Precision | Page 423 | News and reviews from the precision agriculture industry

Rapid Scouting Enhancements to iCropTrak

Chuck ZimmermanMarch 6, 2014Agribusiness, Mobile

Mobile precision technology continues to evolve. iCropTrak just announced the release of Rapid Scouting Enhancements in Version 4.1 of their award-winning iOS Mobile Farm Management app iCropTrak. This comprehensive update for farmers and scouting professionals offers Rapid Observation and Action Item “one-tap” data entry aimed at easier, faster and more efficient use of your time in the field. The image is an example of Rapid Entry Observations.

In addition to Rapid Scouting enhancements like Rapid Observation and Action Items, the new iCropTrak includes a series of augmented map functions to make field understanding fast and easy.

Map Annotations to provide additional map reference data.
Work Order Status Annotations to provide where and what quickly.
Follow Me Upgrade to keep you on the map at any speed.
Map Sketch to allow you to draw on the map and save results for reports.
Recent Forms puts field history in chronological order.

Version 4.1 includes the first mobile parts of the upcoming MyJohnDeere.com integration: On-demand data downloading. On-Demand let’s you download only the data you need for the time you need it, then remove it from your iPad when done to have space for other efforts. At multiple gigabytes per field for planting, as-applied, and harvest data, On-Demand provides users control over their data and provides the first peek at the new user definable statistical legends that colorize the data on the fly based on its attributes.

Aaron Hutchinson, Cogent3D President shared the company’s excitement regarding this release stating: “The One Tap Observation capability to mark weeds, pests, and diseases is a labor break-thru in a market where every click is money. ”

GROWMARK and Deere form Data Collaboration

Cindy ZimmermanMarch 6, 2014Agribusiness, Audio, Data Collection, Growmark, John Deere, Software, technology

GROWMARK and John Deere are collaborating to make life easier and improve decision-making for producers and agronomists.

The two are collaborating to deliver near real-time field level data to producers and FS Crop Specialists by linking FS Advanced Information Services (FS AIS), a suite of precision agronomy software, with John Deere Wireless Data Transfer, JDLink™ and MyJohnDeere.

GROWMARK Agronomy Marketing executive director Ron Milby says they are among the first agricultural retailers to leverage the Wireless Data Transfer Application Programming Interface (API) for its precision agronomy decision support software, making data exchange faster and more useful for growers and its FS company staff. “The open platform John Deere provides enables farmers and FS company staff to use the FS AIS software to make decisions in near real time – that’s a win-win,” Milby said.

Ron says GROWMARK chose to work with Deere because they are a leader in the field. “I think they’re going to be a viable leader in the future,” he said. “We were headed to this base, they were headed to this base, and we were able to work with them.

Producers will utilize an efficient and secure interface between FS AIS and MyJohnDeere, taking advantage of both companies’ commitment to supporting better decisions through improved data integration at the field level. This includes the ability to easily transfer work instructions, prescriptions, and product lists to the GreenStar™ 3 2630 display. Yield data, as-applied maps and work records can be transferred back to the FS AIS software.

Find out more in this interview with Ron: [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/growmark/growmark-milby.mp3″ text=”Interview with Ron Milby, GROWMARK”]

FMC’s Solutions for Southern Rice Growers

Jamie JohansenMarch 6, 2014Agribusiness, Audio, FMC, Herbicides, Rice

Don Johnson is FMC’s Tech Service Sales Manager for the Southern Region. Chuck met up with him during the Mid-South Farm & Gin Show in Memphis last week and talked about what FMC has available for rice farmers. Don also reminded attendees as they walked through their booth that FMC has a wide product portfolio that includes something for all crops.

Obey was launched in 2013 and has dual modes of action. Obey provides effective weed management for Southern rice growers fighting barnyardgrass and hemp sesbania. It also offers the flexibility to be used in a sequential (split) application program with Command® 3ME herbicide.

“Our universities have been supporting FMC the last three or four years trying to get that window expanded in order to manage resistant barnyardgrass in rice fields and now we are happy to announce this year that we finally got that expanded for the growers.”

As growers know barnyardgrass is the number one yield robber in rice fields. Fighting resistance has been an uphill problem for years, but with the use of these two FMC products growers have a solution.

“This show is more than just a cotton show. It is a gin show as well. It has been expanded to cover all crops. FMC also is diversified in the crops we cover whether it’s soybeans, corn, rice or cotton. We have products that cover each crop.”

You can listen to my interview with Don here: [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/farm-gin-show/gin-show-14-johnson.mp3″ text=”Interview with Don Johnson”]

2014 Mid-South Farm & Gin Show Photo Album

Farmland Stars Light Up Commodity Classic Preview

John DavisMarch 5, 2014Audio, Commodity Classic, USFRA

It wasn’t a red carpet event, but some farmers still really shined as Commodity Classic went to the movies last week with a sneak preview of the feature length documentary “Farmland,” which will debut later this month.

The media was allowed to watch, but not report on, the movie – but we are able to meet and talk with some of the stars who took part in a press conference at Classic with the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance (USFRA). The guy in the middle here is not one of the stars, that’s USFRA Executive Director Randy Krotz. He said this movie really helps further USFRA’s goal of bridging the gap between consumers and food production.

“Farmers are the most trusted entity in the food chain from a consumer’s perspective,” he said, adding this film “is really creating a venue for farmers to speak directly to consumers and bridge that generational gap that has been created over the past several decades.”

The four pictured here, from left to right around Randy, are David Loberg of Nebraska, Ryan Veldhuizen of Minnesota, Leighton Cooley from Georgia, and Brad Bellah of Texas. Listen to them talk about themselves and their experiences with film director James Moll in the making of “Farmland.” – [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/usfra/classic14-usfra-farmland.mp3″ text=”Farmland Movie Press Conference”]

2014 Commodity Classic Photos

Hick Chick Chat with Bill and Tim Couser

Leah GuffeyMarch 5, 2014Audio, Commodity Classic, Corn, environment, Hick Chick Chat, Monsanto, NCGA, Soil

During Commodity Classic in San Antonio last week, I ran into my new friends Bill and Tim Couser. I met them last October during World Food Prize and Truth about Trade and Technology (TATT) Farmer Roundtable when we toured their operation near Nevada, Iowa. Last week they were sitting on a panel discussing soil health, partnership with the National Corn Growers Association, Monsanto and the Nature Conservancy. I had a chance to chat with the Cousers and discuss what types of plans they are making for their farm and the profitability of such an alliance.

The ultimate goal of the Soil Health Partnership (SHP) is to measure and communicate the economic and environmental benefits of different soil management strategies; and provide a set of regionally specific, data-driven recommendations that farmers can use to improve the productivity and sustainability of their farms. Over the next five years, SHP will work to aggregate regional data to catalyze a platform for knowledge-sharing from farmer to farmer to create a set of best practices to improve soil health.

You can listen to the Hick Chick Chat here: [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/podcast/hickchickchat-14-classic-couser.mp3″ text=”Hick Chick Chat with Bill and Tim Couser”] You can listen to the full Soil Health Partnership press conference here: [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/commodity-classic/classic14-soil-health.mp3″ text=”Soil Health Partnership Press Conference”]
2014 Commodity Classic Photos

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FMC Tackles Weeds in the South

Jamie JohansenMarch 5, 2014Agribusiness, Audio, Contest, Corn, Soybeans

FMC representatives were eager to visit with attendees of the recent Mid-South Farm & Gin Show in Memphis, TN. Chuck spoke with Rusty Mitchell during the event about some of their products corn and soybean growers across the South can and should take advantage of.

“We’ve got a couple of new products that we have available for both corn and soybean. Of course we have our Authority brand, our pre-herbicide. We have a couple new Authority products that we introduced last summer. One was Authority Elite. It has done really well this past year. We also are introducing this year, Authority Maxx, which has mulitple modes of action all pointed towards control on Palmer Amaranth.”

Rusty also talks about their product Anthem that was originally slated for corn, but recently has been approved for use on soybeans. They both have a very flexible application window and it controls a broad spectrum of broadleaves.

On the topic of Anthem, FMC is investing in farming’s future by hosting their 3rd Annual Stand & Be Heard Anthem Singing Contest. It is officially underway and youth can submit their entires here.

“Always remember regardless of what crop you are producing from the standpoint of weed control is to start clean, utilize a good burn down program, utilize a residual pre and then come back in with a follow up application of some kind of overlapping residual.”

You can listen to my interview with Rusty here: [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/farm-gin-show/gin-show-14-mitchell.mp3″ text=”Interview with Rusty Mitchell”]

2014 Mid-South Farm & Gin Show Photo Album

Majority in Ag Boycott Chipotle

Jamie JohansenMarch 5, 2014ZimmPoll

Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “What do you think about Chipotle’s Farmed & Dangerous?”

An overwhelming majority said they have boycotted Chipotle and I am proud to say I fit into that majority. I also believe Chipotle should be ashamed and have decided I don’t need to watch their recent stunt to know they are bad news. Thank you to those in the agricultural community who have made a stand against this restaurant giant and joined the fight to tell agriculture’s story.

Our poll results:

Chipotle should be ashamed – 25%
Hilarious – Lighten up! – 6%
Thought provoking – 4%
Refuse to see it – 6%
Will never eat at Chipotle – 47%
Never heard of it – 12%

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “What’s your favorite fish?”

Today is Ash Wednesday and the first day of Lent. Many across the country are giving up something beloved to them in the 40 days leading up to Easter and reframing from meat on Friday’s. In honor of that we want to know what’s your favorite way to prepare fish.

Soybean Priorities at Classic

Cindy ZimmermanMarch 5, 2014Audio, Commodity Classic, Soybeans

At last week’s Commodity Classic in San Antonio, American Soybean Association (ASA) president Ray Gaesser of Iowa said that after three long years of debate, it was great to see the Farm Bill become law.

“It was a compromise bill, and the final product strengthens risk management, streamlines conservation programs, reinforces the safety net, and invests in key programs in the areas of trade promotion, research and renewables,” he said, adding a big win for ASA in the new law is that planting decisions remain separated and decoupled from income safety net programs. “This helps to ensure that farmers plant for the market and not for government programs.” [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/commodity-classic/classic14-asa.mp3″ text=”ASA News Conference at Commodity Classic”]

Moving ahead in 2014, ASA Chairman Danny Murphy of Mississippi says their first priority is to get the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reverse its biodiesel proposal.

“These proposed regulations would reduce the production over the next year or two and really stifle the growth in a really valuable market for soybean farmers,” he said.

The hundreds of comments his members sent into the EPA might be having an effect as he told Cindy in a separate interview that EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy might be having second thoughts about her agency’s proposal. “So we hope that means they’ll make some changes and allow this biodiesel industry to grow.”

During that interview, Danny also talked about trade agreements, biotechnology, and how good demand and good prices are really helping soybean farmers do well. “It’s an exciting time to be a soybean farmer,” Danny said. [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/commodity-classic/classic14-asa-murphy.mp3″ text=”ASA Chairman Danny Murphy”]
2014 Commodity Classic Photos

Mid-South Farm & Gin Show Packed

Chuck ZimmermanMarch 4, 2014Audio, Cotton, FMC

Thanks to FMC I attended my first Mid-South Farm & Gin Show and met Tim Price. He’s show manager and Executive Director of the Southern Cotton Ginners Association. Tim is very passionate about agriculture and his community. You will hear that in our interview at the start of this year’s show. And for those of you who do not know what a cotton gin is, you will after you listen in.

Tim says that over the two days of the show there will be nearly 20,000 people attend and that it is a family affair. I vouch for that. This is a real down to earth farm show with a relaxed atmosphere and with 400 exhibitors there is a lot to see and learn. I’m going to get a wrap-up interview with Tim before leaving the show which I’ll share later. In the meantime, please listen in and I hope you enjoy our conversation.

You can listen to my interview with Tim here: [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/farm-gin-show/gin-show-14-price.mp3″ text=”Interview with Tim Price”] 2014 Mid-South Farm & Gin Show Photo Album

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