Bayer’s Digital Farming

Jamie JohansenAudio, Bayer CropScience, Farm Progress Show, seed

chuck-fps-grossweilerBayer CropScience consistently focuses on the innovation of technology. During the 2013 Farm Progress Show their air-conditioned exhibit displayed their innovations no matter where you turned. Their On Demand Seed Treatment is one of those technologies where software, preloaded recipes and wireless communications accommodates all types of operations.

Kerry Grossweiler, SeedGrowth Equipment and Coatings Manager for Bayer CropScience, shared with Chuck what’s new with their On Demand Seed Treatment. Kerry described the new technology as “the future in digital farming.”

“The On Demand system is a fully automated closed system developed to treat seeds correctly and consistently, resulting in healthier plant establishment. This is really important because when you look into the past with inoculants and fungicides being applied downstream the older technology and early treaters were sufficient, but now with the new products on the marketplace, everything is going to a per seed application basis. On Demand really fits the need because we have taken our commercial equipment that is used by the seed companies to treat corn and we’ve scaled it down to be able to provide this to downstream treating for ag retailers and seed dealers.”

Listen to Chuck’s complete interview with Kerry here: [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/farm-progress/fps-13-bayer-grossweiler.mp3″ text=”Interview with Kerry Grossweiler”]

2013 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

Coverage of the 2013 Farm Progress show is sponsored by Bayer CropScience, Growmark and New Holland

Global Epidemic of Weed Resistance

Cindy Zimmermanagronomy, Audio, Bayer CropScience, Farm Progress Show, Weed control

fps-13-344-editedWeed resistance just might have been the hottest topic of discussion at the Bayer CropScience tent during the 2013 Farm Progress Show. They hosted a panel on Weed Resistance in the Americas, to highlight the global epidemic. The commonality each of these panelist seemed to bring to the table was diversity and how it needs to be implemented across each farming operation.

Bayer Senior Product Development Manager Ariene Cotie served as the moderator and panelists included:
– Dr. Steven Powles, Director of the Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative
– Dr. Aaron Hagar, Associate Professor of Weed Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
– Pedro J. Christoffoleti, Associate Professor of Weed Science, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
– Harry Strek, Bayer CropScience, Germany.

Dr. Powles says Australia is managing their resistance problem with methods not yet tried here in the United States. “Our weeds are really a big threat because they have developed moldable herbicide resistance, so we really have a problem,” he said. “We’re getting on top of it, but it’s not easy. We have learned that we can’t depend of chemicals” [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/farm-progress/fps-13-bayer-powles.mp3″ text=”Interview with Dr. Steven Powles”]

Christoffoleti appreciated the opportunity to see what farmers in the United States are doing to address the problem of herbicide resistance since they have the same problem in Brazil but with different weeds. “It’s a great opportunity to visit farmers, retailers and universities here and exchange ideas to see if we can deal with this big problem. In my opinion it is the biggest problem in sustainable agriculture today.” [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/farm-progress/fps-13-bayer-christoffoleti.mp3″ text=”Interview with Pedro Christoffoleti”]

2013 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

Coverage of the 2013 Farm Progress show is sponsored by Growmark, Ag Leader and John Deere

The Next Generation of Farmers

Cindy ZimmermanAudio, Bayer CropScience, Events, Farm Progress Show, Farmers, technology

chuck-fps-inciBayer CropScience talked the next generation of farmers during their ag media luncheon at the recent Farm Progress Show. Bayer is looking at the future face of agriculture from the industry, employee and farmer prospective.

Vice President of Commercial Operations for Bayer CropScience, Inci Dannenberg, addressed the crowd and later spoke with Chuck about the importance of the next talent pool, where it will come from and how it will deliver the innovation needed to continue to feed a hungry planet.

“One thing that we are doing is called, “Making Science Make Sense.” It’s a program where Bayer volunteers from all parts of the Bayer to go out to elementary schools and engage young kids in science by doing hands-on, fun experiments. This hopefully insights in them a bit of passion and interest and continue on to look at science in their future.”

“There are numerous areas where knowing science and understanding the science of our population is very critical. One is obvious in the area of innovation and technology. We can’t do what we need to do unless we have folks coming up through the ranks that can provide us that innovation. The other is understanding the importance and value that innovation brings and allowing that innovation to be brought forth. For example, making sure our future legislatures and our future business people understand what it is that agriculture delivers and what modern agriculture is all about.”

Listen to Chuck’s complete interview with Inci here: [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/farm-progress/fps-13-bayer-dannenberg.mp3″ text=”Interview with Inci Dannenberg”]

2013 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

Coverage of the 2013 Farm Progress show is sponsored by Growmark, Ag Leader and John Deere

Report: Precision Market Worth $3.7 Million by 2018

Chuck ZimmermanIndustry News

MarketsandMarketsA new report by Markets and Markets says that the precision farming market will be worth $3,721.27 Million by 2018. The title of the report is, “Precision Farming Market by Technology (GPS/GNSS, GIS, Remote Sensing & VRT), Components (Automation & Control, Sensors, FMS), Applications (Yield Monitoring, VRA, Mapping, Soil Monitoring, Scouting) – Global Forecast & Analysis (2013 – 2018).” You can request a sample of the report, purchase the full report or even purchase a customized version of the report. Here’s an excerpt from the report description.

The global population is expected to rise up to, nearly, 7.5 billion by the year 2020, and the ability to manage and tackle the ever increasing demand for food would, in all likelihood, continue to plague the world. Global warming continues to be an influential deciding factor in determining agriculture productivity, as well as the soil properties, and sustainability of natural resources. The effect of climate change on agriculture is related to variability in local climates rather than the global climate patterns.

All these concerns marked the way for the entry of the new world of agriculture management practices. Precision farming can significantly reduce the amount of nutrient and other crop inputs used while boosting yields. Farmers, thus, obtain a return on their investment by saving on phytosanitory and fertilizer costs. The second large- scale benefit of targeting inputs in spatial, temporal and qualitative terms reduce concerns of environmental impacts.

The growth of market is expected to be remarkable, and it estimated to reach $3.72 million by 2018, at an estimated CAGR of 13.36% from 2013 to 2018. The major players in this industry are Deere & Co. (U.S.), Trimble Navigation (U.S.), Topcon positioning systems (U.S.), Raven Industries (U.S.), Precision Planting (U.S), AGCO (U.S.), and so on.

The major drivers for this market are augmented yield & profitability, which are the major contributing factors for farmers to go for precision farming; other drivers like energy & cost saving, and government assistance have also been contributing to the market growth. Major restraints like high initial investments, and lack of awareness and their impact analysis are also covered under this study. North America, currently, leads the market share for precision farming as this region has the maximum adoption. APAC is the emerging market for precision framing and has been enjoying the highest growth rate among all the geographic regions. It is believed that the APAC market will grow at a CAGR of 25.16% from 2013 to 2018.

Getting To Know Ag Leader

Talia GoesAg Leader, Insights Weekly

Insights WeeklyHere is the next in our series as we introduce you to a few of dedicated precision ag equipment dealers in a series called “Getting to Know Ag Leader”.

We caught up with Ronnie Sherrod of Hale Center Coop Supply Hale Center, TX:

1. From an agronomy standpoint, what do you consider to be the biggest issues facing growers today?

  • Weed Resistance
  • Companies breeding new varieties and coming to market at a faster pace
  • The tremendous amount of information that is available for them to consider

Weed resistance is a real problem in our area and will continue until the farmer takes steps to start using different chemistry on their crops.

Companies are coming to the market with newer varieties so quickly that it requires me as a dealer to really keep up with the changes so that recommendations can be made to fit the customer’s needs.

The information pipeline is so full that it is sometimes hard for the farmer to make a decision on what he needs. That is where we have to spend more and more of our time to keep up with the technology so that we can make the right recommendation for the farmer to be profitable.

WayPoint Pictures 003
2. Tell us about how growers in your area are using precision agriculture.
Our growers are basically using precision agriculture for steering. We are starting to see more strip-til application being done. This is helping us as a dealer show them how they can use the equipment they already have to monitor their applications and remove clutter in the cab.

3. What benefits are growers seeing by using precision ag on their farms? Give us some examples.
One of the best examples we have here is the farmers that are using strip-til are using smaller applicators than their planters. Ag Leader has the accuracy to strip-til 12-30 inch rows and come back with their 16 row planter and be right where they need to plant.

4. What do you believe is on the horizon when it comes to technology and agriculture?
I think we have only scratched the surface when using wireless technology in precision agriculture. We are seeing farmers with their smartphones being able to monitor their center pivots and irrigation wells. In my opinion, wireless technology in precision agriculture is here and will become more and more important as just another tool to make the farmer more efficient.

5. What’s your best piece of advice to a grower who might be looking at using precision ag products?
Talk to those farmers that are now using precision ag. Do not be afraid to ask what they like or dislike about the technology. Ask them about the dealer who sold them the system. What kind of service do they offer. Then go and visit with the dealer and start small. As they get more comfortable with the technology then they can add features that will make them more efficient.

Check back next month to “Get to Know” another Ag Leader dealer!

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.

Remote Control Model of an Apache Sprayer

Talia GoesAgribusiness, Spraying

Nathan-Rowings-stands-next-to-his-remote-control-Apache-sprayerNathan Rowings, Apache AS710 owner, has a unique way of showing his appreciation for his sprayer. He started building an identical model of his Apache sprayer. After four years of intense detailed work, he brought his finished product to be placed on display at the National Toy Truck ‘N Construction Show in Indianapolis.

“When I was younger, I used to make other models for 4-H projects,” said the Greencastle, Ind. farmer. “But I got bored with them, and one day I decided I wanted to make a model of my Apache.”

Down to the small details, Rowings has created a nearly identical sprayer to the Apache. He even incorporated the same decals on his model AS710 that are found on the real sprayer. This little Apache not only looks impressive, but it is functional too.

Rowings spent approximately 400 hours making this model and even had to order parts from other countries. His mini-Apache is a 1:10 scale version of a real Apache sprayer and weighs 25 pounds. The AS710 model is hydraulically-powered by a remote control.

iCropTrak Puts Food Safety On The Map

Talia GoesAgribusiness, Safety

icropIf you have driven on a California highway recently you may have noticed an occasional tomato heap, scattered bell peppers or bunch of celery on the roadside. Harvest crews are busy bringing in crops throughout the state and truck traffic is backed up at weigh scales and processing facilities.

To ease the paperwork burden, Cogent3D, Inc. has announced the availability of a pre-configured Food Safety module for the iCropTrak iPad and iPhone software. iCropTrak subscribers can now document Food Safety inspections at the farm field using the Primus Labs Pre-Harvest Block Inspection and other protocols. The inspection data is automatically tagged with the inspector credentials and the precise GPS coordinates for the location of the inspection. “iCropTrak disqualifies any doubt that an inspection was filled out from a shady parking lot rather than at the farm field”, explained Rob Wood of Cogent3D, Inc.. iCropTrak provides users with instant visual feedback through its map based interface and managers can track inspection activities remotely and see exactly where inspectors are working and what fields have been inspected. The Food Safety module is being offered at no charge to new subscribers who sign up for iCropTrak before September 30th, 2013.

New Holland Program Helps Military Families

Cindy ZimmermanAudio, Equipment, New Holland, Tractor

fisherhouse1In grateful recognition of the courage, service and sacrifices which members of our Armed Forces, Police Officers, Firefighters and their families make every day, New Holland is proud to kickoff of this year’s True Blue Salute program on the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

“This is our way of saying ‘thank you’ to all who serve,” says Abe Hughes, Vice President, New Holland North America. “New Holland is honored to be able to demonstrate our appreciation and support of our military and their families and contribute to the outstanding work being done on behalf of our military through the Fisher House Foundation.”

From now until Veteran’s Day, November 11, 2013, New Holland is offering a $911 “Thank You” coupon off selected models of New Holland Agriculture and Light Construction equipment. This is extended to members of our Armed Forces, Police Officers and Firefighters, as well as their families. In addition to the “Thank You” for military and first responders, New Holland will donate $250 to the Fisher House Foundation for each qualifying model sold under this program.

You can find out more at TrueBlueSalute.com and www.fisherhouse.org, as well as your local New Holland dealer.

Listen to an interview with Abe from the kickoff in Washington DC here: [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/new-holland/newhollandtrueblue13-abe-hughes.mp3″ text=”Interview with Abe Hughes, New Holland”]

And you can check out some behind the scenes pictures from New Holland’s and Fisher House’s video about the True Blue Salute on RFD TV.

Learning About Farming in Other Countries Important

Talia GoesZimmPoll

zp-nhOur latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “How important is it to learn about farming in other countries?”

Our poll results:
· Very important 49%
· Somewhat important 28%
· Not important 10%
· Who cares 10%
· Other 3%

The ZimmComm team found their recent trip to Argentina valuable and we’re already looking forward to Scotland next year for the same conference. We’re glad you found the information they gleaned and shared to be important and interesting!

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question “Do you make contact with your members of Congress?” Many organizations pride themselves in grassroots involvement and encourage their membership to get in touch with their Congressional representatives at a local level. With a farm bill still undone and important legislation like immigration reform on the table, we want to know if you make the effort to let your members of Congress know how you feel. Let us know!

Funds to Improve Conservation on Agricultural Lands

Talia GoesAgribusiness, Audio, Conservation, USDA

usda-logoAgriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the award of 33 Conservation Innovation Grants to entities across the nation to develop and demonstrate cutting-edge ideas to accelerate private lands conservation. Grant recipients will demonstrate innovative approaches to improve soil health, conserve energy, manage nutrients and enhance wildlife habitat in balance with productive agricultural systems. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service administers this competitive grants program.

The awards total $13.3 million. Six of the approved grants support conservation technologies and approaches to help farmers and ranchers who historically have not had equal access to agricultural programs because of race or ethnicity, or who have limited resources, or who are beginning farmers and ranchers.

NRCS has offered this grant program since 2004, investing in ways to demonstrate and transfer efficient and environmentally friendly farming and ranching. In the past nine years, the grants have helped develop trading markets for water quality and have shown how farmers and ranchers may use fertilizer, water and energy more efficiently.

Listen to announcement here: [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/usda/usda-conservation.mp3″ text=”USDA Conservation Awards announcement by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and NRCS chief Jason Weller”]