Ag Leader OptRx in Focus at Classic

Cindy ZimmermanAg Leader, Audio, Commodity Classic, Nutrient Management

If your crops could talk, what would they say?

classic14-agleader-optrx1That was the title of a learning session at the 2014 Commodity Classic, sponsored by Ag Leader Technology, focused on using crop sensors to find out what your crops need – since they really can’t talk and tell you themselves.

We heard from Greg Kneubuhler with G&K Concepts of Indiana, and John McGuire of Simplified Technology Services in Ohio, who made several key points when it comes to using crop sensors to ascertain plant health and determine the amount of nitrogen that plants with lower crop health need.

McGuire noted that Ag Leader did a study in 2009 that showed the advantages of using their OptRx crop sensor technology. “In that study, there was quite a range in the payback of the OptRx system,” he said. “Agronomics is the first thing that came to mind. With any precision ag pursuit, you have to have a situation where (it) can succeed.”

Kneubuhler says that means paying attention to the basics. “We come across little things that get overlooked that mask the big things that drive yield,” he said. “You have to pay attention to your basic agronomy first and don’t let it override the technology you’re using in the field.”

Both of these experts say that while there are a number of crop sensors on the market, they recommend Ag Leader’s OptRx. [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/agleader/classic14-agleader-optrx.MP3″ text=”Interview with Greg Kneubuhler and John McGuire on Crop Sensors”]

classic14-agleader-chadAg Leader OptRx Crop Sensor Product Specialist Chad Fick says this product has been around for six years now and growers are showing more interest as nutrient management becomes a bigger concern.

“If we can get our management practices in place and we can have our inputs reduced, we can still increase our yields but not be wasteful and ruin the environment,” said Chad, adding that OptRx can be a helpful tool for farmers. [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/agleader/classic14-agleader-chad.MP3″ text=”Interview with Chad Fick, Ag Leader”]
2014 Commodity Classic Photos

CTIC at Commodity Classic

Kristin LiskaAgribusiness, Audio, Commodity Classic, Conservation, CTIC

IMG_9917This year at the Commodity Classic, the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) was present to talk with farmers about cover crops for conservation.

CTIC has a grant to promote cover crops in seven states and they held a learning center session at Classic to educate farmers about their cover crop options, according to CTIC Project Director Chad Watts. “At this conference we attract a lot of people from the north and they’re all worried about the window and how they can fit cover crops in during the fall and still get enough growth on them before it gets too cold,” said Watts, who adds that there are many choices for producers.

Listen and learn more about cover crops here: [wpaudio url=”http://precision.agwired.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2014/03/Classic-14-CTIC-Chad.mp3″ text= “Interview with Chad Watts, CTIC”]

2014 Commodity Classic Photos

Coverage is sponsored by John Deere

Deere Shows How to Be Accurate Up to 10 MPH

John DavisAgribusiness, Audio, Commodity Classic, Equipment, John Deere, Planting, seed

classic14-deere-kelbyImagine getting your work done at twice the speed you normally do! Producers attending this year’s Commodity Classic in San Antonio got to see more of John Deere’s new ExactEmerge planting system, which allows planters to be accurate at speeds up to 10 MPH. Kelby Krueger, product specialist with Deere’s Seeding Group, explained to Leah on the trade show floor that is quite revolutionary, considering that’s about twice as fast as farmers are used to planting using the old seed tube systems.

“The slower you go, the better your seed placement. Well, that doesn’t work very well when you have tight planting windows or when you’ve got rainstorms coming,” he said, pointing out that with ExactEmerge, you don’t have to choose between fast and accurate; you get both. “It controls the seed through the whole entire process from the meter, through a brush belt delivery system, and places it in the bottom of the trench.”

Kelby said they used high-speed video to see seeding errors with tube systems. They’ve been actively testing the new system in customer fields for the last three years, in a variety of conditions. In fact, for no-till operations, they found ExactEmerge really works well because it is built to stand up to rough conditions.

As expected with technology that doubles the speed at which you can get something done, ExactEmerge brought plenty of questions from farmers attending Commodity Classic.

“People are taking the time to come down here, try to understand how this system works, because they understand how revolutionary this will be for their farming operation,” Kelby said.

Listen to more of Leah’s interview with Kelby here: [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/commodity-classic/classic-14-deere-krueger1.mp3″ text=”Kelby Krueger, John Deere”]
2014 Commodity Classic Photos
Coverage is sponsored by John Deere

BASF Spotlights Future of Farming

Cindy ZimmermanAgribusiness, BASF, Commodity Classic, technology, Video

classic14-basf-drawingOver 7,000 people had the opportunity to visit the BASF Crop Protection USA booth at the Commodity Classic to learn more about the future of farming – by video and through the eyes of children.

The newest video from BASF, featuring fun facts about how far the industry has progressed and how we must advance in order to meet the needs of future generations, was on a movie screen size display. Behind it was a wall displaying creative pictures artwork from children across the country of how they see the future of farming.

BASF asked children what they thought farming would look like in 50 or 100 years and got dozens of creative, innovative and colorful concepts that were on display in the booth. The winning submission, by 11-year-old Moise Dougherty of Minnesota, was chosen on Saturday morning.

See more photos here:
BASF at the 2014 Commodity Classic Photos

Watch the new BASF video here:


BASF at the 2014 Commodity Classic Photos

Coverage is sponsored by John Deere

Hick Chick Chat with Precision Hawk

Leah GuffeyAerial Imagery, ASTA, Data Collection, Hick Chick Chat

11326519286_c9a07ae0bf_oWhen I attended the American Seed Trade Association CSS and expo in Chicago, I was live tweeting some of the events and had some interaction with Precision Hawk. I wasn’t familiar with them so I decided to check them out. Through conversation, I got a chance to talk with their COO Pat Lohman in this week’s edition of the Hick Chick Chat.

patlPat tells us how they got started with the company some 4 years ago and where they look to be headed. He mentions how they started as a best control company with simulated hawks to keep other birds from bothering the grapes in wine country and now they are a full blown data company with inquiries coming from many different industries, most recently a cemetery. This information that Precision Hawk can provide can be shared and used by the grower, a seed dealer and other consultants.

You can listen to the Hick Chick Chat here: [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/podcast/hickchickchat-14-precisionhawk-lohman.mp3″ text=”Hick Chick Chat Pat Lohman, Precision Hawk”]

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Geographical Information Systems Training Course

Jamie JohansenAg Group, computers, Education

The Texas A&M Institute of Renewable Natural Resources is conducting an Introduction to ArcGIS 10 training course on March 24 & 25 in College Station, TX. The two-day course will be 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days in Room 200 of the Centeq Building, in Texas A&M University’s Research Park.

The course will teach the range of functionality of the software and the essential tools for visualizing, creating, managing and analyzing geographic data, according to Amy Snelgrove, a program manager for the institute and instructor for the course. Snelgrove has both Certified GIS Professional and Comptia Certified Technical Training certifications.

“The exercises of this hands-on course emphasize practice with ArcMap and ArcCatalog to perform common GIS tasks and workflows,” Snelgrove said. “Students will learn the tools for creating and managing geographic data, displaying data on maps in different ways, and combining and analyzing data to discover patterns and relationships. By the end of the course, they will be prepared to work with the software on their own.”

Register online at irnr.tamu.edu/arcgis. Registration is $500 and includes refreshments, course material and a certificate of completion. Seats are limited.

Snelgrove said three additional 2014 dates are set for the course at the same location in College Station: May 13-14, July 29-30 and Oct. 8-9. On-site training can also be scheduled by contacting Snelgrove at amy-snelgrove@tamu.edu.

Ag Leader AgFiniti Now Available

Cindy ZimmermanAg Leader, Audio, Commodity Classic, Data Collection, Software, technology

classic14-agleader-agfinitiAg Leader Technology’s new cloud-based platform AgFiniti® was a hit at last week’s Commodity Classic where growers were happy to learn that it is now available for them.

“AgFiniti is an affordable and reliable solution for wireless connectivity in the field because it allows users the flexibility to choose the best wireless service carrier in their local area and hotspot device,” said Luke James, Software Sales Manager.

James adds that what really makes AgFiniti stand out from other solutions on the market is data privacy. “We know growers value their privacy and that’s why with AgFiniti the data is 100% theirs,” he said. “We’re independent, just like the grower’s independent. We value that.”

Guidance lines, prescriptions, as-applied maps and more can be sent and received wirelessly from field to office and shared with trusted advisors such as dealers, co-ops or farm managers. Also, AgFiniti Remote Support allows dealers or farm managers to connect to the user’s display in the field for viewing and trouble-shooting from another location to help resolve issues faster and reduce downtime.

Learn more in this interview with Luke from Commodity Classic: [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/agleader/classic14-agleader-luke.MP3″ text=”Interview with Luke James, Ag Leader”]
2014 Commodity Classic Photos

Clean Fields, High Yields: Acceptance & Planning

John DavisAgribusiness, Audio, BASF, Commodity Classic

young1It seems like a pretty common sense idea in weed management: cleaner soybean fields will equal better yields when harvest time comes around. But Bryan Young, a professor of weed science from Purdue University who conducted the BASF-sponsored learning session, “Clean Fields, High Yields: The Keys to Solving Your Weed Problems in 2014,” at Commodity Classic told the farmers attending that they have to break it down into three steps: 1. Accept the reality of what is going on in your fields (especially as it pertains to weed management); 2. Develop a plan; and 3. Put that plan into action.

“In accepting reality, you need to acknowledge when you might have resistance and stay ahead of it,” he said, adding that denial is the biggest problem many farmers have. He said if producers start off with the right mindset, they might not have to face regret later on. “I’ve never talked to a grower who’s had resistance that’s said to me, ‘Well, I wouldn’t have done anything different.'”

Once you accept the fact that you’ve got weed resistance, Bryan said you need to put together a plan to fight that resistance, admitting it’s complicated, but if you understand the different herbicides and the best sites of action for the weeds you have, developing what you are going to do starts to come into order. He added, though, you have to look at the full picture of all the variables that you might be facing.

Finally, you need to put the plan into action. Bryan said growers need to have a Plan A, B and C ready, because you have to be adaptive.Read More

Deere Brings Technology and Farming Together

John DavisAgribusiness, Audio, Commodity Classic, John Deere

classic14-deere-rachelleThey’ve been innovating ever since John Deere himself introduced the first steel plow nearly 180 years ago that transformed the American Great Plains into the world’s food basket it is today. Now the good folks at Deere have shown off their latest innovation at Commodity Classic in San Antonio: FarmSight.

“Farmsight is our approach to how we think technology and farming can come together in a whole new way to help farmers be more productive, spend more time with their families, make more money and overall have a better experience as farming moves into the future,” Rachelle Thibert, manager of integrated solutions at Deere, explained to Leah in an interview from the trade show floor. She said it comes down to planning, and the technology in FarmSight helps gather, move and share data so better informed decisions can be made. “It can save them time, save them money, and eventually produce some better results when they’re actually trying to market that grain.”

Rachelle added that FarmSight brings more information into the cab at a higher resolution allowing farmers to use the data to be more efficient in their operations. And by listening to what farmers have told them about what they want and need to know, the decisions made are more effective. Since the information gathered and stored in the cloud, producers can access it and make adjustments or even monitor other operators on their farm to make sure the job is being done right. In addition, Deere has made it easy to use so less time is lost learning or teaching how to use it.

The ability to use FarmSight has been embedded in John Deere machines since 2011, but Rachelle said they’ve developed kits to retrofit a long line Deere equipment going way back. “There’s probably some way we can light up your fleet that’s green with this technology,” she said.

There’s more ideas on the horizon Deere will be testing and putting out in the fields, but for now, growers can get things started with a MyJohnDeere account to help them have a better bottom line.

Listen to more of Leah’s interview with Rachelle here: [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/commodity-classic/classic-14-deere-thibert1.mp3″ text=”Rachelle Thibert, John Deere”]
2014 Commodity Classic Photos
Coverage is sponsored by John Deere

Deere Shows off More Efficient 7 & 8 Series Tractors

John DavisGeneral

classic14-deere-jarrodMore information means greater efficiency out in the field, and that’s why our friends at John Deere were glad to show off their latest line of 7 and 8 series tractors to the farmers attending Commodity Classic in San Antonio. Leah caught up with Jarrod McGinnis, Deere’s marketing manager for these machines. He told her one of the biggest features for both series is the new CommandView III Cab that features better seating, a quieter cab, and a new CommandARM and CommandCenter Display, which really turns that tractor into a mobile office.

“We’re trying to get more and more integration into that screen, so the first thing we did is make it a 10-inch screen, so you can see more at a glance,” Jarrod said, joking that it’s so easy to use a dad could do it … whether it’s him referring to his 70-year-old father or his 11-year-old daughter referring to Jarrod himself. “We want that technology to be very friendly, easy to use, [and put] a lot of technology right there at your fingertips.”

He said the 7 series of tractors just started shipping out to customers in the last couple of weeks, so they’re looking forward to hearing from those farmers when they really start going in the fields. Specifically on the 8 series, they get the new cab and bigger engines, just like the 7s, and they also have larger rear tires, new easy-changing wheel weights, and improved LED lights. Both of these new tractors are expected to help a producer’s bottom line.

“With the CommandCenters, since it’s easier to learn, they spend more time working and less time learning themselves or training another operator,” plus Jarrod said remote access allows those farmers to share information with experts who can help right there in the field.

Listen to more of Leah’s interview with Jarrod here: [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/commodity-classic/classic-14-deere-mcginnis1.mp3″ text=”Jarrod McGinnis, John Deere”]
2014 Commodity Classic Photos
Coverage is sponsored by John Deere