Successful Farming’s Crop Tech Tour promised to bring video straight from the field and the project has delivered. There are currently 27 videos posted online at Agriculture Online.
In a video from just outside Cruger, Mississippi, Mark Harris talks about managing a farm that has integrated precision technology. He says with precision ag software, his farm needs less heavy machinery.
Return to the top of this pageRemember the post Chuck did about Successful Farming’s project to take a look at how farmers are using new technology in the field? Well, Successful Farming’s Crop Tech Tour has already made a number of stops at farms around the country and precision ag is a popular subject.
Agriculture Online Editor John Walter explains what the Crop Tech Tour is all about and how precision farming will fit in to the project:
“This made it possible to get out and provide farmers with more current and interactive information on crop production technology. You know we’ve always had farm shows, and field days and conferences. But, now we can really goet out on the land and report in real time what’s happening with how innovative technologies are doing out in the field, in season and even in real time. So we can do that with video and audio podcasts. And show how crop production how crop technologies are doing through the growing season, during the planting season through harvest. That’s what we’re doing with crop tech tour we’re going to be combining traditional reporting with internet-based multi-media communications to show farmers and others what’s happening with new production practices and precision agriculture in particular.”
You can follow the tour through the project’s interactive map. The map also shows where you can find local certified crop advisers.
Farmers who use precision agriculture seem to possess a command over cutting edge technology. What other modern technology do farmers and growers take advantage of? Precision Ag conducted a poll to find out if farmers are hip with texting and wireless internet…
Q. Do you text message for personal or professional communication?
A. A lot of you do, which to some degree surprised me. More than half of you said that you use text messages to communicate. Maybe some of you would be willing to send comments to this blog to let me know why and how you use texting. It seems like a pretty inefficient and clunky way to keep in touch, but perhaps some of you can straighten me out.
Q. Do you use primarily wireless or hard-wired Internet?
A. I was much less surprised to see that just a bit more than half of respondents are using wireless Internet. The technology is so much better and simpler to use than it was just a year or two ago.
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Swath Control Pro is getting more popular with growers every season. Kirk Swihart says that’s because the technology reduces overlap and helps farmers improve their input costs. Kirk is the Technical Assistant Supervisor with John Deere. He reminds growers that all 4000 series sprayers are compatible with the Swath Control Pro. He says growers do need John Deere’s StarFire application or another third party receiver to use the technology. He adds that Swath Control Pro offers farmers an improved coverage map, and, coupled with John Deere’s AutoTrac, growers can use it to cover more acres in one day than ever before.
Here is the second part of an interview that Chuck did recently with Kirk: 
Kirk Swihart Interview (4 min. MP3)
Peter Kyveryga says it’s no secret that manure applications can be difficult to handle. It also should be no secret that the Iowa Soybean Association offers manure management resources to farmers through its On-Farm Network. Peter says the On-Farm Network encourages farmers to conduct their own manure management techniques through trials and field tests, but he adds that there is plenty of information and data available through the On-Farm Network. ISA’s manure management program looks at the performance of manure, considers the nutrient value of different manures and looks at manure variability. The On-Farm Network has also developed protocols for using precision farm equipment to record and locate areas of trials and field tests.
Chuck interviewed Peter about ISA’s Manure Management. You can listen to Chuck’s interview here: Peter Kyveryga Interview (6 min. MP3)
Bottom line: John Deere wants consumers to truly master new products and technologies the company offers. That’s why John Deere’s Ag Managment Solutions has developed its Dealer-Consultant Strategy. The strategy is simple: have an AMS expert available to dealerships nationwide. In some cases its an expert or two. Mark Theuerkauf says the Dealer-Consultant strategy is a unique channel of expertise and is an invaluable too for dealers and customers of AMS products. He says such a support system is necessary for a technology that is still considered relatively new. Mark says there are currently 270 AMS consultants throughout the country.
Chuck interviewed Mark about AMS’s Dealer-Consultant Strategy. You can listen to Chuck’s interview here: Mark Theuerkauf Interview (5 min. MP3)
The new John Deere Rx Converter makes John Deere hardware more compatible with various software applications. Darin Krantz with John Deere Ag Management Solutions says compatibility is an integral part of modern machinery and that’s why Deere is offering the Rx Converter for free. Darin says as Deere’s GSII packages become more popular, more software vendors are wanting to become compatible with the technology.
Chuck interviewed Darin about the Rx Converter and where users can go to find it. You can listen to Chuck’s interview here: Darin Krantz Interview (4 min. MP3)
Peter has been researching data on variable rate applications of nitrogen, trying to determine what is beneficial for farmers. While his office is still looking for answers, Peter does suggest that farmers should execute small scale trials to determine results before fully jumping into any kind of application.
Chuck interviewed Peter about the statistical analysis work he does with the On-Farm Network. You can listen to Chuck’s interview here: Peter Kyveryga Interview (8 min. MP3)
John Deere’s Ag Management Solutions really wants to provide solutions… not just for its customers, but also for its dealers and consultants. That’s why AMS developed its Masters Program. Mark Theuerkauf is with Deere AMS and he says the Masters Program is a program that’s specifically tailored for dealers who want to focus on new AMS products being released to consumers. Theuerkauf says the two and a half day program allows dealers and consultants to experience new products during live demonstrations out in the field. The program is held in Corpus Christi, TX and has grown to more than 400 attendees.
Chuck interviewed Mark about the AMS Masters program. You can listen to Chuck’s interview here: Mark Theuerkauf Interview (5 min. MP3)
The Moberly Monitor reports that precision technology is a favorite for an award-winning Moberly Area Community College graduate. Kellar Nelson farm-raised Missourian is heading off to study in Prague, Czech Republic. But, the Moberly Monitor caught up with her before she left, and she raved about precision farming.
Precision agriculture is Nelson’s new-found love. Precision agriculture uses scientific data to determine the best methods of planting, pesticide and fertilizer use and harvesting for a specific field.
The goal is the same one farmers have had for centuries, higher yields and lower input costs. Precision agriculture uses technology like GPS to accurately seed and fertilize fields. It tests plots of ground to determine the content of soil. This tells farmers what to plant, what insects to fight and what fertilizers to use.
Farming is a lot more than sticking seeds in the ground and praying for rain and sunshine these days. ‘There’s a lot of new technology in farming making farmers more money with better crop yields,’ explained Nelson.
Although she hasn’t convinced her dad to purchase any of this new equipment yet, he is making a few suggestions on possible research projects she can do.
Click here to view the entire article.
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