2015Ag Media Summit, Audio, Harvesting

Mark Anderson and Dan Misner with U.S. Custom Harvesters (USCHI) had some news to share at the Ag Media Summit last week.

First, Anderson says they just announced a new partnership with Ag in the Classroom to develop two curriculums using footage leftover from “The Great American Wheat Harvest” documentary. “These curriculums will focus on agribusiness, leadership and job opportunities in the custom harvesting industry,” said Anderson.

Misner talked about an important amendment for custom harvesters that was included in the long term highway transportation bill passed by the Senate on Thursday that exempts the agriculture industry from obtaining a hazardous materials driver’s license to transport 1,000 gallons or less of diesel fuel. “We have been fighting this issue since 1993,” said Misner. “We’ve had the bill introduced three times before in past sessions…it is in the full Senate transportation bill…it would help us get our crops out in a timely fashion.”

Listen to intern Lizzy’s interview with Dan and Mark here: [wpaudio url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/zimmcomm/ams15-custom-harvest.mp3″ text=”Interview with U.S. Custom Harvesters”]

2015 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

Coverage of the Ag Media Summit is sponsored by

USDA Finds Ways to Save Water with Sorghum

John DavisAugust 4, 2015Agribusiness, Research, Sorghum, USDA

While there’s plenty of water in Texas this year, the recent drought in the state has many farmers looking for options more tolerant to drought. A U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientist is giving sorghum farmers some much needed guidance in how to save water by using less-than-optimal amounts of it.

Susan O’Shaughnessy, an agricultural engineer with the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in Bushland, TX, evaluated yields and water-use efficiency of early- and late-maturing sorghum varieties produced under four levels of deficit irrigation. She and her colleagues planted late-maturing and early-maturing varieties at optimal times and harvested both types at about the same time in the fall. They grew the crops for three seasons, tracked weather data and rainfall levels, and measured evapotranspiration rates—an indicator of the plant’s overall water needs. Above-average rainfall occurred in 2009 and 2010, and much lower-than-average rainfall occurred in 2011.

They found that on average, over the three growing seasons, crop water-use efficiency (the water used by the crop in relation to the crop yield) was typically greatest at the 55-percent replenishment level, but even a 30-percent replenishment at least doubled the yields when compared with no irrigation. At 80-percent replenishment, the late-maturing variety consistently produced higher yields than the early-maturing one, but the early-maturing variety produced sufficient yields to make it a viable alternative. Growers also risk severe or total losses if they practice even moderate deficit irrigation during droughts. In fact, total crop failures are likely without at least some irrigation in drought years like 2011.

More on this is available in the July 2015 issue of AgResearch magazine.

FMC Anthem Maxx Herbicide Out This Fall

Cindy ZimmermanAugust 4, 2015Ag Media Summit, Audio, FMC, Herbicides

Anthem® Maxx herbicide due out this fall from FMC is a new, concentrated version of Anthem herbicide that offers growers a dramatically lower use-rate.

“We like taking Anthem to corn,” said Matt Hancock, FMC Corn Segment Manager. “This is a four ounce per acre use rate to get pre- and post-emergent control of broadleaves and pre-emergent control of grasses…it takes the eight ounce rate of Anthem and lowers it to the four ounce rate.”

Hancock says Anthem Maxx herbicide also provides a wide application window and controls a wide spectrum of broadleaves, including ALS, triazine and glyphosate resistant weeds like waterhemp, Palmer pigweed and others.

Find out more in this interview with Matt from the recent Ag Media Summit: [wpaudio url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/zimmcomm/ams-15-fmc-anthem-maxx.mp3″ text=”Interview with Matt Hancock, FMC, on Anthem Maxx”]

2015 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

Coverage of the Ag Media Summit is sponsored by

Ag Leader Talks Data at InfoAg 2015

Jamie JohansenAugust 3, 2015Ag Leader, Agribusiness, Data, InfoAg

Russ Morman, an 18 year veteran of Ag Leader’s marketing department, manned the Ag Leader booth at the recent InfoAg Conference in St. Louis, MO. He shared their key messaging to attendees as they passed through and spoke with me on how they respond to growing questions concerning data.

“This year we are really focusing on our software solutions, our AgFiniti platform, our SMS Software and our map view program.”

Russ said there are two main parts to AgFiniti. The first is the wireless data transfer, which allows growers in transfer data from a monitor to their secure Cloud server and then back for prescriptions and guidance patterns. The second half of AgFiniti is the remote support.

“The most questions we are getting now is on our data. Everyone has the hardware, but they want to know what they can do with the data and how to make decisions using it.”

Listen to my complete interview with Russ to learn how they address grower questions and what we can see coming down the pipeline in the near future. [wpaudio url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/zimmcomm/infoag-15-morman-agleader.mp3″ text=”Interview with Russ Morman, Ag Leader”]

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

Coverage of the InfoAg Conference is sponsored by

FMC Busy at #AgMedia

Cindy ZimmermanAugust 3, 2015Ag Media Summit, Audio, FMC

The FMC booth was a popular stop for ag journalists at the Ag Media Summit InfoExpo because they had experts to chat about some of the new products FMC has in the pipeline.

FMC Corporation is a big sponsor at the Ag Media Summit and Jill Heggen says it’s an important event for them. “We like to connect with the editors, we reach out to them and talk to them throughout the year and they really have the pulse on what’s going on in the industry,” said Heggen. “It’s really nice to have that face to face connection and support them at this event.”

FMC sponsored the breakfast on Tuesday morning, which Jill says they have done for several years now. “This is my fourth year here with FMC so it’s a consistent show for us and we like to continue to show our support in that way,” she said. FMC is also one of our sponsors for coverage of AMS, which allows even those ag media professionals who were unable to attend to share in the event.

We got several interviews with FMC representatives that we will be sharing over the next couple of weeks, so stay tuned for that.

Listen to my interview with Jill here: [wpaudio url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/zimmcomm/ams15-fmc-jill.mp3″ text=”Interview with Jill Heggen, FMC”]

2015 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

Coverage of the Ag Media Summit is sponsored by

Register for AgGateway Now

Kelly MarshallAugust 3, 2015Ag Group, AgGateway, Agribusiness, Dealers, Events

The Westin Riverwalk Hotel in San Antonio, TX will welcome guests of AgGateway’s Annual Conference November 9-12. The them for the conference this year will be “Business Agility-The Power of Collaboration and eConnectivity.” The is the 10th annual AgGateway conference and hundreds of business and IT professionals in the ag industry are expected to attend. Early registrants receive a significant registration discount.

In addition to general sessions, educational and working sessions, and networking events, the meeting features recognition of individual and group efforts that are moving the industry forward in eBusiness. First-time attendees are invited to attend a welcome luncheon the first day to learn more about AgGateway and how to take full advantage of everything the conference has to offer.

Keynote and general session speakers include Kenneth Cordell, Jr., President and CEO of Pinnacle Agriculture Holding LLC; Dr. Marty Matlock, Executive Director of the University of Arkansas Office for Sustainability, and Professor of Ecological Engineering in the Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department; Steve Pitstick, a progressive corn and soybean grower in northern Illinois known for leveraging new agricultural technologies; and Richard S. Sellers, Senior Vice President of Legislative and Regulatory Affairs for the American Feed Industry Association.

“This is a great opportunity to learn about and take part in the many exciting activities AgGateway members are involved in to make eBusiness possible – from auto identification data capture and better business office processes to regulatory compliance and precision agriculture.” said AgGateway President and CEO Wendy Smith, “The annual conference is the best meeting of the year to bring colleagues and trading partners to learn about the substantial benefits companies are gaining through eBusiness.”

If you are in ag retail, distributing, manufacturing of inputs, software and data service, or are a professional in precision ag, academia, ag organizations, ag media, or a student interested in eBusiness this conference is designed for you.

Details about the conference are available on the webpage. Find the meeting on Twitter at #AgGateway15.

ASA Praises House GMO Labeling Bill

John DavisAugust 3, 2015Ag Group, Agribusiness, ASA, Audio, GMO, Government

The American Soybean Association (ASA) is pleased with the bill recently passed by the U.S. House that will bring some sanity to food labeling, in regards to GMOs. The news was welcomed by he American Soybean Association (ASA).

“This is important for every bit of agriculture,” said ASA president Wade Cowan of Texas during an interview at last week’s Ag Media Summit. “We need to prevent this menagerie of 50 different bills in 50 different states. It’s an unworkable patchwork, so we need the consistency throughout the U.S.”

Cowan points out that the bill will give consumers the right to know by giving non-GMO food producers the chance to have their products certified as GMO-free. He’s also grateful to House Ag Committee leaders from both political parties and hopes to get that kind of good support when the measure moves to the Senate. The ASA spent a lot of time educating lawmakers so they can make the smart vote when it comes in front of them. “Some of those lawmakers were really busy, and we were able to go to the congressmen and explain it and they were appreciative of that.”

Cowan feels confident that lawmakers will ultimately do the right thing for American agriculture.

Listen to all of Cindy’s interview with Wade here: [wpaudio url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/zimmcomm/ams15-asa-wade.mp3″ text=”Interview with Wade Cowan, American Soybean Association president”]

2015 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

Coverage of the Ag Media Summit is sponsored by

Soil Health Partnership to Host Soil Health Field Days

John DavisAugust 3, 2015Ag Group, Conservation, Soil

A series of field days is sharing some important environmental and economic benefits of the best practices when it comes to the health of the farmland. The Soil Health Partnership’s demonstration field days is sharing the ideas fueling the evolution of farming with other producers throughout the Midwest. The partnership will host soil health field days from August through the end of the year.

The field days will demonstrate how changing certain practices can create lasting environmental benefits while potentially increasing farm productivity and income. Examples of educational topics include:

· Cover crop benefits and integration into local cropping systems;

· Nutrient management and other strategies to improve soil health;

· Hands-on soil demonstrations; and

· Farmer panels to discuss local experiences with cover crops.

Cover crops have gained attention for improving soil health because they capture excess nitrogen left in the soil and put good plant residue back into the ground.

The SHP is an initiative of the National Corn Growers Association and works closely with diverse organizations including commodity groups, industry, foundations, federal agencies, universities and well-known environmental groups toward the common goal of improving soil health.

“We encourage sound soil practices combined with scientific quantification of results from farmers taking positive actions,” said Nick Goeser, SHP director. “Improved crop productivity, environmental gains and economic growth are all benefits of progressive soil management strategies.”

For a complete list of Soil Health Field Days, click here. Events will be added throughout the summer.

How Are You Connecting Equipment & Data?

Jamie JohansenJuly 31, 2015ZimmPoll

Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “Do you consider yourself social media savvy?”

It’s exciting to see so many people out there that have grasped social media as way to communicate online and also use it as a marketing tool. Yet will had a few pollers who don’t see it as beneficial. It is hard to look into the future and not see social media. Changing and developing yes, but not leaving for good.

Here are the poll results:

Yes – I’ve got it – 55%
Yes – Still need training – 23%
No – Want to learn more – 6%
No – Not worth my time – 16%

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, How are you connecting your precision equipment and data?

Drones, big data, new standards are all precision ag buzz words but connectivity was a common theme this year at the InfoAg Conference. More and more companies are developing stable wireless options to communicate back and forth from the cab. Let us know what method you are using and feel free to leave a comment.

Page 282 of 675
←
1
...
281
282
283
...
675
→