GPS Under Seige Session

Chuck ZimmermanAudio, GPS, InfoAg

Closing out the InfoAg Conference this year was a session on a very important topic. Titled, “GPS Under Seige: Lightsquared and the Threat to High-End Global Positioning,” this presentation was conducted by Kevin Kobb, Topcon (right) and Doug Schmuland, NovAtel. I spoke with them after their presentation. The threat comes from a plan to allow high-speed internet service to utilize GPS satellites to distribute their signal correction: high-powered, close-proximity transmissions from a network of ground stations that would cause substantial interference with GPS signals. This plan is currently in a comment phase at the FCC.

Kevin and Doug told me it has caused the major GPS producers and distributors to come together to understand the threat and then present that to the public and then work toward a favorable conclusion to the situation. The potential exists for this proposal to affect just about every device relying on GPS satellites. They say that now is the time to act and make your voice heard before the proposal receives a final FCC decision. You can find a lot of information on the website, Coalition To Save Our GPS.

Listen to my interview with Kevin and Doug here: [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/infoag/infoag-11-lightsquared.mp3″ text=”Interview with Kevin Kobb and Doug Schmuland”]


2011 InfoAg Conference Photo Album

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The Value of Data

Melissa SandfortAg Leader, Insights Weekly

Insights WeeklyWhy do you use precision ag technologies on your farm? Not surprisingly, your answer might be different than your neighbor’s or the grower two towns away. But no matter why you use it, know that precision ag equipment not only helps you gather information, but software can then help you organize, visualize, analyze and archive that data. But why is this important? Because data can help you find efficiencies when it comes to future crop management decisions.

Saving costs (with technologies such as Autoswath from Ag Leader) and accurate placement of products (with technologies such as ParaDyme, OnTrac2, and INTEGRA) are practices that allow you to see immediate benefits. However, have you ever wanted this technology to help you make decisions even when the machinery is not in operation? Have you ever wanted to do more than save costs? Using software to make specific management changes on your operation is the beginning.

Luke James, Ag Leader Software Sales Specialist, says the data you collect tells a story of each field.

The examples of how data has shown value by increasing yields are virtually endless. Many examples are very specific to a location, as not everyone has the same soil, weather, crops, fields or management practices. What we do have in common is all of our farming operations have a weak link. However, your data (or your report card) is the best source of identifying the weak links in your operation.

James also says how finding field trends can help you save money.

As farming changes, regulations and records become more important. James explains how data collection software can help growers report specific field information.

So, as you head in to harvest this year and begin to gather yield data, refer back to planting data, and evaluate if you made the right choice. Your “report card” can help you decide what’s right for next year’s fields.

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.

Precision Gadgets and Gizmos

Chuck ZimmermanApps, Audio, computers, InfoAg

The InfoAg Conference session titled, “Gadgets and Gizmos for Precision Agriculture” got my attention. One of the presenters was Dr. “No-Till Phil” Rasmussen. He had a collection of gadgets and gizmos on display to show and tell.

I interviewed him after his presentation. This soil physicist has a love for gadgets. They’ve been a big part of his career. He says that GPS systems have become more and more important to the farm. Therefore, the data that can be collected by various devices is becoming essential for efficient farm management today. One of the gadgets that has become very effective for in the field data gathering is a gel cell battery that has an adapter to allow you to charge various devices when you’re spending a day away from electricity. I recorded the interview on my iPhone with a recording app. Seemed very appropriate. Listen to my interview with Dr. Rassmussen here: [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/infoag/infoag-11-rassmussen.mp3″ text=”Interview with Dr. Philip Rasmussen”]


2011 InfoAg Conference Photo Album

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Email Tops In First Online Activity Of Day

Chuck ZimmermanZimmPoll

Our latest ZimmPoll provides some food for thought and will be used in my presentation on social media here at the InfoAg Conference tomorrow morning. So here’s what you do online first.

So here’s the results in answer to our question, “What’s the very first thing you check online each day?” 47% of you say it’s email. 24% say news; 15% say social media; 8% say weather; 4% say markets and 2% say other. I’m tempted to say that more people are checking social media than weather and markets but we’re not “scientific.” However, these are interesting results don’t you think?

Our new ZimmPoll is now live. We’re asking the question, “How accurate do you believe the USDA acreage predictions are?” Let us know what you think.

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

Precision Technology Could Provide Data for USDA

Cindy ZimmermanAg Leader, Audio, InfoAg, USDA

infoag conference michael scuseThe U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Acreage Crop Reporting Streamlining Initiative Project (ACRSIP) may well be the “most important thing that USDA has ever done,” according to Acting Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services Michael Scuse.

Scuse talked about the initiative as the keynote speaker at the opening of InfoAg 2011 in Springfield, Illinois on Tuesday. The concept is to simplify and provide new reporting options for producers. “Rather than a farmer or rancher going to the local FSA office to do their crop reports as they do now and have to give a second report to their agent, they can actually do the report from home,” Scuse said. “Our ultimate goal is for those that have precision ag equipment in their planters and combines to actually use the information that’s collected from that equipment to be downloaded directly to their Farm Service Agency and to the crop insurance agent, to simplify the process even further.”

Scuse says they plan a pilot test of the program this fall and hope to have it implemented by 2013. “This is how we’re going to provide a better service for farmers and ranchers,” he said. “It will ultimately save the taxpayers a great deal of money with this initiative.”

Listen to my interview with Scuse from InfoAg here: [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/usda/infoag-scuse.mp3″ text=”Interview with Michael Scuse, USDA”]

Chuck and I are tag-teaming this InfoAg Conference. He will be covering tomorrow while I head to Dixon, IL for a Wyffles corn strategies field day. Chuck will be doing a presentation on using social media here at the conference on Thursday.


2011 InfoAg Conference Photo Album

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Pioneer Adds FIT Studio

Melissa SandfortSoftware, technology, Variable rate

Pioneer Hi-Bred unveils FIT® Studio, an extension of Pioneer FIT Services. This new comprehensive mapping software provides Pioneer sales professionals another tool to help growers get the right product on the right acre.

FIT Studio, an addition to current Pioneer services – FIT Field Planner, FIT As-Planted Maps and FIT Mapping at Harvest – offers powerful new, map-based functionality, including historical and multiyear yield analysis tools, as well as more advanced features, such as variable rate seeding functionality.

Pioneer has worked with Mapshots, a software development company that specializes in crop management applications for agriculture, to develop the features of FIT Studio.

To learn more about Pioneer FIT services, visit www.pioneer.com and click on Programs and Services.

CrescoAg – Turning Data Into Knowledge

Melissa SandfortEquipment, Industry News, Software

CrescoAg LLC, an independent information management company, introduced its suite of crop decision and risk management tools that will help growers and their trusted advisers better analyze data and make decisions to maximize profitability.

Today’s growers have access to an overwhelming amount of valuable data generated from precision agriculture technologies. However, turning that data into knowledge that can increase productivity and profitability is often a challenge. CrescoAg understands this challenge and provides tools that will make data from precision agriculture more practical, powerful and profitable than ever before.

The company’s products and services utilize data from tools such as field mapping, soil sampling, record keeping, automated crop monitoring and “whole farm” research plots. The data generated by these tools are mapped, stored and easily accessible. CrescoAg will accept data from all major hardware or equipment brands, translate it, store it and make it compatible with other systems. The aggregated data will allow for community analysis and benchmarking at the field and farm enterprise level.

CrescoAg products will primarily be available through retailers and crop consultants throughout the MidSouth and Southeastern U.S. for the 2012 growing season.

Keep Your Nose to the Grindstone

Melissa SandfortAgricultural Anthropology

Meaning: Apply yourself conscientiously to your work; or to continue to work very hard, without stopping.

Origin: There are two rival explanations as to the origin of this phrase. One is that it comes from the supposed habit of millers who checked that the stones used for grinding cereal weren’t overheating by putting their nose to the stone in order to smell any burning. The other is that it comes from the practice of knife grinders when sharpening blades to bend over the stone, or even to lie flat on their fronts, with their faces near the grindstone in order to hold the blades against the stone. (Source: The Phrase Finder)

All noses in my family seem to be intact and unblemished, but they did use this grindstone to sharpen knives, sickle sections and cutting tools. The pedal on each side kept the wheel turning while the operator sharpened the blades.

Today we have smaller scale versions of grindstones for sharpening paring knives and as we call them, toad stabbers (butcher knives). The concept is one in the same.

Until our next history lesson …

In Need of an Upgrade?

Melissa SandfortAg Leader, Insights Weekly

Insights WeeklyThink of the televisions you own – do any of them take up more space (width) than a foot or have you upgraded to a complete line of flat screens? Now think about your newest vehicle – does it run on gasoline with ethanol? And before you purchased either of those items, did you ask around, read online consumer reviews, or even ask for your neighbor’s opinion?

Ask yourself the same questions about your precision ag equipment – is it time to upgrade and update? And, have you researched what’s new and what can possibly help you save more time and money?

If you’re in the market to upgrade your existing equipment, Ag Leader is here to help. For example, if you upgrade your InSight™/Autopilot™ or AutoFarm® A5 system to the industry leading INTEGRA™/ParaDyme® system, you can receive up to $8,000 in discounts including a free RTK unlock. Additional unlocks previously purchased for your InSight display will also be included on your INTEGRA display!

Click here to learn more.

If you find yourself asking questions about whether or not to upgrade to the next level of precision ag, consider Ag Leader and give them a call today. They’ll help you gather the facts and give you options that best fit your operation and your needs.

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.

Doing Precision Conservation In Illinois

Chuck ZimmermanAg Group, AGROTAIN, Audio, Conservation, CTIC, Education, Fertilizer

This week I participated in the Conservation Technology Information Center’s Indian Creek Watershed Project field tour. Several bus loads of participants visited Livingston County, IL area farms to see and hear how they are implementing best management practices for things like nutrient management.

One of the people working on the project with CTIC and a presenter is Harold Reetz. I visite with Harold prior to the start of the day’s activities. I’ll see him again next week in Sprinfield, IL for the InfoAg Conference. Since that’s all about precision agriculture and since that is an integral part of the BMP’s being implemented on the tour stops here we decided to call it “precision conservation.”

Harold says the project purpose is to demonstrate different best management practices for nitrogen. It’s a relatively small watershed with mostly corn and soybean crops. So the goal is to come up with practices to improve nitrogen efficiency which will reduce the amount that will get into the ground water. Local farmers have volunteered in this first year of the project to implement suggested practices and it is their farms we visited.

The project is receiving funding from a variety of sources that includes the Illinois EPA. It is a proactive approach to voluntarily manage natural resources without the need to have new regulations. That sure seems like a potentially win win situation for all parties.

You can listen to my interview with Harold here: [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/ctic/ctic-indian-creek-reetz.mp3″ text=”Harold Reetz Interview”]

CTIC Indian Creek Watershed Project Field Tour Photos

AgWired coverage of the CTIC Indian Creek Watershed Field Tour is sponsored by