One-stop Control For All Fall Applications Saves Money

Kurt LawtonAg Leader, Displays, Fertilizer, GPS, Guidance, Insights Weekly, Spraying, Variable rate

As weather across the Corn Belt improved this week to help speed harvest, some farmers are either thinking about or applying fall fertilizer. I checked in with Ag Leader’s Chad Huedepohl yesterday, and he reminded me of the many benefits of controlling these product applications with their DirectCommand system linked with either the INTEGRA or EDGE displays. “Whether growers are … Read More

Precision Farming Tools Can Reduce Your Environmental Footprint

Kurt LawtonAg Leader, Conservation, Fertilizer, Guidance, Insights Weekly, Planting, seed, Spraying, Variable rate

Conservation. Sustainability. Water Quality. These hot topics are on the minds of government, and should be a continued focus by every grower. As you look at your operation, and your investment in precision farming equipment, it pays to think proactively and adopt components that can improve your environmental footprint. I spoke the other day with Iowa farmer Tim Palmer, who … Read More

Precision Planting Pays

Joanna SchroederAudio, Corn, Farm Progress Show, Planting, Variable rate, Video

“Precision Planting’s business is trying to make sure seeds get into the right space at the right distance and seeds only land where they need to land,” Precision Planting’s Jason Larkin explained to me during the Farm Progress Show. We use precision technology to know where the tractor is at and where the plant is at to control population, so … Read More

Precision Ag Technologies Save Money

Kurt LawtonEducation, Events, GPS, Guidance, Planting, Satellite, Spraying

Research shows a lightbar can pay for itself in three years on only 300 acres. It can be done with a GPS receiver that receives the free WAAS correction signal that functions within 12-inch accuracy. This was just one precision farming economic message presented by Matt Darr, Iowa State University ag engineer, during a field day at its Northern Research … Read More

New Video on ParaDyme from AutoFarm

Kurt LawtonCompany Announcement, Displays, Equipment, GPS, Guidance, Satellite

AutoFarm has released a new video featuring its ParaDyme GPS Precision Farming system. The new five and one half minute video highlights ParaDyme as the world’s first totally integrated precision farming system, with the capability of being installed on any “color” or brand of farm equipment from tractors, combines, sprayers and spreaders to swathers. AutoFarm ParaDyme is the single system … Read More

Kentucky Farmer of the Year Relies on Precision

Kurt LawtonConservation, Equipment, Farmers, sustainability

Joe Nichols has evolved from watching his parents lose their farm when he was 17, to building a highly diversified 19,000-acre farm near Cadiz, KY. A recent story in theleafcronicle.com offers a fascinating look at his Seven Springs Farms. In that piece he highlights his precision farming emphasis on input savings as well as environmental protection. He makes extensive use … Read More

Nebraska Extension Launches Precision Ag Course

Kurt LawtonEducation, Farmers, Resources, Retailers, sustainability, University

Are you navigating your precision agriculture technologies and using data to their fullest extent? A new three-day program offered by University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, Precision Agriculture Practicum, is designed to help participants gain practical experience using their own field data in hands-on exercises. And you’ll have the opportunity to network with each other while collaborating on team projects. Who should … Read More

Alabama Precision Ag Topics at International Conference

Kurt LawtonEducation, Events, International, Research

The Alabama Precision Agriculture Team is sponsoring and participating in the International Conference on Precision Agriculture to be held July 18-21, 2010 in Denver Colorado. Team members will present on various topics including Profitability of RTK and Its Influence on Peanut Production, Adoption and Use of Precision Agriculture Technologies and Proper Implementation of Precision Agricultural Technologies for Conducting On-farm Research. … Read More

New SeedStar Planter Monitor System From Deere

Kurt LawtonCompany Announcement, Displays, John Deere, Planting, seed

“Everything that customers said they wanted in a fully integrated monitoring system for planting operations went into the SeedStar XP system,” says Chris Savener, project manager, planters, for John Deere Seeding. “This includes an easy-to-read, at-a-glance screen with seed skip information and data on row-unit ride dynamics, which are critical to monitoring and maintaining overall planter performance at the row-unit … Read More

Planter Row Shutoff Adds Many Values

Kurt LawtonGeneral

Corn genetics costs are driving more farmers to seek savings during planting season. And precision farming tools, such as planter row shutoff, are delivering fairly quick payback in many cases, depending on farm size and field shapes. I spoke with central Iowa grower Steve Snyder this week to find out about his first planting season using row shutoff. “When my … Read More