Precision Pays

One of the slick features that New Holland includes on their latest line of CR combines is the IntelliView IV color touchscreen display that monitors all combine functions and allows you to see a wide variety of performance information at a glance from up to three camera inputs, with direct USB connectivity for data collection.

Agricultural journalists had the opportunity to learn more about New Holland combines and other equipment at a media event last week in the company’s home town of New Holland, PA.

You may not realize it, but New Holland is kind of a big deal in combines. “New Holland was the first company to launch a rotary combine in the market,” Combine Market Manager Nigel Mackenzie told us. “That was back in 1975 with the TR70. That combine was built and designed in Nebraska and the latest evolution, the CR models, are still built there.”

The CR Combine was actually voted “Machine of the Year” last year at Agritechnica. “A lot of new features introduced on the model year 12 machines, primarily driven by greater fuel efficiency and emissions regulations,” Nigel says. “It was really great to be recognized by a group of journalists in Agritechnica for what we’ve done.”

Nigel says New Holland has six rotary combine models and three conventional models – he tells us all about it in this interview – Nigel Mackenzie Interview

New Holland Media Event album

Watch New Holland’s John Elliott give a short overview of their combine offerings with a CR8080 as a backdrop.

Our first BASF Production Poll is in the can and it was no surprise to find that growers are overwhelmingly optimistic about the 2012 growing season.

According to the poll:
65% of farmers think things are looking up this year.
29% say it’s about the same
Just 6% think this year will be worse and that winter did their fields no favors

With planting now well underway and ahead of normal, we are definitely hearing that weed resistance is a major concern this year – all over the country now. Each year the problem is getting more challenging, so we want to know – how are you controlling resistant weed on your farm this year?

Just about this time last year, the GROWMARK Plant Food Division reorganized for continued growth both within and beyond the core Midwest FS territory. A year later, they have lots to show for it – including a brand new dry and liquid plant food storage facility in Casey, Illinois.

Core Market Plant Food Sales Director Joe Kilgus says the new facility was a good investment for GROWMARK to help support their FS members. “Obviously we need good distribution, having fertilizer in the right place at the right time,” he said during a recent tour of the terminal. “Teaming up with TGM gave us a location with capabilities of bringing in unit trains, which is valuable for purchasing fertilizer.”

Kilgus says GROWMARK’s Plant Food Division offers a variety of services for FS members that have become increasingly important in our global economy. “What happens in China, what happens in India, Europe, all around the globe, does have an affect on the prices of fertilizer here in the U.S.,” he said. “GROWMARK provides the service and the manpower to keep up on that world market. You have to be in that market every day and watch it. The price of oil, the value of the dollar, all of that affects fertilizer prices.”

GROWMARK also helps FS member companies and grower members by encouraging more efficient use of fertilizer. “GROWMARK’s a big supporter and promoter of precision farming. We also promote the 4Rs – right product, right place, right time at the right rate. We don’t want to see fertilizer over-applied, we want to see it put on correctly. We have a growing population to feed and we want to help farmers maximize what they produce.”

Listen to my interview with Joe here: GROWMARK's Joe Kilgus

Ag Leader will soon be releasing SMS Basic/Advanced v12.0 and SMS Mobile v6.0. Here are a few of the items that will be included in this upcoming release.

Among the updates in SMS Basic/Advanced Version 12.0, updated tools allow growers to work with the latest file formats on the market from the following precision farming companies: Ag Leader, CNH, John Deere, Precision Planting, RDS and Trimble.

Ag Leader has also added a tool that allows for the exporting of information to a grower’s crop insurance provider. This includes information like dates planted, crop planted and acres planted. If growers would like to use the information collected by precision farming displays to help report to a crop insurance agent, contact Ag Leader’s software support team for this free tool unlock after updating to SMS Basic/Advanced v12.0.

Luke James, Ag Leader software sales specialist, says being able to provide specific crop and field information to insurance agents is on the minds of many growers this year.
Listen to James explain

Another function that’s helpful to insurance agents is the “Summary Report” from SMS. Growers can generate this type report by going to File – New – General Report in SMS Basic/Advanced.

As always, if growers have any questions after updating to SMS v12.0, contact Ag Leader’s software support team.

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.

The new GROWMARK dry and liquid plant food storage facility in Casey, Illinois is in business to serve farmers in the south central part of the state this spring.

“It is a 25,000 ton dry fertilizer blend facility and a 10,000 ton solution facility and this is the first spring we are using it,” said South Central FS CEO Randy Handel of the new facility which just opened at the end of February and is located on the same site as Total Grain Marketing (TGM). The fertilizer facility also benefits from being right on the rail line. “It’s a very good location being on the CSX track and it’s good sharing the resources with our grain elevator and it’s a very strategic location.”

Listen to my interview with Randy Handel here: South Central FS CEO Randy Handel

GROWMARK Southern Region Manager Brian Koenig says the liquid fertilizer terminal is fully automated and features around-the-clock load out capabilities. “It’s very efficient. We don’t need a lot of manpower here to operate the facility. It’s very technically driven,” he said during a recent GROWMARK media day tour.

Koenig says the new facility is very beneficial for FS member co-ops in the region. “It really helps Illini and South Central the most.” he said. “They’re able to retail right out of here. It’s a really key facility for them.” The facility’s location on the CSX rail line allows for nitrogen solution to be sourced from a number of points on the U.S. East Coast.

Koenig is pictured here during the media day doing an interview with Rita Frazer with RFD Radio Network.

Listen to my interview with Brian Koenig here: GROWMARK's Brian Koenig

The Illinois “Keep it for the Crop” (KIC) by 2025 campaign is on GROWMARK‘s list of legislative priorities on the state level for 2012, according to government affairs director Chuck Spencer.

“What is important about that is that it’s going to provide additional research dollars for stewardship programs,” Spencer said. “What we will see through this program is the ability to fund research projects in watersheds, looking at nutrient movement, and how we maximize efficiency, productivity and profitability for a producer. And when we do those things, we can feed the world.”

Spencer shared some of the cooperative’s top legislative priorities on both the state and national level during a media day tour last week on the day before Ag Day at the Illinois state capitol, where GROWMARK and other agricultural interests met with legislators to discuss issues important to the industry.

“Obviously everyone in Illinois is very concerned about budget, the cost of operations, consistency of policies, predictability of regulation in our business climate,” Chuck says. “We are seeing agriculture in the very fortunate position of being able to grow in this economy. We want to continue to do so.”

National priorities include the farm bill, of course, but also issues related to pesticide application permitting (HR872), transportation (limited exemption for hours of service for agriculture) and renewal of the Pesticide Registration and Improvement Act.

Listen to my interview with Chuck Spencer here: GROWMARK's Chuck Spencer

Dale Bermester with Gateway FS in Red Bud, Illinois has been an FS Certified Crop Specialist (CCS) for nearly a quarter of a century and nothing makes him happier every day than helping farmers be more profitable.

“It’s really an on-going process, especially with your customers that you’ve been doing business with for 25 years,” Dale says. “We’re in tune with a lot of the steps they do in their business. We’re like one of the family.”

Dale was among the first crop of crop specialists back in the late 1980′s when GROWMARK first developed the program. “When I became a salesman back in 1985, the general manager of Gateway, which was Randolph Service Center at the time, said he wanted to be the first company to have all certified crop specialists,” Dale said. “GROWMARK was a step ahead when they came out with the certified crop specialist to make sure that the people who were making recommendations were helping the farmer and not just putting money in their own pockets.”

Becoming a CCS requires testing in a number of different areas and frequent continuing education to keep up with the latest technological and crop protection advancements. “You have to keep that going with continued eds, on-farm discovery and contacts to make sure we’re doing it the right way,” said Dale. “I have to stay focused on what’s ahead.”

Dale says a lot has changed in farming since he first became a CCS, with less farmers and bigger operations, more focus on the environment and the advancement of precision technology. “The technology has really opened our eyes about drainage, backing away from the tree line,” he said. “Once you have a number off the yield monitor, it really gets farmers thinking about what he can do to better manage.”

Listen to my interview with Dale here: Dale Bermester Interview

A grower sustainability panel took place during the recent Bayer CropScience 2012 Ag Issues Forum with the theme of “Hands in the Dirt: First-Hand Grower Experiences.”

Panel member Nancy Kavazanjian, a farmer from Wisconsin who grows corn, soybeans and wheat, talked about what the word “sustainability” meant to her. “When a farmer hears the word sustainable they kind of cringe,” she says. “It concerns them that they’re being forced to do something that they’re not already doing.” But she adds that most farmers are being sustainable since they are multi-generations on the farm and they have to be sustainable for that to happen. To become more sustainable Nancy says they use cover crops and precision ag to make sure they can strip-till and they definitely use new technology and that includes seed technology to get the best yields. The use of these technologies reduces the amount of inputs they have to use.

You can listen to an interview with Nancy from the Ag Issues Forum here: Interview with Nancy Kavazanjian

2012 Bayer CropScience Ag Issues Forum Photo Album

The weed resistance revolt is growing and conditions this year are ripe for a bigger battle than ever against those rebellious yield robbers.

“It’s been a really weird winter and we just really don’t know what to expect,” says GROWMARK Weed Science Technical Manager Barry Nash, noting that the lack of any significant freeze may increase the weed pressure faster this year. “As a result we fully expect to see weed germination of the summer annuals by the end of March.”

That includes waterhemp and Palmer Amaranth (pictured), which is on the increase in the Midwest. “So, it’s very critical that we get on these weeds and start a weed control program early by using a pre-plant herbicide as well as a post-emergence program later in the summer,” Barry said.

Those resistant pigweed species can produce “an absolutely crazy number” of 400,000-500,000 seeds per plant. “With that kind of seed production, it becomes a serious, serious weed especially when it becomes resistant to glyphosate,” he said, adding that giant ragweed is the other big concern.

The battle plan to fight these resistant weeds is multiple modes of action. “That includes not just different modes of action, but overlapping modes of action,” said Barry. “That makes resistance much less possible to happen.”

GROWMARK works with the various university specialists in the Midwest to find out the latest information in the war on weeds and pass that along to the farmers.

Listen to my interview with Barry Nash here: Barry Nash Interview

The annual commemoration of the importance of agriculture is traditionally celebrated on the first day of spring to recognize the start of planting season, but the event in the nation’s capitol is held a little earlier in the month when Congress is in session so lawmakers can attend. This year the date was March 8 and the day in DC was packed full of activities, supported by agricultural organizations and attended by many.

Among those who attended was Congressman Collin Peterson (D-MN), Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Committee. During brief remarks, the Congressman talked about his desire to do what he can to support the effort to communicate the importance of agriculture to the general public and those who implement policies in the nation’s capitol. “People think that they know better than farmers how to do things. Most of them have no clue what they’re doing,” he said.

He says the farm bill process will begin in earnest over the next few weeks. “Our goal is to try and get this done by May or early June. It will not be easy, given the climate around here.” the congressman said. “We’re determined to work together and try to do what’s best for agriculture and for America.” He added that agriculture is “the only part of the economy is working.”

Listen to remarks from Congressman Peterson here: Remarks from Congressman Collin Peterson

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack addressed the Celebration of Agriculture Dinner for National Agriculture Day activities.

The secretary talked about the establishment of USDA by President Lincoln 150 years ago, noting that it had two major missions at the time – collection of information about crops and research. “The president established it as “the people’s department” and the idea was that this would be a forward-thinking, futuristic department, constantly looking for ways that we could be stronger agriculturally,” he said. “I wish President Lincoln and those that were in Congress could come back now and see what they created – see the extraordinary story of American agriculture.”

Listen to remarks from Secretary Vilsack here: Remarks from Secretary Vilsack

2012 National Agriculture Day Activities Photo Album

The Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) has announced their 2012 Conservation in Action Tour and it’s going to be done “southern style” in the Mississippi Delta region.

CTIC Executive Director Karen Scanlon says they will host the event on May 31 near Tunica, Miss., which will include educational field visits, technology demonstrations and opportunities to speak directly with growers about their on-farm solutions to natural resources issues. “We’ll be meeting producers who are leading the way with water conservation, water quality protection and wildlife habitat management on their farms,” Scanlon said during an interview at Commodity Classic.

Scanlon says CTIC has partnered with Delta Farmers Advocating Resource Management (Delta F.A.R.M.) to host the Conservation In Action Tour 2012. Delta F.A.R.M., an association of growers and landowners who strive to implement recognized agricultural practices that will conserve, restore and enhance the Northwest Mississippi environment, recently celebrated 1 million acres enrolled in its conservation programs. “We’ll be getting an academic perspective, a government perspective, a legislative perspective, as well as the producer perspective on some of these critical issues in the lower Mississippi River basin,” she said.

The Mississippi Delta is one of the largest contiguous coastal ecosystems in North America, boasting both ecological and economic value. The Delta hosts the United States’ largest fishery, by weight, and its port activity rivals those worldwide. The region also generates a significant portion of the United States’ energy and provides critical wildlife habitat.

On-line registration for the event is now open for anyone who would like to attend. Coverage of the event will be provided here on Precision Pays and on AgWired.com, thanks to support from both CTIC and AGROTAIN, just as we have the last two years.

Listen to an interview with Karen about the event here: Interview with Karen Scanlon

2012 Commodity Classic Photo Album

Before heading back to Washington for a White House conservation conference last Friday, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack was in Nashville speaking to corn, soybean, wheat and sorghum farmers and announcing the opportunity for them to enroll a total of 1 million acres of land in a new Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) initiative to preserve grasslands and wetlands.

“By focusing 1 million acres of CRP on grasslands and wetlands, this initiative will have enormous benefits for farmers, sportsmen, and all Americans,” said Vilsack. “CRP is one of our nation’s most valuable and vital conservation efforts, ensuring cleaner air and water, preventing soil erosion, and enhancing economic opportunity in rural America by supporting recreation and tourism. With high crop prices, this approach to target our most sensitive lands is essential if we want to maintain the substantial benefits of CRP while ensuring that productive farm lands continue to produce the food and fiber Americans and the world needs.”

Vilsack highlighted the announcement later in the days at the Interior Department during the White House Growing America’s Outdoor Heritage and Economy conference, which emphasized the link between conservation and strong local economies through tourism, outdoor recreation, and healthy lands, waters and wildlife.

The secretary discussed a variety of issues during his address at the 2012 Commodity Classic, including some tough talk for lawmakers on getting a new Farm Bill done. “As Congress works on this farm bill, the country needs them to have the political courage and spine to work on immigration reform and get that done and get it done now,” Vilsack said, noting that even if Congress thinks it’s a tough time to do it, “that’s not what America does. We don’t make excuses, we solve problems and we expect our leaders to do that.”

Listen to or download Visack’s address here: Secretary Tom Vilsack at Commodity Classic

2012 Commodity Classic Photo Album

The biggest topic of discussion at the 2012 Commodity Classic last week was the farm bill – what should be in it and whether we will even see one this year.

It was the main question that the presidents of the four farm organizations that participate in Classic answered during their time on stage during the general session with emcee Mark Mayfield. It was also the subject of a joint press release issued during the convention by the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), American Soybean Association (ASA), National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) and National Sorghum Producers (NSP) expressing the unanimous opinion that their farmers want to see a 2012 Farm Bill in 2012.

“Commodity Classic provides our organizations an opportunity to come together to discuss important policy issues facing our industry. As Congress continues work on the next farm bill, our organizations agree that an affordable crop insurance program is our No. 1 priority. We also stand ready to work with House and Senate Ag Committee leaders to create farm programs that provide risk-management tools to growers when they are facing a loss beyond their control.

“Our organizations represent more than 70 percent of all crop acres in the United States. Agriculture is a bright spot in our nation’s economy, sustainably meeting the expanding demands to provide food, feed, fuel and fiber to the world. We are pleased to see the Senate and House Agriculture Committees have produced such an aggressive schedule and we thank them for their efforts.”

2012 Commodity Classic Photo Album

Listen to or download audio from each organization’s president below:

During the 2012 Commodity Classic, BASF Crop Protection introduced the On Target Application Academy, a partnership with application technology specialist Dr. Bob Wolf, retired Professor Emeritus of Kansas State University, to help growers get the most out of their pesticides by using best application practices.

Dr. Wolf says the program focuses on research and education of applicators to “maximize control of weeds and minimize spray drift.”

One of the educational tools he uses is a spray table that is designed to allow applicators to actually see the differences between spray nozzles, the droplet size and drift produced. “I encourage them to put water in their sprayer on a day when they’re not busy, turn the sprayer on, get out and walk along and do some comparisons,” he said.

On Target Application Academies will be held throughout 2012 at industry and state events. Sessions will be about two hours long and cover a number of topics including best practices for self applications, nozzle selection, adjuvants, calibration, sprayer set up, equipment clean out, and more. More information on dates and locations will be available from BASF representatives and on the BASF website.

Listen to or download an interview with Bob Wolf here: Dr. Bob Wolf

Watch Dr. Wolf’s demonstration of the spray table during the BASF “Science Behind” event held in conjunction with Commodity Classic in Nashville:

2012 Commodity Classic Photo Album
2012 BASF Science Behind Photo Album

During the 2012 Commodity Classic, John Deere unveiled its final stage Tier 4 solution, the John Deere Integrated Emissions Control System. The company held a press conference to make the announcement. You can listen to or download the audio from that press conference below. To give us an overview of the final solution we heard from Geoff Stigler, Manager, Worldwide Marketing. Geoff runs through the steps leading up to this final one. The image below is the John Deere PowerTech™ PSS 9.0L Final Tier 4/Stage IV engine (engine w/after treatment).

Final Tier 4/Stage IV regulations for off-highway diesel engines begin as early as 2013 for engines 55 kW (74 hp) and below. Regulatory dates for engines 56 kW (75 hp) and above will be implemented in stages starting in 2014 and 2015, and require particulate matter (PM) levels established by Interim Tier 4/Stage III B regulations to be maintained while requiring an additional 80 percent reduction in nitrogen oxides (NOx) from previous regulations.

For more information on John Deere’s Final Tier 4/Stage IV engine technology, check our web site at www.JohnDeere.com/tier4.

Listen to or download the press conference here: John Deere Tier 4 Press Conference

You can find photos from this year’s Commodity Classic here: 2012 Commodity Classic Photo Album