Antarctica2 Tractor Passes Muster in Iceland

Jamie JohansenAg Group, Tractor

Screen Shot 2014-10-16 at 4.42.01 PMMassey Ferguson, has announced that the MF 5610 tractor set to journey to the South Pole in six weeks’ time has successfully completed stringent tests in Iceland.

Known as Antarctica2, the adventurous mission to drive a tractor to the Geographical South Pole is the dream of Manon Ossevoort, aka ‘Tractor Girl’, who will pilot the specially-prepared MF 5610 on the 2350km expedition across treacherous snow and ice. In doing so, she and her expert back-up team will echo the achievement of Sir Edmund Hillary who trekked to the South Pole using three Ferguson tractors in 1958.

The Antarctica2 expedition is being organized to highlight the need for sustainable food security through the provision of accessible technologies and innovative services to allow future farmers to meet the world’s growing requirement for food.

Modified by the engineering team at AGCO’s Beauvais tractor plant, the MF 5610 completed its final testing over a two-week period in Iceland. “The tractor performed extremely well in our trials,” says Massey Ferguson Engineering Project Manager, Olivier Hembert. “It will have to endure temperatures down to minus 40 degrees centigrade, altitude of 3400 metres and tackle deep, soft snow. This kind of environment calls for straightforward, dependable engineering for which Massey Ferguson is renowned. Previous tests in Iceland and France were made to check its performance in polar ground conditions and at very low temperatures.”

Throughout the journey, the tractor’s AgCommandTM telematics system will relay performance information back to a 24-hour support team in Beauvais. “The clock is now ticking for this long-planned project to become reality,” adds Olivier. “We are very excited about monitoring our tractor’s progress across the challenging icescape and ensuring its technical and mechanical stamina to accomplish the mission.”

Live-streaming and regular updates via a dedicated website will keep the rest of the world in touch with the adventure’s progress. The tractor and team depart Novo Base in East Antarctica around 24 November and are scheduled to arrive at the South Pole around 15 December.

Growing Leaf Crops in the Everglades

Cindy ZimmermanConservation, CTIC, Soil, Video


2014 CTIC Conservation in Action Tour Photo Album

ctic-14-orsenigoPaul Orsenigo has been farming in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) for nearly 30 years, growing sugarcane and rice as well as a wide variety of leafy vegetables. The operation where he grows several types of lettuce, cilantro, parsley, Chinese cabbage, spinach and more was one of our stops this week on the 2014 CTIC Conservation in Action Tour. It was the only stop on the tour where we got a little rain.

Orsenigo says they use lots of best management practices to preserve the rich muck soils of the Everglades area such as cover crops, fallow flooding, and crop rotation. “It’s a very unique part of the world here in the EAA and we’re working hard to preserve and protect and prolong the productive life of it,” he said.

Watch my interview with Paul here:


UAV Update from Sunbelt Ag Expo

Jamie JohansenAerial Imagery, Ag Group, technology, UAS, UAV

IMG_1765The 2014 Sunbelt Ag Expo is well underway and our friend Randall Weiseman, Southeast AgNet, spoke with Miles Thompson, Robotics, Research and Test Engineer with the Georgia Tech Research Institute. He shared the latest on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) at their special exhibit during the event.

Miles believes unmanned aerial vehicles are here to stay. He said the early adopters are really pushing for it, which will lead to policy following suit.

“Right now the public sector is allowed to fly under a certification of authorization through the FAA. That is currently the way we go. We stick to the rules as they are. There are hobby rules that are under the FAA Reform Act 2012. But the major important part of there’s is to fly safely and far enough away from an airport and not to compete on an actual national air space.”

Miles has been on farms and shared this new technology with farmers and they see it as something that can really work for them in the near future. He said the aircrafts have been developed and are stable. Miniaturization of the sensor payloads are where efforts are going to technologists in the future. Miles said imagery is the main thing farmers can get with the current technology. But the goal is to be able to provide farmers with even more. This will include identification of mold, pest and their exact geo-location.

Cost is always at the heart of growers decision for investment in new technology. “As technology becomes more mature, prices will come down. We have already seen the price reduction go down by 50% from when it came out about three years ago. As it keeps going down, it will be more affordable and add value for farmers.”

Listen to the interview with Miles here: [wpaudio url=”http://www.zimmcomm.biz/UAV – Miles Thompson 10-16.mp3″ text=”Interview with Miles Thompson”]

Controlling Phosphorus in the Everglades

Cindy ZimmermanAudio, Conservation, CTIC, Nutrient Management, Video, water, Water Management


2014 CTIC Conservation in Action Tour Photo Album

ctic-14-staThis may just look like a swamp but it’s actually a very sophisticated stormwater treatment area in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) which is one of several designed to remove phosphorus from urban and agricultural runoff. These public works projects are the second point of cleanup for the water, while the farmers are the first point.

The 2014 CTIC Conservation in Action tour spent some time learning about these specially constructed wetlands areas from folks with the South Florida Water Management District on our first stop. Over the past 20 years, phosphorus concentrations in water heading for the Everglades have been reduced from 170 part per billion to less than 20.

SFWMD Water Resources Division Director Terrie Bates gives an overview of the STA system, how it works in conjunction with farmers’ best management practices, and how really successful it has been. [wpaudio url=”http://www.zimmcomm.biz/ctic/ctic-14-1-bates.MP3″ text=”Terrie Bates, SWFMC Water Resources Division Director”]

SFWMD environmental scientist Delia Ivanhoff explains some of the details of how the STAs actually work to reduce phosphorus from runoff water. One of the points she made was that the STAs process the equivalent of 200 million swimming pools worth of water each year. [wpaudio url=”http://www.zimmcomm.biz/ctic/ctic-14-delia.MP3″ text=”Delia Ivanhoff, SWFMC environmental scientist”]

Malcolm “Bubba” Wade has worked for the US Sugar Corporation since 1977 and currently serves as chairman of the board for the EAA protection district. He talked from the farmers’ perspective aout the success of the Best Management Practices program in the EAA. [wpaudio url=”http://www.zimmcomm.biz/ctic/ctic-14-bubba.MP3″ text=”Bubba Wade, US Sugar Corp.”]

Finally, we heard from Lawrence Gerry, STA coordinator for the SFWMD, who gave an overview of the created wetlands and how it all works together with varying hydrology, vegetation and wildlife. “These are probably the most highly managed treatment wetlands in the world,” said Larry. We got Larry on video to show you what it looks like:


MapShots Announces 2015 Customer Conference

Jamie JohansenAgribusiness, Data, Events, MapShots

mapshotsMapShots, Inc. will hold its 2015 Customer Conference on Feb. 11 – 14, 2015 at the Georgia Institute of Technology’s Global Learning Center in Atlanta, Ga., the company recently announced. Participants who register before December 19th will receive a $100 discount on registration fees.

Conference attendees will learn about new MapShots software and additional features and enhancements to existing products, as well as getting hands-on experience with new and existing field devices. The MapShots AgStudio suite of products is a total recordkeeping solution for growers and agricultural professionals, built to handle precision farming data and conventional, manually entered data all within the same data model.

Knowing first-hand how software products operate gives users a deeper understanding of the technology. The conference will feature multiple break-out sessions with smaller groups, allowing attendees to gain in-depth knowledge of the key parts of MapShots products. Company representatives will demonstrate new AgStudio features, such as AgStudio SELECT and AgStudio NOTES, and discuss plans for 2015/2016.

“At our annual conference, MapShots customers have the opportunity to make recommendations and suggest enhancements to the product line,” said Ted Macy, vice-president of operations at MapShots. “We welcome discussions about strategies and feedback on how enhancements can best meet customer needs. It’s also a great way for peers to share ideas!”

In fact, networking is a major part of the three-day conference. Customers can discuss business-building practices and explore tools and technologies that enable greater efficiencies, in addition to sharing tips for using MapShots products.

Drive with Caution During Harvest Season

Jamie JohansenAg Group, Farm Safety, Harvesting

Screen Shot 2014-10-16 at 10.13.48 AMIt’s harvest season in Georgia and more farm equipment will be heading out across the state as farmers transport equipment and produce between fields and processing areas. Because farm equipment is designed to be used primarily in the field and not for typical highway speeds, motorists can be caught off guard when traveling rural roads this time of year.

The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety and the Georgia Department of Agriculture are teaming up for the fourth year to remind motorists and farmers to use caution during harvest time.

“We want drivers who are navigating our rural roads to be mindful of tractors and other farm equipment that may be transporting harvest from field to field,” GOHS Director Harris Blackwood said. “In rural regions around farmland, speed limits are higher, and motorists should be aware that this is the season when field equipment is sharing the asphalt with motor vehicles.”

Motorists are urged to slow down when they approach a slow-moving vehicle. If a vehicle is traveling at 55 mph and comes upon a tractor that’s moving at just 15 mph, it only takes 5 seconds to close a gap the length of a football field between the vehicle and tractor.

“These fatalities are 100 percent avoidable,” said Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black. “Farming is a crucial aspect of Georgia commerce and agriculture. We need to ensure that these farm workers can do their jobs safely to get food on our tables and contribute to a safe and prosperous harvest season in Georgia.”

Farmers should mark any equipment that travels on the road with a slow moving vehicle triangle. The triangle is orange with a red border and is reflective. Unfortunately, fewer than 30 percent of drivers know what this symbol means, but it’s a matter of life and death for motorists and farm equipment operators on rural roads. The symbol is meant to notify motorists that the vehicle travels at speeds of 25 mph or less. It’s a reflector, but also a warning for motorists to slow down.

RFS’s Uncertainty Caused by EPA Hurting Communities?

Jamie JohansenZimmPoll

New Holland ZimmPollOur latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “Are you ready for MyFarmRadio on your mobile device?”

Don’t worry if you are part of the majority and have never heard of MyFarmRadio. We won’t accuse you of living under a rock just yet, because it is still very new. On November 3rd the new platform MyFarmRadio will launch. The 24/7 digital mobile radio channel will focus on a mix of best-in-class news, weather and markets along with entertaining and informative conversation for America’s farmers and ranchers. The app will allow listeners to pick and choose what they want to hear – and when they want to hear it.

Here are the poll results:

  • Yes, plan to get the app – 22%
  • Yes, want to know more – 17%
  • No, only listen on my radio – 6%
  • No, get my farm news other ways – 22%
  • What’s MyFarmRadio? – 33%

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, Has the uncertainty for the RFS caused by the EPA hurt your community?

The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) has been facing more than a year of uncertainty as the biofuels industry waits for the final 2014 rule that will determine the final renewable fuel volumes. Renewable fuel categories include ethanol, biodiesel, cellulosic and advanced biofuels. What impact has this had on your community?

Everglades Conservation in Action Tour Photos

Cindy ZimmermanUncategorized

ctic-14-owlsBaby barn owls with a hearty appetite for rodents that destroy sugarcane were one of the highlights of the CTIC Conservation in Action tour this week in the Everglades Agricultural Area.

We saw sugarcane being planted and harvested with precision, rich black soil, dozens of varieties of lettuce, a concrete post revealing six feet of soil subsidence in 84 years, and some fantastic farmers implementing unbelievably successful best management programs.

It was a long day in one of the country’s most productive agricultural regions but I did get the photos uploaded so you can see some of the sights. I’ve got video, interviews and lots more to share in the coming days.


2014 CTIC Conservation in Action Tour Photo Album

Enlist™ Weed Control System Approved

Cindy ZimmermanCorn, Dow AgroSciences, NCGA, Weed control

enlistThe Enlist™ Weed Control System is now approved for use with registration by the Environmental Protection Agency of Enlist Duo™ herbicide for use with Enlist corn and soybeans.

EPA’s decision is the final step in the federal regulatory process for the Enlist system. The Enlist corn and soybean traits were deregulated by USDA last month. With regulatory approvals now in place for Enlist corn and soybean traits and Enlist Duo herbicide, Dow AgroSciences will release its 2015 market intentions for Enlist in the coming weeks.

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) applauded news of the approval which will provide farmers with a valuable tool to combat instances of weed resistance. “The battle for approval of all components of this important technology has taken both determination and patience,” said NCGA Trade Policy and Biotechnology Action Team Chair John Linder, a farmer from Edison, Ohio. “This final step should place a necessary, new tool in the hands of corn and soybean farmers in immediate need of new systems to combat growing weed pressures throughout the Corn and Cotton Belts.”

Enlist Duo™ herbicide is a proprietary blend of new 2,4-D choline and glyphosate. By combining two modes of action, Enlist Duo will control and help prevent further development of herbicide-resistant weeds. Enlist Duo herbicide has also been optimized for on-target application utilizing Dow’s proprietary Colex-D™ Technology, which will provide both stewardship and user benefits. Dow has made significant investments in existing and new assets to reliably supply high quality 2.4-D for current market needs, and 2,4-D choline for new Enlist Duo demand.

New Holland Agriculture Claims World Record

Jamie JohansenAgribusiness, Equipment, Harvesting, New Holland, wheat

cr10_90_world_record_14_082New Holland Agriculture has reclaimed the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title, harvesting an impressive 797.656 tonnes (29,308.84 bushels) of wheat in eight hours with the world’s most powerful combine: the 653 hp CR10.90 Elevation.

“We are extremely proud to have recaptured the Guinness World Records title for harvesting almost 30,000 bushels of wheat in eight hours, shattering the previous record by more than 4,409 bushels,” stated Hedley Cooper, Head of Harvesting Product Management. “This record demonstrates the unsurpassed capacity and productivity of the CR10.90 Elevation, especially as the current record of 24,832.87 bushels was broken after just six hours and 36 minutes!”

The record was set on August 15, 2014 at H.R. Bourn and Sons Farm in Grange de Lings, near Wragby, Lincolnshire, United Kingdom. The field was sown with Santiago wheat in the autumn of 2013 before it was chosen in May 2014 for the record-breaking attempt, which meant that it represented real-world growing conditions.

The record-breaking day’s harvesting, which started at 11:17 a.m., was characterized by changing weather conditions, with the ambient temperature ranging from 64-70°F and light showers occurring from 5:30 p.m. onwards. The CR10.90’s average throughput was 3,663 bushels/hour and peaked at 4,960 bushels/hour in a crop yielding an average of 148.1 bushels/acre and an average moisture content of 16.2%. The record was achieved using a mere 124.6 bushels/gallon of grain harvested with the straw chopper engaged throughout the day.

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