Precision | Page 435 | News and reviews from the precision agriculture industry

Tech Support Excels During Busy Spring Season

Melissa SandfortJanuary 24, 2014Ag Leader, Insights Weekly

This week we caught up with Scott Andrews, Ag Leader Customer Support Manager, who tells us a little more about what Ag Leader tech support is doing to gear up for the busy upcoming spring season.

1. With the spring rush almost upon us, what is Ag Leader doing to prepare to be ready to answer grower calls?

Ag Leader support is continuously reviewing how we can better help our customers. We continually train our staff on our products so that we are able to support our customers. We are tweaking our staffing so that we have the right resources in place to handle the types of calls we receive during planting season, and then we’ll re-tweak for applications over the summer and harvest in the fall.

2. What do you believe makes Ag Leader stand out above the competition when it comes to tech support?

Our helpful staff is what makes the difference. Every tech support representative is here because they want to help our customers.

3. When growers purchase precision Ag equipment, it comes along with tech support. They’re purchasing peace of mind. Why is this so important for their investment?

Farming can be challenging enough when equipment functions properly and weather cooperates. Knowing these aren’t guaranteed for our customers, we strive to provide quality, timely support so that customers can focus on their operations.

4. Tell me about the tech support team. Who are the people behind the product?

There are about 50 tech support staff who either grew up in ag or decided to pursue ag as a career. They are men and women from around the country ready to help our customers have a successful year.

Become a fan of Ag Leader on Facebook today, and get the latest precision ag videos on the YouTube channel. For more information about Ag Leader products and services, or to visit the blog site, go to www.agleader.com.

Palmer Amaranth Weeds Show Fitness & Persistence

Jamie JohansenJanuary 23, 2014Ag Group, agronomy, Herbicides, Weed control

An article featured in the current issue of Weed Science offers results from a greenhouse experiment focused on how resistance might affect the continued fitness of Palmer amaranth plants by comparing glyphosate-resistant plants to glyphosate-susceptible plants.

Palmer amaranth is a weed native to the southwestern U.S. that has developed resistance to various herbicides since the late 1980s. Its resistance to glyphosate was first confirmed in 2006 and has since spread to 13 states. Is capable of producing more than 600,000 seeds per female plant and significantly affects crop yields throughout the southern U.S.

The mechanism of resistance studied in this population was amplification of the EPSPS gene. Palmer amaranth growth rate, height and volume, final biomass, photosynthetic rate, length of inflorescence, pollen variability, and seed set were evaluated. If measures of plant growth, such as height and volume, showed a positive correlation with the EPSPS gene, this would suggest good fitness of the resistant plant. Fecundity-related measures, such as shorter inflorescence and increased number of days to first flower, could indicate a cost in the fitness of the resistant plant. Metabolic overproduction of the enzyme and disruption to other genes could potentially weaken the plant.

Some resistant plants had more than 100 EPSPS genes, but this study did not identify a fitness cost for resistant Palmer amaranth. The amplified EPSPS gene did not cause the plant to work harder or to divert resources to fight the herbicide. This means that glyphosate resistance will probably persist, making it unlikely that susceptible Palmer amaranth would once again become dominant if glyphosate use was discontinued. Farmers will continue to be faced with finding different methods of removing Palmer amaranth from their fields.

Great variation was found in fitness measures even between sibling plants from the same family. Without a diverse sample, it could be concluded that these differences were due to the amplified EPSPS gene. These study results could also be used to develop a resistance evolution simulation model to help predict and guide future weed management.

Full text of the article, “Impact of Genetic Background in Fitness Cost Studies: An Example from Glyphosate-Resistant Palmer Amaranth,” Weed Science, Vol. 62, No. 1, January–March 2014, can be found here.

Farm Progress Show Will Reap International Business

Jamie JohansenJanuary 23, 2014Ag Group, Agribusiness, Dealers, Equipment, Events, Exports, Farm Progress Show, Government

The nation’s largest outdoor farm show, Farm Progress Show, has been selected to participate in the 2014 International Buyer Program (IBP). This year’s event takes place in Boone, IA, August 26-28.

The IBP is an export program led by the U.S. Department of Commerce. It brings thousands of international buyers to the U.S. for business-to-business matchmaking with U.S. companies exhibiting at major industry trade shows.

“We are honored to be selected to be among this elite group of trade shows,” said Matt Jungmann, Farm Progress national events manager. “The IBP program will bring a new level of international attention to those companies who participate in the Farm Progress Show.”

The goal of the IBP is to connect U.S. companies with overseas buyers to produce U.S. export sales. The program promotes their approved events to over 170 countries worldwide, to attract international buyers interested in the latest and most advanced agriculture technologies and products.

The IBP also will be offering unique matchmaking services at the Farm Progress Show, matching overseas buyers with U.S. exhibitors. U.S. exhibitors at the Farm Progress Show, through the IBP’s Showtime Program, will have excellent opportunities to meet with U.S. Department of Commerce and U.S. State Department delegation leaders and export partners to discuss overseas market-entry strategies and potential markets and sales for their products/services.

For companies new to exporting or even more experienced exporters, seeking to export to additional target markets, the IBP offers export market advice and counseling. The IBP Team can also provide expert strategic advice and guidance to U.S. companies on which overseas trade show to participate in, what market entry strategies to use in their target markets, and how to locate and qualify overseas distributors and sales representatives.

“The U.S. Department of Commerce is committed to assisting U.S. companies at the Farm Progress Show establish export connections that lead to U.S. export sales. Behind every U.S. export, is a job, a family. That’s the heart of why we support U.S. domestic trade shows, like the Farm Progress Show. It doesn’t get any more important than that.” Mark Wells, IBP project officer, U.S. Department of Commerce.

National Resources Inventory Report Summary

Jamie JohansenJanuary 23, 2014Ag Group, Conservation, NRCS, USDA

Findings in the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) 2010 National Resources Inventory (NRI) Report shows a boom in growing certain specialty crops, in agricultural land, stable erosion rates and notable land use changes.

The report is designed to show a summary on the status, condition and trends of land, soil, water and related resources on the nation’s private lands from 1982 through 2010. Data from 800,000 sample locations from across the country is included in the report.

“The NRI summary report is the only report of its kind and is one of our most comprehensive tools to understanding what’s actually happening on the country’s landscape,” NRCS Chief Jason Weller said. “As a science-based organization, this information is an invaluable resource to help us understand where conservation is working and where we need to focus more effort.”

The NRCS has begun to increase the frequency of these reports because of the dynamic changes in the agricultural and related land use.

Highlights from report include:

Land dedicated for fruits, nuts and flowers increased from 124,800 in 2007 to 273,800 in 2010;
Cropland acreage increased by about 2 million acres from 2007 to 2010 after a steady decline over the previous 25 years;
Acres in pastureland increased by 847,000 acres;
Developed land increased two percent from 111.1 to 113.3 million acres;
Palustrine wetlands, such as swamps or marshes, and estuarine wetlands, such as a river flowing into the ocean, saw a small increase from 1997 to 2010;
Cropland erosion rates remained stable despite a growth in agricultural land use and more extreme weather events, such as drought and floods.

“We’re excited that more farmers, ranchers and forest landowners have chosen to voluntarily install conservation practices on their operations,” Weller said. “Because of their hard work and dedication, cropland erosion rates have remained stable even though more land is in production.”

Download the complete report here. For more information, contact the NRI Help Desk at nri@wdc.usda.gov.

Results are in on “Polar Vortex”

Jamie JohansenJanuary 22, 2014ZimmPoll

Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “How did the ‘Polar Vortex’ affect you?”

Old man winter hasn’t left and chances are won’t anytime soon. This winter’s buzz word has been polar vortex. Has your winter been different then others? If so, has it been caused by this new buzz word. Or has winter at your house been about normal? Well, in this week’s ZimmPoll the majority said it made work more difficult. Farmers and ranchers around the country are among many other’s who don’t get a day off when the weather gets bad. I was surprised to see the number of people who weren’t really affected. Maybe they live in the deep South or maybe they are used to brutal weather and adapt.

Our poll results:

Not at all – 26%
Somewhat – 26%
Made work more difficult – 33%
Couldn’t work – 14%

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “What’s your opinion of state HSUS Ag Councils?”

HSUS has been organizing state Agriculture Councils with the intention to unite farmers. These councils are made up of farmers, ranchers and conservationists and HSUS says the goal is to foster better animal welfare and environmental stewardship. Councils have been established in Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, North Carolina and Ohio. Most recently they have created one in Missouri. Many question the legitimacy of these councils and claim they are front groups for HSUS. What do you think? Do you trust HSUS?

2014 National Agriculture Education Summit

Talia GoesJanuary 22, 2014Agribusiness, Education, FFA

Hundreds of agricultural education thought leaders, higher-education executives and business professionals will converge on Indianapolis next week for a three-day summit focusing on the future of experiential learning in school-based agricultural education.

A joint project of the National Council for Agricultural Education and the National FFA Organization, the 2014 National Agriculture Education Summit is Jan. 28-30. The theme of this year’s event, held at the Sheraton Indianapolis Hotel at Keystone Crossing located at 8787 Keystone Crossing, will focus on renewal of experiential learning and supervised agricultural experiences within agricultural education.

During the three-day summit, updates will be provided from national agricultural education organizations, including the American Association for Agricultural Education, on plans to support local implementation of supervised agriculture experiences for all students. Highlights of how educators have creatively engaged students in experiential learning regardless of backgrounds will be shared and discussions will focus on resources available and resources needed to help educators overcome barriers to engage more students.

The summit also provides National FFA Organization leaders the opportunity to get together with national agricultural education groups and discuss future programming and activities. It also provides the opportunity for FFA leaders to provide updates on state and national FFA officer training programs; the National FFA Convention and Expo, which is the single-largest annual student gathering in the nation and last year drew nearly 63,000 students; national award and leadership programs; teacher training; and best practices to gain increased adoption of the Agricultural Career Network, a national online portal for students to use to develop their educational and career timelines, document awards and achievements, apply for scholarships and pursue careers in the agriculture industry.

The 2014 National Agriculture Education Summit will be streamed online at iHigh.com/FFA and action can be followed on Twitter at #AgEdSummit.

Salford Group Expands Iowa Facility

Jamie JohansenJanuary 21, 2014Agribusiness, Equipment

Salford Group has expanded their U.S. manufacturing operations in Osceola, IA by 36% to keep up with growing demand for their tillage and fertilizer application products.

The Iowa expansion brings Salford’s total manufacturing space to over 200,000 square feet in its U.S., Canadian and Russian production facilities combined.

The expansion will allow for increased production of Salford’s patented Independent Series tools, which are designed for high speed soil and residue management as well as fertilizer application. The additional space will also add capacity to the Iowa parts distribution center (PDC), which is one of the main hubs for the six PDS’s that Salford maintains in North America.

“Phase one of the expansion has been additional warehouse space for our PDC,” says Brad Baker, Manufacturing and Operations Manager at Salford. “We know that all too often the window of opportunity for the maximum yield is short. As our products get onto more farms we’re committed to ensuring our dealers and their customers have parts available to keep operating so they don’t miss that window,” says Baker.

Salford is also planning capital investments that will further increase production capacity in Iowa and improve parts availability. Plant Manager, Randy Beckett, said they are also adding a powder coat line and making other improvements to their Iowa facility.

Salford’s dealer network has expanded rapidly in the Midwest Region of the United States over the last decade and increasing sales of Salford products led to the opening of the Iowa production facility in 2006.

In a recent survey, dealers of Salford equipment attributed their continued growth to a customer orientated approach to product development. This is made possible by Salford’s responsive and innovative engineering and manufacturing practices.

Precision Planting’s Multi-Hybrid Metering System

Jamie JohansenJanuary 21, 2014Agribusiness, Planting, technology

Initial research has shown solid yield improvement when the right hybrid is placed in the right yield environment. In any field, there are multiple yield environments that are determined by soil type, slope, drainage plus dozens of other attributes. In order to place the right hybrid in the right area of the field, each row of the planter will need to be able to frequently switch between hybrids as it moves from zone to zone.

Precision Planting is developing a retrofitable multi-hybrid metering system that uses the innovated vSet® meter technology and the new vDrive™ electric meter control system. Meters are positioned to fit within the existing row unit frame and deliver seed to a single, standard seed tube. The electric drive system allows for instantaneous switching from one hybrid to the other – including the ability to plant each hybrid (and even each row) at different populations. The system utilizes the standard dual bulk seed supply tanks available on most planters.

Precision Planting demonstrates a new method of planting multiple hybrids within an existing planter row unit. The system uses the company’s vDrive electric meter control system to instantaneously switch seed delivery from the front meter to the rear meter… and back to front meter. The in-line meter orientation delivers seed from each meter to a single, standard seed tube.

After successful concept testing, the new technology will be tested over more acres and more environmental conditions in the throughout 2014. No schedule for commercial release has been determined.

Trimble Adds UAS to Ag Portfolio

Jamie JohansenJanuary 21, 2014Aerial Imagery, Agribusiness, Aviation, Trimble, UAV

Today Trimble announced the addition of its Trimble UX5 unmanned aircraft system (UAS) to their agriculture products portfolio for aerial imaging and mapping. The system provides farmers’ trusted advisors—such as agronomists, Trimble resellers, and other Ag service providers—with a powerful data collection tool that can aid with recommendations to improve farming operations.

The new product can to easily capture aerial images for scouting and monitoring crop health such as detecting pests, weeds and nitrogen deficiencies. It can even locate cattle and what forage they have available over large areas, measure crop height and generate topographic maps and models for land leveling and drainage applications.

Trimble UX5 flies at 50 mph and is stable in crosswinds and even light rain. In a 50 minute flight it will cover a two sqare kilometer area at five centimeter image resolution. The camera can capture the near-infrared spectrum, which helps in deducing vegetation indexes for crop health assessment. The output of a single flight provides geo-referenced precision images, a digital surface model (DSM) showing elevations as a color image and a dense 3D point cloud that includes elevations.

“The addition of the Trimble UX5 system strengthens our agriculture product portfolio and enables us to provide a solution that benefits a broad range of customers including growers, ranchers, water management contractors, agronomists and other Ag service providers,” said Joe Denniston, vice president of Trimble’s Agriculture Division. “High-speed aerial imaging is a powerful tool that can quickly and easily locate problem areas to be addressed. The faster a problem area is discovered, the better the chance it can be evaluated and resolved before crop yield is impacted.”

Trimble provides training for system operators and their observers, which focuses on safety precautions and the application of the UAS. Trimble UX5 system is available from Authorized Agriculture Distribution Partners and is subject to regulations and restrictions defined by local civil aviation authorities. Unmanned aircraft systems are currently not allowed to be flown in some regions or for certain applications. For more information on the Trimble UX5 system, visit.

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