Precision Ag Awards

Cindy ZimmermanAudio, Education, Equipment, General

Precision Ag Awards of ExcellenceAt the opening session of the 2007 InfoAg Conference last week, several awards were presented by Paul Schrimpf, group editor, Croplife Media Group. The awards are designed to honor those throughout the industry who are making significant achievements in precision agriculture technology adoption, use, education and research.

Receiving the awards were:

Arthur F. Lange, Ph.D., A leader in the creation and development of the Trimble Agriculture Division, which has helped make precision ag practical and affordable for many.

Scott A. Shearer, Ph.D., Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering at the University of Kentucky.

TeegardinNorm Teegardin, Founder and CEO of Farm Works Software Co. and Farm Works Journal.

Chuck Zimmerman interviewed Norm Teegardin after receiving the award about his work in precision farming. Norm says his company started into making simple software for farm record keeping in 1992, which led to tracking software for chemical reporting. “From then we went on to precision ag and its just begun,” he says.

“The thing I would like to see from the industry is sharing of data, because that’s a big advantage for the farmer,” he added. “From a certain color combine to a certain color tractor to a different computer and back to the co-op.”

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Norm here: Listen to MP3 Norm Teegardin (5:00 min mp3)

EPA at InfoAg 07

Cindy ZimmermanAudio, General

EPA SchollAn Illinois native who now advises the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency on agricultural issues was a keynote speaker at the InfoAg 2007 conference last week in Springfield, IL.

Jon Scholl, who spent some 25 years with Illinois Farm Bureau, congratulated the participants at the conference for the work they are doing using new technology to address environmental concerns. Scholl talked about the focus of EPA on working with farmers and ranchers.

Listen to Jon’s address here:
Listen to MP3 Jon Scholl (20:00 min mp3)

Psssssttttt……

Melissa SandfortGeneral

Tracks.Tractor.Silhouette (Small).jpgLook out! Something BIG is coming to your farm.

Be one of the First to See the hottest, new equipment from John Deere. It’s easy!

Sign up now, or at least before August 21, and we’ll send you a special e-mail on the evening of August 22, 2007.

Visit the Web site to be one of the First to See!

John Deere AMS at InfoAg 2007

Cindy ZimmermanAudio, Dealers, Education, Equipment, General

John Deere AMSThis good looking bunch was staffing the John Deere Ag Management Solutions booth at the 2007 InfoAg Conference this week in Springfield, Illinois.

From left to right they are: Matt Danner, Andrea Grube, Kevin Ripple, and Patrick Sikora. Chuck Zimmerman interviewed all four of them at the conference about John Deere AMS.

Andrea, who is a regional specialist for AMS, says they are the “precision ag group of John Deere.” Senior product support specialist Matt says that means “everything from desktop software to displays and GPS guidance systems.” Kevin, who works with the guidance products, says it was great for them to be at the InfoAg conference “to show that John Deere is not only interested in the products, but the solutions for the farmer.” And Patrick, who works with the desktop software products, says helping farmers includes integrating with other software products “so customers with different needs on their farms can access different software providers.”

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Matt, Andrea, Kevin and Patrick here:
Listen to MP3 John Deere AMS (10:00 min mp3)

Check out a FlickR photo album of conference pictures here:

2007 InfoAg Conference Photo Album

Back to the basics

Melissa SandfortGeneral

publicationgraphic.jpgNow that you’ve got your GPS system installed and you’re a pro at precision farming, don’t forget the basics.

This month, John Deere Publishing has revised four of its current educational books in the company’s comprehensive line of 2006 textbooks and guides. These books include “Combine Harvesting”, “Hay and Forage Harvesting”, “Tillage” and “Preventive Maintenance”. These educational books cover agribusiness management practices, agricultural machinery operation and adjustments, and equipment servicing and maintenance.

“These easy-to-read manuals help growers at any skill level enhance and improve their operations, from the do-it-yourselfer to the novice,” says Gary Aversing, John Deere Publishing. “The manuals are not John Deere-specific; they guide the user through diagnostic, repair or maintenance procedures regardless of the manufacturer.”

Knowledge learned and applied can help growers maintain equipment and keep it safe to run, save on operating costs, and in the end, make for a more profitable growing season. These “how-to” books help growers stay competitive.

To order, call 800-522-7448 or visit our Web site.

InfoAg 2007 Kicks Off in Illinois

Cindy ZimmermanAudio, Education, General

Harold Reetz
The 2007 InfoAg Conference is underway in Springfield, Illinois. Harold Reetz with the International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI) and Foundation for Agronomic Research (FAR) kicked off the conference Tuesday morning before an audience of about 500.

Chuck Zimmerman interviewed Harold after the opening session and he provides an overview of the conference, including the fact that there are 60 speakers here doing 100 sessions and a trade show with over 60 exhibitors of precision farming technology.

Listen here to Chuck’s interview with Harold:
Listen to MP3 Harold Reetz (5:30 min mp3)

Check out a FlickR photo album of conference pictures here:

2007 InfoAg Conference Photo Album

And check back here to Precision.AgWired.com for more conference interviews in the coming weeks.

Automate your spray boom

Melissa SandfortEducation, Farm Industry News E-newsletter

Chemical overlap when spraying is costly in product and sometimes in added crop stress that can cut yield. But it’s next to impossible to prevent it on headlands and on point rows. Plus, sprayer skips can be costly when unsprayed weeds rob yields.

FIN logo.gifJohn Deere’s automated solution to these costly problems is Swath Control Pro, designed to control boom sections in its 4720 and 4920 self-propelled sprayers, as well as its brand new 30 series sprayers. Swath Control Pro is part of Deere’s GreenStar 2 (GS2) system, using GPS to turn boom sections on and off automatically, according to a coverage map.

To grasp how it works, view this animation of a tractor in the field and a view of the GS2 screen.

Content courtesy of Kurt Lawton, Farm Industy News.

In-season N management

Melissa SandfortAudio, General, Media Room, Satellite

The key to maximizing corn yields.

Planting is complete, fields have been sprayed for weeds and insects, and as you drive by your fields and gaze at the first three rows of healthy corn from your truck window, everything looks as it should…but is it? It’s impossible to know exactly what is going on throughout your entire field, but you can’t forget about your crops after planting and spraying is complete. With high corn prices, you have the potential to make record profits with continued mid- to late-season crop management.

Good crop management is vital to a successful growing season, from planting all the way through harvest. One way to maximize the investment in a field is by using aerial images, which help identify varying nitrogen needs across a field. This proven technology also pin-points specific areas of a field that either require more nitrogen or other inputs, or segments that already have what they need.

OptiGro.jpg The John Deere Agri Services OptiGro™ system gives growers a “bird’s eye” view of plant needs during the season. “It’s impossible for anyone to predict exactly how much fertilizer is appropriate for different parts of the field,” says Dr. Tracy Blackmer, Iowa Soybean Association. “Having the infrared imagery that will tell you how well the crop is doing is just a whole new level of management.”

In the same regard, growers are always looking for ways to maximize yield, especially with soaring corn prices. Aerial imagery is able to detect revealing information about each field, and when used appropriately with accurate interpretation, it is easier to detect nitrogen needs in corn plants.

Learning how to better manage nitrogen is an area growers are looking to improve. “I definitely see that it’s going to add to the bottom line. It’s going to help me manage, season-long, my nitrogen inputs that I haven’t been able to do in the past. There was just no way to do it and now there is a way,” says Bob Wieland, corn and soybean grower from Laura, Ill. “But together, I think that we can really optimize these yields.”

As you begin the final stretch of this growing season, don’t forget about your crop – nitrogen management must be maintained until tasseling. So the next time you’re driving by your crops, remember that OptiGro imaging can see more than you can.

Corn growers wanting more information about remote sensing and a list of local providers for the OptiGro system should visit www.JohnDeereAgriServices.com, e-mail AgriServices@JohnDeere.com or call 800-518-0472.

(click on links to hear audio sound bites from Blackmer and Wieland)

Crops Face N Deficiency Stress

Cindy ZimmermanAudio, Farm Broadcast Reports, General, Satellite

Successful Farming Radio With potential yield losses at stake, corn growers are being urged to check nitrogen levels in their fields this summer.

Darrell Anderson, Successful Farming Radio Magazine, discussed that issue with Tom McGraw, owner of Midwest Independent Soil Samplers in Buffalo Lake, MN.

“The decisions are more important than ever,” says McGraw. “We can’t just throw on lots of nitrogen for insurance purposes because of cost and environmental issues.”

McGraw suggests using satellite imaging or aerial photography to detect signs of crop stress, such as the John Deere Agri Services OptiGro system.

Listen here to Darrell’s report: Listen to MP3 Successful Farming Radio Report (1:30 min mp3)

Attend a Reach For The Stars meeting today!

Melissa SandfortGeneral

ASA logo A series of grower meetings will be held this summer as a continuation of the “Reach for the Stars” program between the American Soybean Association (ASA) and John Deere. Sessions will begin with a short welcome and introduction from John Deere and the ASA on the value of the “Reach for the Stars” program and its benefits to growers. Growers will then receive information on integration of guidance tools into their own operation (ease of installation, learning to use, troubleshooting problems, use, etc.,) from local “Reach for the Stars” program winners. Educational sessions will be followed by a field demonstration and guest speaker.

Plan to attend a meeting today!
CITY: Morton, Minnesota 56270
ADDRESS: Jackpot Junction, 39375 County Highway 2, 2nd Floor Convention Center
DATE: Tuesday, July 17, 2007
TIME: 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

CITY: Plain City, Ohio 43064
ADDRESS: Der Dutchman, 445 S. Jefferson Ave., Banquet Rooms A&B
DATE: Wednesday, July 18, 2007
TIME:9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

CITY: Bettendorf, Iowa 52722
ADDRESS: Scott Community College, 500 Belmont Road, Belmont Campus, Student Life Center (Go in Doors 5 or 6)
DATE: Friday, July 20, 2007
TIME:9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

Visit the ASA Web site for more information and to register today!