Precision Pays

Spring is just around the corner – the time when a farmer’s fancy turns to thoughts of planting.

Growers stopping by the Ag Leader Technology booth at the Commodity Classic trade show last week definitely had spring on their minds. General sales manager Mike Olson says they talked a lot about what growers need to know to get precision farming equipment ready for the season. “The biggest thing is to get the stuff out early and start going through it,” Mike told me. “You need to bring the monitor out and download all the data from last year, make a back up, and then get it set up for this year. Make sure all your field names are in there, your boundaries, and make sure all your firm ware is updated.”

Mike says updating is important because all companies bring out new features that make things more efficient and easier. Listen to Mike’s interview below and talk to your local Ag Leader dealer for more pre-planting tips.

Commodity Classic Photo Album

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Friday, I wrote about how Ag Leader listened to customers of their SMS Advanced software and built a Certified Training program to give participants deeper knowledge that helps their own business.

This weekend I spoke with Justin McCuiston, who helps customers of the farmer-owned cooperative Farm Service Inc., in northeast Arkansas with variable-rate fertilizer programs, yield mapping and other precision farming practices.

“We have five locations that cover about 8 counties in this rice and soybean area, where about half of our growers now use variable-rate prescriptions. In the past we used another software program, but switched to SMS Advanced which has turned out to be hands-down the best software I’ve ever dealt with in the 16 years I’ve been doing this,” McCuiston says.

“What truly makes it valuable is Ag Leader’s Certified Training program with the small class sizes and personalized training, which allows us to optimize the software capabilities to meet the services we offer to growers. We run 14 variable-rate fertilizer rigs that cover thousands of acres, and we couldn’t do that without the capabilities and batch processing features of SMS Advanced,” he says.

McCuiston says that once growers start with variable-rate fertilizer, they stick with it. “We re-pull soil samples every three years, which helps makes true believers out of them because they see soil improvements, fertilizer savings and improved profits.”

Check these links to learn more about SMS Advanced and Certified Training.

Superior precision farming software is crucial in order to help growers maximize in-field efficiencies. Ag Leader Technology not only delivers excellent SMS Basic training for growers, it now offers a three-day Certified Training course for its SMS Advanced software users who want to go beyond the one-day training.

SMS Advanced software is geared toward crop consultants, agronomists or other co-op personnel, precision ag managers, GIS mapping specialists and other service providers who provide precision farming services to growers. “We’ve been providing software and one-day general training since the late 1990s. But this past year we expanded to an in-depth three-day training course for advanced users,” says Michael Vos, SMS Sales Manager for Ag Leader.

“New and existing SMS Advanced software customers wanted an in-depth level of training, so we created a Certified Training program, which includes 15 to 22 CCA credits. We offer an excellent trainer to student ratio, as we normally have two trainers and 8 students, in our new state-of-the-art Ag Leader Academy computer lab,” he says.

The three days are tailored to exactly what the individuals want to learn. “We make lists of topics and details that are desired so users get the exact training to fit their business model. Some of the popular topics requested include: how to write equations for prescriptions, how to use aerial imagery and read it to make fertilizer use and crop scouting decisions, how to build a customer soil fertility booklet and creating soil management zones from aerial imagery and numerous years of yield data,” Vos says.

Every attendee receives a special certified manual with screen shot by screen shot steps for the software program. And within the book there are explanations why each tool is used, along with definitions and real world scenarios on how each tool is used.

“It’s definitely a complex tool, and when users see all the potential benefits of the software, they want to learn how to use it to the fullest extent,” he says.

Check out upcoming SMS Training Sessions…

We like to write weekly about how growers and how company technology makes precision agriculture pay. Part of making these tools pay almost always includes time savings—which isn’t always as black and white as input dollars saved.

Today I spoke with Hannibal, Mo., grower Mark Lehenbauer about his first decade with precision farming tools on their corn-soybean operation. Mark, who farms with his dad Ronald, has always been interested in the latest technology, and bought their first yield monitor in 2000, the year he graduated from college.

“At first, we tracked yield data, and it was a big learning curve on using it the way we should. The first efficiency we saw was yield loss due to weeds, so we switched to a two-pass application—which led to the purchase of a Hagie sprayer to cut our custom application costs.”

The biggest time saver came two years ago when they invested in auto steer. “Aside from the efficiencies we gained when spraying with Ag Leader’s DirectCommand AutoSwath boom control, we gained time savings and it reduced operator fatigue,” he says.

“Before auto steer, you would become just exhausted by mid-afternoon when spraying corn because you were focusing so intensely on the rows. With auto steer, it allows us to run an extra hour or two because all we do now is turn around, push the button and go.”

Lehenbauer says auto steer saves time during planting as well. “When you’re not exhausted at the end of the day, you can still run later and plant an extra 20 to 30 acres—which really adds up when you can shorten your planting window,” he says.

Analyzing data every winter has also turned into another time saver, too. “We use Ag Leader’s SMS software, and we look at numerous year’s data for hybrids and varieties in different tillage environments. It has truly helped us reduce tillage, saving time with more no-till. And the data has helped us realize the true value of no-till fields. Those fields have saved us time during harvest, because we can get into no-till fields quicker after a rain without leaving the ruts that often occur in our reduced tillage fields. Without ruts, we don’t have to do as much fall or spring tillage,” he says.

Lehenbauer also uses the data to write his own prescription maps, based off of university recommendations. “The data helps us find greater efficiencies on a field-by-field basis, comparing fuel usage and time spent in fields, even examining varieties than can take longer to harvest if there’s issues with green stem.

“It’s the little things we’ve done over the years that have added up to a lot of time and efficiency savings. You start figuring out acres by the hours you’ve saved and multiply that by your planting or harvest window—it really adds up to much greater efficiency,” Lehenbauer says.

Earlier this month, Chuck told you about Ag Leader’s Blue Delta Dealer Network announced at the Iowa Power Farming Show. I had the opportunity to talk with one of these elite dealers and two of his satisfied customers at the National Farm Machinery Show.

Rick Hoeing is with Jacobi Sales of Seymour, Indiana and he is one of only a handful of dealers nationwide who have graduated thus far from the new Ag Leader Academy to become the very first Blue Delta Dealers. I asked him why it was important for him to go through the in-depth training it required to receive that designation.

“The Ag Leader Blue Delta Dealer Network is definitely a very important part of the precision ag industry which is very dependent on service to the customer,” Rick said. “As precision ag as an industry goes, it’s in constant change, almost seasonal change. To be able to gain hands-on experience well before we have a product in place in the field is a huge asset.”

“The customer is going to buy a product that he knows he has quality service for,” Rick added.

Two of Rick’s customers, Justin Gelfius (left) and Steve Bennett, were with him at the Ag Leader exhibit and I got a chance to ask them what was so special about a Blue Delta Dealer. “They’re always just a phone call away and normally over the phone they can diagnose your problem and get you going again,” Steve said. “Rick’s been great to work with,” Justin added. “It’s really nice to stick with somebody that you can know and trust with regard to technical support and Rick is very good with all the new equipment and technology.”

Steve and Justin actually use precision technology on their commercial tomato operation in southern Indiana, using it for everything from spraying and setting tomatoes to cultivating and picking tomatoes.

Listen to my interviews with Rick, Steve and Justin here:

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You’ve read, perhaps talked to neighbors, or maybe you’ve learned first hand that many tools of precision agriculture pay for themselves—maybe in one year, maybe three. But perhaps you’re thinking you can’t swing that $5,000 or $15,000 payment right now in order to start saving input costs with this technology.

To that end, some companies are making it simple and easy to lease equipment. Yesterday I spoke with Troy Jaros with Lease Consultants, Des Moines, Ia., to learn why some growers are leasing precision technology. “Basically, some growers value this type of payment option over time because it fits with how they recoup benefits from the equipment over time. And they can make a larger investment in multiple technologies that can multiply their input cost savings.”

Jaros, who handles all leasing for Ag Leader Technology, says the leasing option has truly helped operations move forward more quickly with technology adoption. “For example, one grower was going to add precision technology to two pieces of equipment because that’s what his cash budget allowed. But once the dealer offered the leasing option in annual payments over time, he decided he could afford to equip his sprayer and anhydrous rig, too. It allowed the customer to do his entire project in one year,” he says.

Jaros says they get very positive feedback from Ag Leader customers who cite simplicity and ease of approval as key selling points. “We have a simple two-page lease form, we offer quick approval, we don’t force our own insurance on customers, we give a 6% prepayment discount instead of early prepayment penalty, customers can choose their buyout amount, and we will finance 100% without down payment.”

For growers thinking about leasing, Jaros offers these benefits to consider:
• Leasing improves your cash flow. “New equipment either saves money on current expenses or increases income. Either way a lease allows the equipment to earn its keep as payments are made.”
• It preserves your bank or primary lender credit line. “As bankers have tightened their credit door, some growers opt to save their bank for, say, land purchases and taxes—not equipment.”
• Payment plans may overcome budgetary restrictions. “Particularly in large farming corporations, a manager may have authority to obligate for operating expenses, but they may be unable to approve capital expenditures”.
• Keep equipment up to date. “Upgrade to most current equipment as needs change or technology improves.”
• It simplifies accounting. You don’t have depreciation schedules.
• “We provide 100% financing. No need to put 10% down, and the customer determines when payments start.”

If you want to explore this option for your operation, you can start by contacting your local Ag Leader dealer.

The fight for space in the tractor/sprayer/combine cab continues, especially as more and more precision farming capabilities are added to an operation.

Clutter has happened for a variety of reasons. From anxious early adopter growers buying numerous early controllers, to anxious dealers selling the latest equipment without regard to grower needs, to growers not thinking about longer term needs.

Paul Bruns, who runs a precision agriculture company called Precision Consulting Services in Canby, Minn., says cab clutter consolidation is a huge topic of conversation right now. “I’ve got a lot of customers looking into moving their planter monitor display, lightbar, variable-rate controller and more—consolidating them into one screen. This can be done, but you need to do your research to learn what monitors can and cannot do, or find a trusted, reliable dealer/consultant who knows a lot of equipment,” he says.

“With the new age of monitors, you’ll be hard pressed to find a display for less than $5000. So it pays to really think what types of applications you may want to do in the future. For example, I was recently installing a boom shutoff system for a grower, and he happened to say ‘I’d really like to consider putting clutches on the planter’ so I stopped and told him we may want to go in a different direction, especially if you may want to vary the rates down the road,” he says.

Bruns, An Ag Leader and Trimble dealer who has grown his business because he does help growers to think and plan ahead, saves money in the long run for his clients. “As in this case, it was better to spend $1,000 or $2,000 more today, than have to spend an additional $5000 down the road.” He says there’s not enough consultative selling going on among retailers to learn a grower’s long-term plans, or to help them with those decisions. “Some just sell what the grower wants today.”

Knowing the agronomic side (he also writes fertilizer prescriptions), along with his ability to service most equipment on the precision ag market—as well as sell seed for Pioneer—gives Bruns a broad perspective. “The challenge is finding the best fit for every grower, as well as advising them on what’s going to deliver ROI,” he says.

“One of the reasons I have sold many Insight monitors is because they work with all colors of equipment, and they can handle all the functions a grower needs. Ag Leader has kind of been the ISOBUS before there was ISOBUS. And now with their Integra monitor—those types of touch screen monitors offer more flexibility for future features and benefits that can be added—so you don’t have to keep changing displays,” he adds. (Click on ‘Display Comparison Chart’ under SeedCommand )

Bruns thinks we’re starting to turn the corner on getting closer to a day when the ISOBUS theory becomes a much greater reality of compliance between systems. “Deere talks about reverse compatibility with their 2600 monitor to be able to drive a red tractor that is auto pilot ready. Same thing with Trimble or Case, so they can plug in and run a John Deere AutoTrac, for example,” he says. “We’re going to start seeing more and more of this, which will also help get rid of cab clutter, and add simplicity for the grower.”

For more information:
North American ISOBUS Implementation Task Force

Ag Leader Technology was demonstrating how the OptRx™ Crop Sensor System works at the National Farm Machinery Show this week in Louisville.

The OptRx crop sensor system measures and records data about a crop in real-time using the reflectance of light shined on the growing crop. “The biggest use for this is for variable rate nitrogen application on the go,” Ag Leader’s Roger Zielke told me, which helps farmers put exactly the right amount of fertilizer in the right spot.

That helps growers get a good return on their investment. “We ran this in quite a few fields in 2008 and 2009 and we compared to their flat rate that they would have done and we saw a big yield increase from what the sensor prescribed compared to the farmer and that has ranged from $20 all the way up to $100 – the average is about $20-30 per acre,” Roger said. “This could turn out to be one of the higher return on investment products that we’ve ever had since nitrogen has such a huge effect on yield in corn and other grass-type crops.”

You can watch a video showing how the OptRx™ Crop Sensor System works here and listen or download just the audio portion below.

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A blanket of snow greeted attendees of the 2010 National Farm Machinery Show today – but since it fell yesterday, everything is going off as planned and the show is just as big as ever.

Harold Workman, president and CEO of the Kentucky Exposition Center which handles the big show, emphasized that it’s business as usual for the four day show. “We got some pretty northern weather here with 6-8 inches of snow that came in yesterday,” he said. “But the interstates are clear, we got the parking lots cleared off, and a lot of people are coming in to the show.”

This is the 45th year for the show which Harold said started in one little corner of one of their wings and grown to more than 800 exhibitors filling over 1.2 million square feet of blessedly indoor space. “It really has become an icon – kind of a barometer for the agribusiness industry,” he said. Attendance is normally right around 300,000 for all four days of the show, including the Championship Tractor Pull sponsored by Syngenta. That event is just a few years younger than the NFMS and is always a sell out.

Our Precision Pays sponsor Ag Leader Technology is here and we will be visiting with them about what is new this week.

Listen to or download my interview with Harold Workman in the player below:

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While I was in the Ag Leader Technology booth at the Iowa Power Farming Show last week I spoke with Michael Vos, SMS Sales Manager. Our topic was using SMS software to create and move guidance lines for different types of precision farming equipment.

He says that growers ask a lot of questions about creating guidance lines in one display and moving them to another w/out having to recreate them. This can be a challenge in precision ag equipment that is all the same brand, or many different displays/brands. He says SMS has the ability to store these guidance lines and import them to many brands of precision farming equipment.

You can watch my interview with Michael or listen to it below:

Iowa Power Farming Show Photo Album

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