SMS Basic/Advanced v12.5 and SMS Mobile v6.5 are released!

Melissa SandfortAg Leader, Insights Weekly

Insights WeeklyAg Leader is pleased to announce the release of SMS Basic/Advanced v12.5 and SMS Mobile v6.5. With this new release, SMS Basic, SMS Advanced, and SMS Mobile PC now support Windows 8 and gesture control for touchscreens running Windows 7 and 8. We have also added enhanced support for the following precision ag companies: Ag Leader Technology, CNH, Gradient, John Deere, Mid-Tech, Precision Planting and Trimble. Changes have also been made for Legends and the Legends Utility for SMS Basic/Advanced.

With the release of v12.5, Ag Leader is adding two new modules to SMS Advanced: Water Management and Plot Prescription. The new Water Management module includes a tile plan editor where users can map out and plan where tile lines should be installed on their farm. The Plot Prescription module allows you to strategically place and define in-field research plots in the office and then use these plot prescriptions to plant in the field. Click here to learn more about the modules for SMS Advanced.

Before updating to the latest version of the SMS Software, here are a few things you should do first:
• Check In Projects – If you are an SMS Advanced user, all projects that have been “Checked Out” need to be checked back in. This can be done by going to the File menu and clicking Projects.
• Create a backup of your data – Creating backups ensures that you have a good starting point in the event in that you have issues during migration or if you have other computer issues, such as a bad hard drive, down the road. Backups can be created by going to the Services menu and clicking Backup/Restore Project(s)
• Plug devices into the wall – If you’re using a laptop, Ag Leader MESA, Ag Leader Field PC, or other pda device, make sure that you have it plugged into the wall. This will ensure that your device does not loose power while installing the update or migrating data.

If you have SMS Mobile for PDAs or have unlocked your software via phone, you will be sent a CD in the mail. Otherwise, if you would like to install the software sooner, see the release notes, or download a demo version for one of our other SMS products, click here.

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.

Connected Farm Solution Has New Features

Melissa SandfortAgribusiness, Data Collection, Displays, Trimble

Trimble introduced several new features to further enhance its Connected Farm™ solution. Connected Farm is an integrated operations management solution that provides information exchange across the entire farm. New features include additional viewing capabilities between vehicles operating in the same field, and reports on the productivity and delay of field equipment.

Trimble’s Connected Farm vehicle-to-vehicle communication allows real-time wireless data transmission between multiple vehicles and mixed fleets operating in the same field. The new features allow operators to:

• View virtual tank levels of nearby devices that are planting or applying product, allowing applicators to coordinate seed and chemical refill.
• Share instant yield, instant moisture, and combined coverage layers for yield and moisture with different displays that are in the same field.
• Share “as-applied” coverage layers between displays for vehicles conducting the same operation with the same material.
• View coverage data from multiple vehicles in the same field that are performing different operations without affecting row shutoff. For example, when tilling and planting simultaneously, operators can assess which areas have been covered by the other vehicle.
• View a combined coverage map with a legend of multiple vehicles in the same field to quickly pinpoint each vehicle’s covered area.

What food are you thankful for?

Melissa SandfortZimmPoll

Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “How do the election results make you feel?”

Our poll results: Thirty-two percent said disgusted; twenty-six percent said happy; fifteen percent said afraid; nine percent said sad; seven percent said mad; five percent said depressed/suicidal and four percent said apathetic. So, it looks like there were a wide range of emotions as the votes were being tallied but an almost 50/50 were disgusted while the others were happy. Pretty even with how the election turned out!

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, ” What’s your favorite Thanksgiving food?” Turkey will most likely bless the tables of many, but does your family have a special Thanksgiving food that just makes your taste buds dance? Let us know!

ZimmPoll is sponsored by Rhea+Kaiser, a full-service advertising/public relations agency.

AG CONNECT for Masters & Mavericks

Cindy ZimmermanAg Connect Expo, Audio, NAFB

When it comes to your business, are you a Master or a Maverick – or maybe a little of both, like Kip Tom of Indiana who is one of the AG CONNECT Masters & Mavericks.

As a Master, Kip values the tried-and-true methods that have brought high-yield harvests, but as a Maverick, he seeks opportunities for calculated entrepreneurial risk-taking that could provide even greater results. It’s an approach that keeps him on the cutting edge of innovation as he farms 16,000 combined acres in Indiana and Argentina.

Kip says farmers like him will benefit from attending the third AG CONNECT Expo and Summit, coming up January 29-31 in Kansas City. “Farmers evolve in the way they source information, they make decisions based upon that information,” Kip says. “When I go to a show, I want to be able to look at the product that company is making or that service they’re providing and I want to connect with the engineer that designed it, I want to connect with someone in the marketing/supply chain, so we can make decisions.”

Kip says what makes AG CONNECT different is that there are more real farmers looking for real ideas to use on their operations at home. “It gives you a great opportunity to peer network with these people, along with the 50 some educational programs going on at AG CONNECT,” said Kip, noting the programs cover a wide range of topics with something for everyone.

Started as a complement to the Agritechnica show held every two years in Germany, AG CONNECT attracts a large number of producers from other countries. “You come to this event and you’re going to be rubbing shoulders with producers from Argentina, Brazil, across Europe, part of Asia and Australia,” Kip said. “What that does is drive participating companies like John Deere, Agco, CNH, to really bring out the best of the best of their talent.”

If you are a Master and/or a Maverick in your agriculture-related field, AG CONNECT invites you to not only attend the Expo, but also to share your ideas and experiences with others in an on-line conversation. To join Masters & Mavericks, just visit the show website at www.agconnect.com and follow the link to answer a few questions and upload a photo. Even better, a brief personal video talking about issues facing today’s agriculture is highly encouraged. Everyone who joins Masters & Mavericks will receive their own web page, an AG CONNECT gift and complimentary registration for AG CONNECT 2013.

Listen to my interview with Kip from NAFB Trade Talk: [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/nafb/nafb12-agconnect-kip.mp3″ text=”Kip Tom on AG CONNECT”]

2012 NAFB Convention Photo Album

Creating A Voice For Custom Harvesters

Jamie JohansenAgribusiness, Audio, Corn, Cotton, Equipment, Harvesting, NAFB, wheat

U.S. Custom Harvesters, like many other agricultural organizations, represented themselves well at the recent National Association of Farm Broadcasting’s Trade Talk. Tracy Zeorian, President, and Kent Braathen, Vice President of U.S. Custom Harvesters, shared the history of the organization and how they are providing a voice for custom harvesters across the country.

“Our organization is comprised of all custom harvesters: combines, silage choppers and cotton pickers. We were formed in 1983. Prior to that we really had no voice for our industry. Our industry began basically during WWII’s Harvest Bargade. It was time for somebody to start something and have a voice for custom harvesters.”

“We’ve got an issue we really want to try and get changed with our fuel tanks. We have worked on this for almost 22 years and that is our #1 issue we would like to push forward and try and get changed. We are only able to haul up to 119 gallons of diesel fuel with our class A CDL. We are trying to get it up to 1,000 gallons.”

The mission for this growing organization is to advance the cause of the members of the corporation by representing and promoting the harvesting industry; to positively influence government and regulatory agencies; to enhance the relationship between custom harvesters, their clients, and service providers to the industry and the general public; to manage the changing lanscape within the industry while enhancing the profitability of custom harvesters and their customers.

U.S. Custom Harvesters cover northern Texas in early May, then head to south central Kansas, eastern Colorado, central South Dakota and northern North Dakota. Then it is time to head south again for the fall crop harvest.

Listen to my interview with Tracy & Kent here: [wpaudio url=”http://agwired.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nafb-12-us-custom-harvesters-zeorian-braathen.mp3″ text=”Interview with US Custom Harvesters”]

2012 NAFB Convention Photo Album

121 New Exhibitors at Nebraska Power Farming Show

Melissa SandfortAgribusiness, Events

The exhibitor lineup for the Nebraska Power Farming Show keeps getting stronger. This year 121 new exhibitors will showcase products and services in Lincoln, bringing the grand total to more than 870 farm equipment and services companies and 2,150 total booths.

Appearing at the Nebraska Power Farming Show for the first time are organizations like ADM Crop Risk Services, Azland, Inc., Highline Manufacturing, Kelly Ryan, M-C Dryers, Peck Mfg. Co., and T-L Irrigation Co. They join a powerful list of returning exhibitors that includes iconic companies like John Deere, Case IH, New Holland, Massey Ferguson, Bobcat, Kioti, Buhler-Versatile, Kubota and TYM.

The Nebraska Power Farming Show, the second largest indoor farm show in the United States, runs from Dec. 4-6, 2012, at the Lancaster Event Center in Lincoln.

Meet Dan Hughes – Precision.AgWired.com Profile

Jamie JohansenAudio, Corn, Farmers, FMC, NAFB, Profiles, Soybeans, sustainability, technology, wheat

It is time for another Precision.AgWired.com Profile. Again, NAFB Trade Talk made it possible for me to meet Dan Hughes, a farmer from western Nebraska.

Dan operates an 11,000 acre farm with 20% irrigated and 80% in dry land. He manages a diverse selection in the field including: hard red winter wheat, hard white winter wheat, corn, soybeans, dry edible beans, sunflowers and millet. Dan and his family jumped in to the world of precision agriculture about 10 years ago, with their first investment being in a no-till drill. He shared how nice it was to end a day in the field without being completely worn out. I heard that commonality from many farmers I interviewed.

“It is a very exciting time, the technology that has come to agriculture in the last 10 years is just phenomenal. That’s part of the reason my kids have come back to the farm. They just recently graduated college and they are excited. For me that is a wonderful thing to see. Agriculture is being penalized for GMO crops. It is not fair for agriculture to be penalized for taking advantage of technology. The whole world has embraced cell phones and that type of technology, but why would you deny agriculture that same opportunity.”

Off the farm Dan is still involved in the agriculture industry and especially the U.S. wheat industry. He serves as Vice Chairman for U.S. Wheat Associates, an organization that assists buyers, influences trade policy and gives a voice to producers.

Listen to my interview with Dan here: [wpaudio url=”http://precision.agwired.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2012/11/precision-farmer-dan-hughes.mp3″ text=”Dan Hughes – Nebraska Crop Farmer”]

2012 NAFB Convention Photo Album

New ‘Extreme Beans’ App

Melissa SandfortAgribusiness, Apps, Soybeans

Ever wonder whether it’s worth it to apply a fungicide? How about the most cost-effective seeding rate? The national soy checkoff has put that information in the palm of your hand.

A new app developed by the United Soybean Board includes two calculators that help farmers plan for their next crop. One helps users determine whether the yield benefits of various input combinations justify the costs. The other uses the main maturity rates for a farmer’s region, the cost of soybean seed and an estimated price of the soybeans at the time of sale to determine an optimal seeding rate based on a percentage of return.

The app also includes documents and videos that describe the research behind each tool.

The Extreme Beans app is available for Apple iPhone and Android-enabled smartphones and other devices. Farmers can easily find it in their device’s app store by simply searching by the title.

Generational Differences Among Farmers

Cindy ZimmermanCorn, Farmers, sustainability, technology

New research shows how the management style of younger dairy producers and corn growers compares and contrasts with that of their older counterparts. The survey, commissioned by McCormick Company, considered management practices, ownership structures, decision-making processes, business and transition planning, and the role of information — including digital media — in running respondents’ operations.

What the study found was that younger managers embrace the same values and reasons for farming, but they often consider new ways to get information and manage their operations.

An independent research firm interviewed more than 600 corn farmers and dairy producers, half of which were younger than 45 years of age. The vast majority of their farms were owned by two or more family generations; but one in four of the younger dairy producers were first-generation owners.

The survey also showed that industry trends and issues transcend age differences. For corn growers of all ages, interest in the environment and sustainability is what affects their management most. Dairy producers are influenced most by interest in animal welfare and the environment.

New Blog Looks to Tackle Year 2050 Ag Challenges

John DavisAgribusiness, Audio, NAFB

How do you feed the expected world population of 9 billion people by the year 2050? Our friends at Farm Foundation are taking on that challenging question, hopefully with some good answers through their new blog, AgChallenge2050.org.

“It’s an opportunity for more people to be involved in the conversation,” said Mary Thompson, Farm Foundation’s Vice President, Communications, adding there are four key areas of consideration: role of science and technology in agriculture, farm and food policy, adaptability resistance, and human capital needs in agriculture and the food system. “We have contributors who will be twice a week posting new ideas and new perspectives in those four areas, and we will encourage all types of stakeholders to come in and be part of the conversation.”

And don’t forget, Farm Foundation has another one of their forums coming up this Wednesday, November 14th looking at what the recently completed election means to agriculture, food and rural policies. It will be held at the National Press Club in Washington, DC and webcast. Click here for more information.

Listen to Cindy’s interview with Mary here: [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/nafb/nafb12-farm-foundation.mp3″ text=”Mary Thompson, Farm Foundation”]

2012 NAFB Convention Photo Album