Precision | Page 495 | News and reviews from the precision agriculture industry

Galaxy Note II Making Android Fun

Chuck ZimmermanFebruary 18, 2013Apps

It’s a phone. It’s a small tablet. It’s a phablet. Actually, it’s the Samsung GALAXY Note II.

After enjoying a Droid Razr as my backup phone and hotspot for a while I’ve upgraded to one of these bad boys. We’re talking serious agvocating tool. It’s not going to replace my iPhone 5 which is number one in my gadget arsenal but I’m having fun with it so far. The screen is huge and beautiful. I’ve set up and tested the hotspot once and it works great. I’ve got it on Verizon and with their backup app it was as simple as moving my sim card and turning the device on to get things started with all my apps, contacts, etc. showing up. Of course I have had to re-populate my home screens but that’s simple.

The battery life on this thing seems excellent so far. I have used it off and on for almost three days (very little phone calling) and haven’t had to charge it yet. That is a good thing. I’m also a fan of the hidden pull out S Pen that comes with the device. I like using a stylus and this reminds me of ones I used to use on the old Palm Pilot. Remember them?

So, that’s just a quick look at a device you might consider for your ag applications work. However, as you’ll see in the ad below, there’s still the iPad mini that takes current top honors as my favorite in the tablet arena. We like it so much that we’re giving one away to one lucky farmer right here on Precision.AgWired.com website. The contest is open for several more weeks so enter now!

Syngenta Resistance Fighter of the Year

Chuck ZimmermanFebruary 15, 2013Agribusiness, Audio, Syngenta, Weed control

Fighting weed resistance is becoming more and more important and one way Syngenta has been working on it is with their Resistance Fighter of the Year Program. Here’s one of this year’s winners, Scott Stallbaumer from Saint Marys, KS. I met him in the Syngenta exhibit here at the National Farm Machinery Show. The other winner is Scott Holder from Boyle, MS.

Syngenta is once again honoring two outstanding leaders in the fight against herbicide resistance through the Resistance Fighter™ of the Year program. Over the past five months, many worthy people have been nominated as advisors committed to preventing the spread of resistant weeds. These individuals have continually supported this effort by providing growers with the information and tools they need to stay on top of all forms of herbicide resistance in their fields.

Now in its fourth year, the Resistance Fighter of the Year program recognizes those dedicated individuals who strive to protect America’s farmlands from herbicide resistance. Eligible recipients include farm managers, retailers, consultants and county extension agents who have successfully implemented resistance management programs with growers in their area.

Learn how and why Scott became a Resistance Fighter of the Year award winner in my interview with him: [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/nfms/nfms-13-syngenta-resistance.mp3″ text=”Interview with Scott Stallbaumer”]

2013 National Farm Machinery Show Photo Album

Getting to Know Ag Leader

Talia GoesFebruary 15, 2013Ag Leader, Insights Weekly

Here 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 Ken Diller of Hoober Inc. in Intercourse, Penn.:

1. From an agronomy standpoint, what do you consider to be the biggest issues facing growers today?
Farmers are having a harder time being able to digest all of the information that they need to make an educated decision on things like variety and rates. Seed corn manufacturers are continually coming up with new varieties that are better suited to a certain type of soil type, weather condition, and season length. The same things can be said for the fertilizer manufacturers or suppliers. They are continually coming up with new formulas that affect rates applied and the performance of the seed based on the type of soil and weather condition. All of these choices and constant changes are making it harder for the individual farmer to make the proper decisions on his own. It is becoming more important all the time for them to have a trusted adviser who is knowledgeable about all of these changes and how they affect his operation. This helps them to have confidence in the decisions they are making for their operation. The same thing holds true for their precision farming hardware purchases. Technology changes at such a rapid rate, that having that trusted adviser to help them make the correct decisions as far as hardware is concerned is becoming more and more important to them.

2. Tell us about how growers in your area are using precision agriculture.
Growers in our area are using precision agriculture for more and more applications all the time. When precision agriculture was introduced, we concentrated on collecting data about yields. From there we moved on to adding steering to make sure we were getting the best row spacing possible. Next, we applied the same type of technology to machine control to make sure we were controlling our input costs as efficiently as possible. Growers have been able to see the added advantages of adopting this type of technology by realizing lower input costs and at the same time higher yields. A lot of these advantages can be attributed directly to the use of this technology because the technology allows us to keep more consistent and more accurate records to substantiate these advantages. A lot of our smaller farmers are beginning to adopt this technology because of the input from their fellow farmers in the area. Even the smallest of farmers can find a piece of this technology that he can adopt to make him more efficient and productive. Growers in our area are using this technology in just about every aspect of farming that you can imagine. From nothing more than manual guidance to full machine control and implement steering. Once they use this technology, they realize what it can do for them.
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Commodity Classic Launches App

Jamie JohansenFebruary 15, 2013Apps, Commodity Classic, Corn, Events, Soybeans, wheat

The 18th Annual Commodity Classic has launched their first-ever mobile app for this year’s event in Kissimmee, Fl. The app will allow attendees to access information, receive messages and engage in social media from their smart phones and tablets. You can even make your own schedules, take notes, lookup session and event times and navigate with maps.

Visit www.commondityclassic.com/app to download it now or check out the App Store on your mobile device and search Commodity Classic. I just did and can’t wait to attend my first ever Commodity Classic. And the best part about it is it’s free!

In less than two weeks, soybean, corn, wheat and sorghum growers will be traveling to the far Southeast from across the county to take in the sights of Kissimmee, Fl. Producers will be educated about important agricultural issues, enlightened by new product rollouts and entertained by all the events coordinators have planned.

“The innovation you’ll witness and information you’ll gather at Commodity Classic will absolutely change the way you farm,” said Commodity Classic co-Chair Bob Worth. “Agriculture faces new challenges every year, and Commodity Classic’s educational sessions and opportunities to speak with other growers and industry leaders will arm attendees with the tools they need to overcome these challenges and increase the profitability of their farming operation.”

The 2013 Commodity Classic takes place February 28-March 2 at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center and the Orlando World Center Marriott in Kissimmee, Fla., and is presented annually by the National Corn Growers Association, American Soybean Association, National Association of Wheat Growers and National Sorghum Producers.

National Farm Machinery Show Packed Again

Chuck ZimmermanFebruary 14, 2013Audio, National Farm Machinery Show

Day two of the National Farm Machinery Show has been another good one. Big crowd, smiling faces, lots of conversations in the exhibits.

I visited with Corinne Fetter, Director of Expositions, once again to get her outlook on this year’s show. She says “We’ve got a packed house.” The show is sold out, all 1.2 million sq. ft. of it, with over 860 exhibitors. Then Championship Tractor Pull will be taking place once again (45th year) and I hope to have a chance to see it tonight.

You can listen to my interview with Corinne here: [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/nfms/nfms-13-show-manager.mp3″ text=”Interview with Corinne Fetter”]

2013 National Farm Machinery Show Photo Album

Ag Leader Preparing Growers for Spring Planting

Chuck ZimmermanFebruary 13, 2013Ag Leader, National Farm Machinery Show, Planting, Video

You can’t have enough Down Force, especially some Ag Leader Technology Hydraulic Down Force! We’ve been hearing a lot about it and with planting season almost here it’s time to take another look.

To do so at the National Farm Machinery Show I visited with Matt Wolfe. It was a busy show floor here on opening day and we thank Ag Leader Technology for their support of our coverage of this year’s show!

In this video Matt talks about the Hydraulic Down Force system which is available from the Ag Leader dealer network. Growers who want to control planter down force through the Ag Leader® Integra display can simply work with their local Ag Leader dealer to purchase and install the hydraulic actuators that will adjust down force pressure based on changing field and soil conditions instantly. Planting seed at the optimum row unit down force is an important factor in good crop germination, and ultimately, yield.

I’ve got a photo album started for you which I’ll be adding to over the next couple days: 2013 National Farm Machinery Show Photo Album

Grade Vilsack’s First Term

Talia GoesFebruary 13, 2013ZimmPoll

Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “What did you think of Ram Trucks Super Bowl ad?”
Our poll results: The majority at forty-eight percent said All of the Above; twenty-eight percent said Great Exposure for Ag; twelve percent said Very Well Done; six percent were Not Impressed; four percent Hope to See More Like It; and two percent said Other. The Ram Truck super bowl ad could have been controversial within the ag community, but from the looks of our poll, most of you can look past the fact that Paul Harvey, the voice of the commercial, was an animal activist and enjoy the message that he conveyed.

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “What grade would you give Ag Sec. Vilsack during his first term?” Vilsack has had an entire term under his belt, so how would you rate his performance as leader of the USDA? Let us know.

You graded him at mid term and the results were mixed. It will be interesting how you grade him at this point.

ZimmPoll is sponsored by .

Corn Yield Contest Sets New Record

Talia GoesFebruary 13, 2013General

Farmers participating in the National Corn Growers Association 2012 National Corn Yield Contest set a new record by submitting 75 entries that surpassed the 300 bushels-per-acre mark. Bucking trends and overcoming severe drought conditions, these entrants showed the incredible achievements that are possible in farming using advanced practices and state-of-the-art technology.

Despite higher average yields nationally among all farmers in 2011, only 10 entries achieved the 300 bushels-per-acre mark that year. Entries showing yields this high have not exceeded approximately 30 per year even under optimal weather conditions.

The National Corn Yield Contest is in its 48th year and remains NCGA’s most popular program for members. With 8,262 entries, the 2012 NCGA National Corn Yield Contest neared the participation record set last year of 8,425 entries.

Introducing FarmLogs

Cindy ZimmermanFebruary 11, 2013Audio, IA Power Farming Show, Software, technology

The minds behind the development of Farmlogs received word that they were getting a financial boost of seed money for the start-up company the week before the recent Iowa Power Farming Show, so they were enthusiastically getting folks to sign up for a one month free trial.

We talked to Co-Founder & CEO Jesse Vollmar (left in photo) at the show, and he said the additional capital is helping expand the company.

“[It will] help build out the team, pick up the pace. We want to reach as many farmers as we can, so the seed funding helps us do that,” Jesse explained.

The rural Michigan native grew up farming, and he said they are finding a way to merge information farmers get in their fields with the public information about other factors that affect their operations. “Pricing data, weather data and how that’s impacting their farm is something we pull all together in one place. A dashboard for farmers to manage all that information online.”

Jesse concludes telling us that you need to farm smart, and that includes smart apps from Farmlogs available to be sent straight to your smartphone. “There’s a lot of decisions that go into being a profitable farmer, and you need to make sure you’re making the right decisions.”

Find out more in this interview with Jesse: [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/agleader/ia-power-13-farmlogs.mp3″ text=”Interview with Jesse Vollmar”]

2013 Iowa Power Farming Show Photo Album

Case IH Talks Info Management at AG CONNECT

John DavisFebruary 11, 2013Ag Connect Expo, Agribusiness, Audio, Case IH

Information is power, but TOO MUCH information is, well, overwhelming. During the recent AG CONNECT Expo, our friends from Case IH sponsored a a morning networking breakfast on how to manage all the information farmers are faced with in precision agriculture.

“One of the things we find is this overabundance of information with data, and how do we control it, package it, bring it back down to a level that is simple to use, easy to store, easy to transfer, and how do we get a collaborative effort [between all parties],” said Trevor Mecham, Case IH AFS Marketing Manager. His company offers a variety of products to help manage that information more effectively on tools already in most people’s hands. “We want to be able to get from point A to point B in an efficient manner where our people are able to utilize it as easily as they use their cell phone today,” and do it seamlessly.

Trevor said the information you put in is only effective if you can get good information out of it, and he admits there can be a lot to manage out there. He believes the key is creating collaborations that produce good information, transfer it effectively while protecting proprietary information and deliver something usable. “This is really defining how we spell logic out of digital chaos. It really is a digi-cation, not an education.”

You can listen to Chuck’s interview with Trevor here: [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/agconnect/agconnect-13-caseih-mecham.mp3″ text=”Interview with Trevor Mecham”]

2013 AG CONNECT Expo Photo Album

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