He makes extensive use of precision farming technology. For instance, he uses variable rate planting, determined by soil type. “Soil type reflects the water holding capacity of the soil,” he says.

“Some soils are more productive than others, and the more productive soils get the higher plant populations. In sports terms, we play defense with our less productive fields and play offense with our more productive soils.”

He also uses global positioning and auto-steering on his equipment for swath control during planting, spraying and applying fertilizer. “This cuts down on over applying and wasting money,” he says. “We strive to protect the environment and be the best stewards of the land and water that we can be.”

As a result of his success as a row crop farmer, Nichols has been selected as the 2010 Kentucky winner of the Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year award.

“The goal I started with was to build an operation from scratch that could someday be viewed as one of the best, well-managed farming operations in North America,” he says. “This overarching goal is what drives me each day.”

Read the entire story.

I read a recent piece by DTN agronomist Dan Davidson, written during the recent International Conference on Precision Ag in Denver, Colo. He stated, “But what is interesting is how the use of yield monitor data, grid soil sampling and variable fertilizer application hasn’t changed much in two decades with only about 20% adoption. But the introduction of lightbar navigation (80+% adoption), assisted steering and section control really showed farmers that there were benefits from adopting the right technology.”

Sure, this is oversimplification of a lot of complex factors, but we’re also dealing with a larger percentage of farmers near, at, or beyond retirement age who, most often, seek simplicity and reduced investment. One look at the light-speed adoption of glyphosate-resistant crops is one example this simplicity model. (Although that simplicity is now resulting in greater management due to resistant weeds.)

Yes, precision farming technology is complex, and turning data into sound management practices that improve the bottom line often takes hired experts, in the same vein as why crop scouts are hired. But make no mistake, the profitability of certain technologies has improved dramatically in the past 10 years. It just takes hard work by a grower to find what can pay on a given farm.

Growers wouldn’t pay $300 for a unit of seed corn if they didn’t see the value. They just have to work harder and smarter when it comes to investing in precision agriculture technology. But that process is getting easier.

The expos will include educational presentations, exhibits, field demonstrations, ride and drive demonstrations and user sharing sessions.

Precision agriculture includes management practices that allow farmers to be more precise in field operations and apply crop inputs more efficiently. A global positioning system (GPS) is the basis of most precision agriculture practices. The most common GPS applications in farming are operator-assisted tractor guidance systems and completely automated steering systems.

“However, farming in North Dakota includes an increasing number of other precision agriculture applications, such as variable-rate fertilization, crop yield monitoring, section and row control on planters and sprayers, precision irrigation and GPS-guided field drainage equipment,” says John Nowatzki, NDSU Extension Service agricultural machine systems specialist. “Specialized farm geographic information system (GIS) computer programs also are an essential element of precision farming. GIS programs are used to correlate crop and soil factors with satellite imagery. Farmers use remote-sensing products and in-field sensing technologies with a GPS to manage individual field sections based on potential productivity.”

The primary goals of the expos are to explore energy efficiency aspects of precision agriculture management practices and demonstrate precision agriculture technologies. More information and a registration form are available on the NDSU precision agriculture expo website at http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/agmachinery. The public also is invited to visit and contribute to the expo Facebook site at http://www.facebook.com/pages/NDSU-Precision-Agriculture/110144575694517?ref=ts. Expo organizers encourage people to join the discussion groups on the Facebook site to provide input into planning the events and activities for the expos.

The events at both locations will begin with the regular field day crop plot tours from 9 a.m. to noon. The tours include reports by various NDSU research scientists. More information about the Casselton field day tour is available at http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/casselto/ and the Dickinson tour at http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/dickinso/.

The precision agriculture expos will follow lunch with educational presentations from 12:30 to 2 p.m. There will be a variety of concurrent educational presentations, including the economics of precision agriculture, satellite imagery delivered on cell phones, GPS problems and concerns, online field mapping services, precision manure application practices and remote-sensing options for agriculture.

Equipment and technology companies that sell precision agricultural technology will conduct field demonstrations, have displays and feature ride and drive demonstrations. Field demonstrations at both locations will include tractor and machine guidance, section control on sprayers, row control on planters and variable-rate fertilization. At the Casselton expo, there also will be field drainage software and equipment demonstrations. The Dickinson expo will have precision haying and manure application demonstrations.

Indoor and outdoor exhibit areas will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. An evening meal will be served from 5 to 7 p.m.

Updates include:

• Improved touch screen response
• Split Screen option is available in RealView Guidance mode on the Matrix 570G
• Improved touch screen calibration for the Matrix 570G
• Up to eight cameras can be used on the Matrix 570G (with the 8-Channel VSM)
• Updated translations to all languages except Swedish & Italian

Matrix v1.04 Software Update – software and instructions for updating your product.

TeeJet Technologies introduced the only system available offering guidance and live video to be displayed simultaneously, which helps improve accuracy and efficiency in field operations. Matrix Guidance System with RealView Guidance Over Video is an affordable system that allows growers to monitor what’s ahead or difficult to see machine parts or operations while at the same time viewing guidance information.

“The Matrix Guidance System offers growers exclusive features at an unbeatable price,” said Rich Gould, vice president and guidance business manager at TeeJet Technologies. “By combining guidance with live video instead of a virtual image, the operator now has access to more and better information to help make GPS guidance more intuitive to use.”

Matrix not only has the benefit of guidance over video, it can also be economically upgraded with automatic boom section control for use with sprayers and spreaders. Automatic boom section control helps minimize costly chemical consumption by automatically switching off sprayer boom sections when they enter a previously applied area.

Matrix is the interface for the FieldPilot® Assisted Steering System from TeeJet Technologies. Assisted steering helps improve accuracy, decrease input costs and reduce driver fatigue and stress. All of these benefits can improve operation productivity.

FieldPilot with Matrix Guidance can also easily be installed on older tractors. “There is a perception out there that you have to have a newer tractor to take advantage of precision ag benefits,” Gould said. “We have more than 65 custom installation kits for 275 different vehicles, new and old. It’s a great way for growers to add assisted steering capabilities without a costly investment.”

“After planting with RTK and implement guidance, I would
never want to plant any other way,” says Glendenning. “I used
to spend a lot of time looking back, and trying to compensate for the planter sliding down sidehills, but now I don’t have to.”

Glendenning also added Tru Count air clutches to all 24 planter row units. “We have countless acres of point rows and waterways, so we used to have a lot of overlap and wasted seed. With all the multiple-trait seed we plant, seed costs are around $125 per acre. I’d estimate we saved $1,200 in seed costs per day this spring. And since we aren’t overlapping in the headlands, the plants won’t be overcrowded and lodging. That should improve yield.”

Tillage is another benefit Glendenning sees from his Trimble
equipment. “We’ve found WAAS is just not accurate enough
for doing skip rows on 200-acre fields; by the end of the field
you can end up being off by six to seven feet. But if we pair an
EZ-Guide® 500 system with the Ag3000 modem in our tillage
tractor, we can till very efficiently.”

To learn more, check out the June issue.

Engineered for large acreage small grain growers who need to cover thousands of acres in a short planting window, the Precision Air 3580 has a three-compartment tank with a total capacity of 580 U.S. bushels.

The three tank compartments hold 135 bushels, 183 bushels and 262 bushels respectively, providing growers with more seeding and fertilizer options and higher capacities in one pass. Tanks are made of steel, with tough, powder coat paint inside and out for a harder finish, better rust protection and longer wear.

“Our broadacre customers are asking us for larger drills and carts with more capacity, so they can run longer between stops,” says Gord Engel, Case IH seeding product manager. “The less time farmers spend re-filling seed and fertilizer tanks, the more acreage they cover during the prime planting window, and the more they reduce seeding costs.

“Whether you’re growing wheat, barley, rye, oats, canola or pulse crops, the further north you go, the smaller the planting window gets,” Engel adds. “Planting at the right time helps maximize yields. With the Precision Air 3580, growers cover more acres per hour, per day, per week and per season.”

To learn more, visit this link.

The Cotton Precision Agriculture Investment Decision Aid (CPAIDA) is a stand alone, computerized decision tool for analyzing investments in precision agriculture technologies. It was developed to meet the need for better educational information about the returns required to pay for investments in precision agriculture technologies used by cotton farmers.

Currently available “payback” modules include map- and sensor-based variable rate application of sprayer-applied chemicals, sensor-based liquid nitrogen application, and sensor-based weed control. Additional modules for calculating the cost of gathering spatial information via electrical conductivity, yield monitor, and remote sensing are also provided. A distinctive sensitivity analysis feature allows users to evaluate a variety of “what if” scenarios for these technologies based on their particular farm characteristics.

The decision aid guides users through a systematic analysis of the precision farming investment decision via a set of clickable tabs and expandable menu options. The equipment information tab allows the user to select equipment components and enter purchase price.

Default equipment complements are set for each module, and users can click on cells to change equipment manufacturers or modify prices. The farm data tab lets users personalize the decision aid based on their unique farm situation, information gathering costs, and payback parameters which can include input cost savings, lint yield gain, and reduced equipment operating and ownership costs. The profitability summary tab displays results in the form of enterprise budgets that compare cost and return estimates with and without precision farming.

A final column indicates how individual cost items vary based on the precision farming investment decision and summarizes the expected profitability from adoption of the selected equipment complement.

Finally, a sensitivity analysis tab displays the results graphically. The main figure summarizes the profitability of the proposed equipment complement and provides an estimate of the payback period in years. Here, users can change key cost and return parameters, such as farm size or input savings, and evaluate how changes in these values influence the profitability of the investment decision.

The CPAIDA decision aid is also available at http://economics.ag.utk.edu/cpaida.html. Copies of CPAIDA on a CD ROM may also be obtained by writing James Larson, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 2621 Morgan Circle, 302 Morgan Hall, Knoxville, TN 37996. This decision aid was funded by Cotton Incorporated.

Precision agriculture is growing and so is the precision agricultural community across the world. The 10th International Conference on Precision Agriculture is envisaged to be the largest ever; with more than 500 attendees from all over the U.S and over 40 countries (see program details, coming soon on www.icpaonline.org).

As with previous ICPA conferences, the 10 International Conference on Precision Agriculture will provide a forum for presentations on the current state of precision agriculture research and applications. The conference will facilitate interaction among research scientists, producers, technology company representatives, equipment manufacturers, input dealers, agronomic consultants, software developers, educators, government personnel and policymakers.

Presentation main topics include:

• Sensor Application in Managing In-season Crop Variability

• Spatial Variability in Crop, Soil and Natural Resources

• Precision Nutrient Management

• Precision Conservation

• Precision Horticulture

• Remote Sensing Applications in Precision Agriculture

• Engineering Technologies and Advances

• Profitability, Sustainability and Adoption

• Emerging Issues in Precision Agriculture (Energy, Biofuels, Climate Change)

• Information Management and Traceability

• Education and Training in Precision Agriculture

• Guidance, Auto Steer, and GPS Systems

• Modeling and Geo-statistics

• Global Proliferation of Precision Agriculture and its Applications

While that technology is a ways off into the future, Gearlog.com posted a recent piece on how unscrambled GPS has helped consumers. It listed a few benefits we’ll see before self-driving cars.

More efficient hybrids. A hybrid car is good for half a mile to two miles in EV (electric vehicle – only) mode but the car typically keeps the hybrid battery topped up as soon as it gets a chance. With a smarter GPS receiver that talks to the car’s navigation system and to the charging system, the GPS could advise the car it’s about to head down a long hill in a mile, but only after two hills. The car would use the electric motor on the hills, or whatever works best for efficiency, and arrive at the start of the downhill with the hybrid battery nearly depleted, then use the downhill to recharge the battery. The result would be improved economy.

Predictive swiveling headlamps. On higher-end cars, the headlamps swivel lift and right when you turn the wheel. With more accurate GPS, the car would start to turn the headlamps a second or two before the road curves. That adds a small measure of safety. Plus, on a dark country road at night, sometimes it’s hard to recognize if you’re seeing the road marking curve sharply to the right, or if that’s an angled white rail fence 20 yards off the highway. The headlamps could help show you the way.

Ultra-accurate speedometer. A GPS system also calculates your speed. Car speedometers are often inaccurate by a couple miles per hour, sometimes to insure that even if you use a slightly different diameter tire, you’re never going faster than the speedometer indicates. Some drivers like the insurance factor of a mechanical speedometer that reads high by a couple mph. Others may want to know that when the speedometer shows you’re doing 68 mph, you’re doing 68, not 65, 66, or 69. So you could use GPS to apply a correction factor to your speedometer. Or not. No doubt all these features would be ones you could enable or disable, at your discretion.

Read more details here.

We spoke with Adam Gittins, Precision Ag Sales Manager for HTS Precision Ag Solutions in Harlan, Iowa, about the current planting season and local farmer philosophy on this subject.

“Farmers, and I’m one of them, often apply two schools of thought regarding productivity and planting season—auto steer and auto shut-off,” Gittins says. “First, adding auto steering allows growers to run later at night with less fatigue and still be every bit as accurate as planting during the day. Second, by adding auto row shut-off to the planter, guys are saving time with quicker turn time at the headlands.”

Farm more acres. Running longer hours combined with quicker turns can help growers farm more acres with the same equipment. “We’ve seen operations add farm land, and instead of buying another tractor and planter, they’ll instead buy auto steering and planter shut-off to increase productivity—and be able to farm 20 percent more ground with the same equipment,” he says.

“It so much less stress when you don’t have to stare at a marker furrow all day. And I feel I’m doing a much better planting job because I can swivel my seat part way around and watch row units and planter attachments, and can make quick adjustments as needed—instead of focusing mostly on driving. And I feel so much better physically at the end of the day,” he adds.

Becoming standard equipment. Gittins cited one extreme example from this past winter where a farmer saved money by buying an auto steer unit instead of paying for markers on a new 90-ft. planter. “Another trend we’re seeing is that guys who purchase new tractors won’t wait and add auto steer later, they put it in now.”

While good weather is really helping a lot of farmers get crops in the ground quicker this spring, any grower with auto steer and auto planter shut-off will tell you how this technology has truly helped them improve their entire planting operation.

For more information, visit
Tips for using AutoSwath http://www.agleader.com/2010/04/08/tips-for-using-autoswath/

Ag Leader Steering Products http://www.agleader.com/products/steering/

Ag Leader Products http://www.agleader.com/products/

HTS Precision Ag Solutions, Harlan, Iowa
http://www.htsag.com/

HTS on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Harlan-IA/HTS-Precision-Ag/222272725264?ref=ts

HTS Precision Ag’s blog
http://htsag.blogspot.com/

“These low-drift nozzles are really having a revolutionary impact,” says Dr. Tom Wolf, a research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and a member of the Weed Science Society of America (WSSA). “Research shows we can reduce the spray that drifts away from its target to less than 0.5 percent of the applied amount. That’s a decrease of more than 80 percent compared to conventional sprays.”

The secret is a clever design that reduces the internal operating pressure of the sprayer nozzle and mixes air into the herbicide spray as it is applied.

“We’ve seen nearly 100 percent adoption among custom applicators in Canada, and up to 50 percent of the more innovative growers on large farms are using them as well,” Wolf says. “They have clearly found the devices work well in their operations.”

Still, there are obstacles to even broader adoption. Not all weeds and all herbicides respond the same way when changes are made to reduce the number of very fine spray droplets.

“It can be tough to provide practical recommendations to applicators on diversified farms,” Wolf says. “But scientists are meeting that challenge by communicating their research findings to herbicide manufacturers and applicators alike. We’re finding low-drift sprays can be used successfully in the majority of situations an applicator is likely to encounter.”

Robert Klein, a WSSA member and crop specialist at Nebraska’s West Central Research and Extension Center, recommends combining multiple drift control strategies in order to achieve optimal results. Here are eight proven techniques he recommends:

INCREASE SPRAY COARSENESS. Switching to low-drift nozzles has a large impact on drift. For traditional nozzles, lowering pressure can also increase droplet size and reduce drift. There is a fine line, however, between droplets that are too small (causing excessive drift) and too large (providing insufficient coverage). Look to your nozzle manufacturer for guidance on the recommended pressure. Low-drift nozzles typically require a higher pressure to operate properly.

GAUGE THE WEATHER. Environmental factors can be critical to the control of spray drift. Klein cites wind speed as one important example. “When wind speed increases, so does the potential for drift downwind of the sprayer,” he says. Today’s ultrasonic weather sensors can help. A far cry from yesterday’s rudimentary weather vanes, sensors measure air temperature, humidity, dew point, barometric pressure, wind chill, wind direction and wind speed. The units are extremely compact and can be mounted inside a sprayer cab. That means the applicator has continuous, up-to-date weather data and can apply herbicides when they are least likely to drift.

CONTROL THE FLOW. Modulated flow controls reduce drift by rapidly pulsing each spray nozzle on and off. This allows pressure and droplet size to remain constant as the sprayer moves across the field at various speeds.

REV UP THE AIR SPEED. Air-assisted sprayers emit a high-velocity, downward air stream that pushes the spray droplets directly onto the targeted weeds or treatment area. As a result, they can reduce drift if used properly.

CREATE A BUFFER. Untreated zones around fields can serve as buffers that keep drift away from off-target sites.

ADD DRIFT RETARDANTS. If you use a traditional sprayer, special additives can be used to reduce the number of fine droplets. Make certain, though, that you select an additive especially designed for the type of nozzle and herbicide you use. Certain additives can be a minus when used with the wrong nozzle tip.

HOOD YOUR SPRAYER. By mounting hoods around the nozzles on a sprayer boom, you can create a physical barrier that reduces spray drift. It’s a simple but effective technique.

MONITOR THE BOOM HEIGHT. Extension specialists recommend keeping booms close to your weed target in order to decrease the possibility of downwind drift. But be careful to follow the manufacturer’s instructions so you maintain the uniform spray pattern and coverage needed to control weeds effectively.

“Each of these approaches has its strong points,” Klein says. “In order to make sure we’re using the optimal combination of techniques for each scenario, it is important for scientists, applicators, farmers and manufacturers to communicate closely and share best practices. That’s one of the strengths of WSSA. The organization brings everyone together to share research and explore the best science-based approaches for managing drift.”

The EZ-Sync solution adds wireless connectivity throughout the entire farming cycle, fulfilling a key component of Trimble’s Connected Farm solution. Information flows seamlessly between your mobile handheld device, your Precision Ag display on your vehicle, and to your office for easy-to-use record keeping and reporting solutions. With the Connected Farm solution and the EZ-Sync solution, your precision farming is now completely in sync.

• Trimble scouting devices work with the EZ-Sync solution to enable farmers or agronomists to map field operations data while on foot, in a pickup truck, or from an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) and wirelessly transmit mapped data to and from the office.
• The EZ-Sync solution for the FmX integrated display adds the ability to wirelessly send data files like variable rate prescriptions and guidance lines to and from the display. A wireless modem is used to transfer data to and from Connected Farm servers for use in EZ-Office software.
• EZ-Sync information from field displays wirelessly links to the EZ-Office software for easy-to-use record keeping and reporting solutions that include field and crop management, vehicles, operators, staff, and crop inputs.

Check out these products and solutions on the Trimble Information Management pages.

OnTrac2 gives affordable, easy-to-install, hands-free GPS steering with unmatched portability across vehicle types. Coupled with the new ParaDyme Roof Module, it offers superior assisted steering that can run on WAAS, OmniSTAR, or RTK. With AutoFarm’s RTK ReadyConnect option it can get RTK correction without a base station running on a CORS network.

Operating with any of AutoFarm’s three available touchscreen controllers, OnTrac2 is a cost-effective solution to hands-free steering that eliminates skips and overlaps, lowers fuel consumption, reduces operator stress and fatigue, and expands the seasonal operating window. The system offers pass-to-pass accuracy ranges of 8-10” on WAAS, 3-6” with OmniSTAR and 1-2” with the RTK upgrade.

The ParaDyme System is the industry’s first single system solution to all facets of precision farming: planter control, application control, yield monitoring, data logging and management, plus hands-free GPS steering via WAAS, EGNOS, OmniSTAR HP/XP, and RTK. It is also GLONASS ready. Plus, with its unique factory-integrated wireless, ParaDyme offers a Remote Real-Time Service connection to the dealer in addition to optional RTK ReadyConnect that provides RTK correction without a base station.

The company also recently announced that Paradyme is now installable on virtually all brands of farm machinery, and talked about how the system offers a unique AutoCalibration feature that gets you set up in less than 10 minutes.

For more information on the AutoFarm OnTrac2 System with ParaDyme, visit www.gpsfarm.com.

Hopefully you pulled out that owner’s manual, or enlisted your local dealer’s help, several weeks ahead of pulling into the first field with a planter full of seed. “The equipment only works as well as the set-up, so running the calibration software on your monitors should be an annual event,” says Nick Ohrtman, Technical Support Supervisor for Ag Leader Technology.

Since there’s no real standard procedure when calibrating for variable-rate technology, it is critical that you follow the guidelines in the owner’s manual of both the piece of equipment and the monitor that is driving it. “Our display monitors, like the Insight or INTEGRA, have a calibration wizard that walks you through seed meter calibration, allowing you to count the actual seed that drops per revolution, which is critical for variable-rate seeding” he says.

“If your variable-rate monitor is set to plant 34,000 seeds and the population monitor says you’re only seeding 30,000, then that’s a sign that the calibration was done inaccurately. If this happens with our system, when both monitors are running through our display, an alarm sounds when the populations don’t match up,” Ohrtman adds.

Granted, most calibration settings made are saved by crop, but it is still wise to recalibrate every year for each crop. “Once you’ve calibrated for corn and soybeans, then every field will use the same calibration. And the calibration doesn’t change when you’re switching plant populations,” he adds.

For growers using planter section or row shut-off technology, it’s advised to make sure your settings are correct each year. “With our AutoSwath system, there are three different settings available, so it’s wise to check the owner’s manual every year, as well as do a dig check in the soil on the first round to make sure the row shut-offs are working correctly.” Nick talks about tips for using AutoSwath in his blog post here.
For more information:
Calibrating Equipment for Variable-Rate Application

Variable Rate Equipment – Technology for Weed Control

Gear Up For VRT (Farm Journal, March 2009)

The challenge is dealing with all ages and different colors of equipment. Sam asks…We have three green combines 1 newer the 2nd is 10-11 years old and the other is a dinosaur and the newer one being the only one with yield mapping through waas signal using original brown box from JD ( never right ). Next we have 2 Planting tractors both have 20/20 seed sense systems from precision no GPS. Sprayer we have a XLRD 1000 Pull Type pulled by a JD 4430 with a INSight and an EZ-Guide 500 waas signal. Spreader truck we have a Insight along with EZ- Guide Plus. Now I must say that it looks like we just put a down payment on a 06 Apache with auto steer by Raven. Also a new red combine is probably coming this fall 8120 Case and we are talking about buying a new corn planter also.. we put a lot of tile in we bought a tile plow.. No GPS also we have a 8530 JD autosteer ready for doing a lot of tillage and side dressing corn with anhydrous. 9520 T John Deere does a good majority of the tillage and also runs the tile plow. Now you see my situation figure out a plan for that to move into RTK.

Several growers have responded here.  Take a visit and weigh in with your advice.

The TeeJet ISOBUS Sprayer System uses a John Deere, CASE IH or AGCO virtual terminal.  The kit includes the IC18 ISOBUS Sprayer Electronic Control Unit (ECU), BoomPilot automatic boom section control module, a switch box and all cable and connection to operate on Deere, CASE IH or AGCO virtual terminals. The IC18 Sprayer ECU has an intuitive interface with advanced features such as multiple rate selection, section status and task control for prescription applications.  The IC18 and BoomPilot can automatically control up to 9 sprayer sections.

TeeJet Technologies also offers a sprayer control solution that includes the components noted above plus the new Matrix 570VT interface. Matrix 570VT features a bright 5.7” touch screen suitable for daylight and nighttime viewing and can be used with other ISOBUS-compatible ECUs in addition to the IC18.

“We’re fully committed to the ISOBUS standard and want to help as many growers as possible experience the benefits of it,” said Jim Shone, Business Unit Manager at TeeJet Technologies. “Most growers don’t yet own a virtual terminal and will find our Matrix 570VT ISOBUS Sprayer System an affordable way to take full advantage of the ISOBUS platform. For the operators that do have a virtual terminal, our ISOBUS components are an economical way to leverage their current investment,” Shone continued.

TeeJet Technologies was among the first to sell ISOBUS compatible products in North America. ISOBUS job computers and controls have been in the field the last two growing seasons, and product line expansion is underway.

In 2001, farm machinery manufacturers agreed to implement a common standard for communication interfaces on tractors, implements and farm management systems. The standard is called ISO 11783 and is commonly referred to as ISOBUS.

The common standard enables products from different manufacturers to communicate and eliminates the need for separate terminals, displays and controls. Once ISOBUS is fully implemented, tractors will have a single virtual terminal in the cab.

A virtual terminal is the device that allows the operator to provide input information. An Electronic Control Unit (ECU), also known as a job computer, installed on the implement is where processing and control occurs.

Certified ISOBUS virtual terminals and ECUs will communicate and function on the same communication BUS, regardless of the manufacturer.

ISOBUS benefits:

• Operators can leverage their investment on factory installed terminals instead of having several controller consoles.
• Implements with certified ISOBUS ECUs give operators the flexibility to choose the best products for their applications without concerns about compatibility.
• Standardized plugs, cables and software simplify installation and connectivity and result in true “plug and play” technology.  Operators can operate multiple implements with any tractor in their fleet.
• Data from the ECU can be easily exported and analyzed on the farm computer.

Listen to an interview with TeeJet technology specialist Jon Reinecker conducted at the National Farm Machinery Show by Agwired reporter John Davis:

The Boomer 8N is a updated remake of the classic Ford 8N tractor, part of New Holland’s heritage. I talked about the Boomer’s first year with New Holland’s John Hundley. “The history of this project was basically a fusion between the old styling of the Ford 8N with new technology of today,” John said. Many of this first year’s sales have been to collectors or people who have fond memories of the legendary Ford 8N growing up on a farm in the 40s and 50s. “We have some people who are buying this tractor and parking it because they don’t want to use it, but this is a workhorse and we do have people buying it and running it in the field everyday.”

John says lots of people have stories to tell about the old classic tractor – and some have great stories about their new Boomer 8N. You can find out more on one of the Boomer 8N websites – myboomer.com features real people and real stories about Boomer tractors, and www.8N.com has information about the history and design of the tractor.

Listen to my interview with John about the Boomer 8N here:

Hand-harvested crops such as broccoli and lettuce are easily threatened by weeds. Uncontrolled weeds can result in lower yields, reduced quality, and decreased harvest efficiency.

The job of cultivating between delicate rows of vegetable plants can be done more precisely and faster with machine guidance. A computer processes 25 digital photos of a crop row to determine the centerline.Previous studies have shown higher rates of error in human-guided cultivation.

The current study timed how long it takes a laborer to hand-pick weeds versus machine cultivation. It also tested whether smaller amounts of herbicide or none at all could be applied to the crop with the use of machine cultivation. Reducing the use of herbicides would have economic and environmental benefits.

The many variables at play produced mixed results. Herbicides proved the most effective method against weeds. But with the heaviest use of herbicide tested, the lettuce yield was not improved—the herbicide also affected the crop’s growth. In rainy weather, when both hand weeding and machine weeding are difficult, herbicides again provided the best weed deterrent. In dryer seasons, machine cultivation was more effective than hand weeding.

In California and Arizona, lettuce and broccoli are grown year-round, and cultivation is an important part of the process. More accurate and timely cultivation may be the greatest benefit that machine-guided cultivation has to offer.

Weed Technology journal is a publication of the Weed Science Society of America. To learn more about the society, please visit: http://www.wssa.net/

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.

RTK ReadyConnect allows ParaDyme users to access their state DOT CORS Network and receive RTK GPS accuracy without the expense of a base station, or without subscribing to an RTK tower network.

“AutoFarm’s RTK ReadyConnect service features totally factory integrated hardware which eliminates the hassle and expense of adding wireless. There’s no integration guesswork. No compatibility issues between devices. No boxes to add, cables to run, or antennas to mount. The service can be activated in minutes and when activated, it automatically finds the best signal available,” says AutoFarm Marketing Director, Deane Malott.

Because the system is factory integrated, and works with over 50 wireless partners across North America, it offers excellent flexibility. The customer can activate RTK only when needed and for the duration of time needed. AutoFarm has also just announced RTK ReadyConnect bundles that give the grower choices of 1-month, 4-month or 10-month activation. Because it is using multiple CDMA carriers, the ParaDyme system automatically and continuously picks the best available network as the vehicle operates in the field. In many areas, farms are covered by multiple carriers which means the ParaDyme system is less likely to lose signal.

Malott adds, “With optional RTK ReadyConnect, ParaDyme provides affordable access to subscription RTK networks that allow the grower to pick the duration that best matches his field operations, without having to get locked into a multi-year wireless contract.”

The ParaDyme system is the industry’s first single system solution to everything precision ag: planter control, application control, yield monitoring, data logging and management, plus hands-free GPS steering via WAAS, EGNOS, OmniSTAR HP/XP, and RTK. It is also GLONASS ready.  With factory integrated wireless, ParaDyme also offers a Remote Real-Time Service connection to the dealer in addition to the optional RTK ReadyConnect service.

For more information on the AutoFarm ParaDyme and RTK ReadyConnect, visit www.gpsfarm.com.

System 250 autosteering application combines multi-constellation and combination receiver/controller features of the AGI-3 with the all-in-one control features of Topcon’s X20 console.

A wide range of off-road vehicles are supported for this autosteering system, utilizing either direct interface through CANbus or ISObus, or the high-performance AES-25 Electric Steering. The system is designed specifically for parallel autosteering operations.

The X20 console provides farming operators with technological tools to combat the increasing cost of fuel, chemicals and fertilizers and the need to ensure improved  environmental control. It is a completely integrated controller with modular extensions designed to control every aspect of agricultural system management including, spraying, seeding, spreading, fertilizing, autosection control, variable rate control and the all new CropSpec crop canopy sensor.

Topcon Precision Agriculture also released six new AES-25 electric steering kits. The new kits “maximize electric steering performance in a variety of farm vehicles,” according to Rod Haarberg, North American sales manager.

The new kits are available for standard row crop tractors, articulating tractors, track tractors, sprayers, combines and windrowers.

Available kits include: CIH, Fendt, John Deere, New Holland, Buhler, RoGator, Gleaner, and MacDon

Orders are now being accepted for the new system.

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

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.

I talked to Dave Wendt with John Deere, who was demonstrating the new addition to the 2510 high speed nutrient applicators. “This machine is a 23 row model, set up on 30 inch spacing to not only side dress, but to run in fall or spring pre-plant.”

The machine folds up into a nice 18 foot package for on-road transport, but the really cool thing that Dave was demonstrating was how it hooks up to the PitStop Pro tendering system to help customers quickly and efficiently change anhydrous ammonia tanks without leaving the cab of the tractor.

“Today, to hook and unhook anhydrous tanks manually might take 10-12 minutes,” Dave said. “With the PitStop System, we’re looking at about a minute and a half to two minutes.” The system is controlled through the same GS2 display in the cab that runs the AutoTrac or rate controller.

Listen to or download my interview with Dave in the player below and watch a demo video here:

Well, as you can probably guess, almost everyone who has auto steer would never go back to steering again. Who can blame them. However, the other day I spoke with central Ohio grower Gary Piper, who told me, “I’d give up auto steer in favor of my planter row control.”

This Centerburg producer, who farms 5,400 acres with his two brothers, just finished his third season using Ag Leader SeedCommand on their Insight monitor that controls Tru Count clutches on their 16-row planter. Piper admits to being skeptical when he first installed the units—about the reliability of the clutches and how soon he might recover his investment. But he figured with smaller, odd-shaped fields, ‘like one 24-acre field with eight corners,’ that it would pay off eventually and help control costs.

“The first year running them, I was very impressed. I saw first hand the results since I do all the corn planting. It wasn’t just the seed savings, but it really improved harvestability not having to deal with doubled-up rows that combine like a weed patch,” Piper says.

One-year payoff. It wasn’t until last year that he kept track of exactly how much seed he saved. “After planting 2,500 acres, we saved 38 bags, or about $7,600 worth of triple-stack hybrids—enough to easily pay for it in one year. And with SmartStax hybrids running $300-$350 this coming year, you can save even more.

Another benefit he liked had to do with comfort, under weather-stressed times. “Last spring we had challenging weather, which forced us to spend three long nights running the planter. As an operator I could not have physically done that and still kept the precision I demand—which the SeedCommand gave me.”

Yield loss. The other savings not often considered is yield loss from double-planted rows. “I never realized how dramatic that can be until I helped a neighbor combine last fall, who had double planted point rows—and I watched the yield monitor drop to about one-third the normal yield.”

After hearing that, one begins to understand why Gary won’t part with his planter row control system. Just plain common sense.

If you’re interested in a precision agriculture decision-making spreadsheet tool developed by Kansas State, look under ‘Decision-Making Tools’ called KSU-GPSguidance at this link:
http://www.agmanager.info/farmmgt/machinery/default.asp

To that end, this week I asked Jessica Reis, Marketing Communications Specialist for Ag Leader Technology, about how they approach training. I’ll let her tell you the story…

“Each summer since I’ve been at Ag Leader, I’ve conducted customer interviews and testimonials. I always ask the question: ‘Are Ag Leader products easy to use?’ The typical farmer response is – ‘there’s a learning curve, but you catch on pretty quickly.’ Then I ask them about teaching someone else in their operation and the response is – ‘a couple of times around the field and they can run it on their own, no problem; or my dad picked this up in about five minutes and he doesn’t like computers!’

“Even though Ag Leader products are simple to use – especially for those who grew up with technology – Ag Leader wants to make sure growers get as much out of their precision farming investment as possible. We want to educate them on their particular product, but also the other functionality and technology that’s out there.

“We have numerous training session options:

• Hardware Training Sessions – These are in-field sessions, sponsored by the local Ag Leader dealer. Ag Leader personnel and the sponsoring dealer offer pre-season training, typically in Feb & March; then Pre-Harvest training is offered in July, Aug, Sept.  Dates correspond with the geographic area’s time in the field.
• SMS Online Training – Various SMS software features and functionality are discussed during these online sessions; great for growers who would like to attend training in the comfort of their home/office.
• SMS Basic, SMS Advanced or SMS Mobile Training – One day trainings that walk you through the software and its features.
• SMS Certified Training – This is a 3-day, in-depth training. At the end of the training there is a test – when you pass you receive a Certified Manual and Certificate for passing the class. You can earn CCA credits for attending and its ideal for crop consultants who work with clients, allowing them to be certified in handling data using SMS software. We’ve even had some more progressive end-users attend this training as well.

“So why is this important? Although I do not want it to seem like you have to have training to use an Ag Leader product (that is far from the case), I want to let your readers know its available as a resource. One of the largest benefits is the opportunity to interact with other growers and learn about how they use Ag Leader products,” she says.

Topcon Precision Agriculture is a global company with a strong presence in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and South Africa and is growing in Europe. One of their most popular products is the AGI-3 receiver. This system not only picks up GPS satellites, but also receives information from Galileo, the European satellite and Glonass, the Russian satellite said Michael Gomes, the company’s Director of Global Strategic Alliances, during the AG CONNECT Expo.

The most unique aspect of this precision ag technology is that the receiver can steer the tractor and I asked Gomes why this was advantageous to a farmer. He explained that being a farmer is economically hard. Input costs keep rising whereas commodity prices are not neccesarily increasing so farmers are squeezed for profit. So, he continued, products like the AGI-3 are tools for efficiency.

“What they allow you to do is get more productivity out of the asset. When you put in an auto steering system on a tractor it is not uncommon to get double hours. Now you can get day and night repeatability,” said Gomes. This also allows farmers to go through re-tooling and ultimately a farmer can farm more acres at a lower cost per acre.

The AIG-3 works directly with steer ready tractors but if a farmer doesn’t have one, he can use the AES25 which in essence, gives the farmer a steer-ready tractor.

AG CONNECT Expo Photo Album

Listen to my interview with Michael here.

Rob says that since they come from the optical business they’re basically a measurement company that has moved into GPS and that has led them into agriculture. At the show he says they’re promoting their mojoRTK which was launched in early 2008. He thinks they’re just now hitting their stride with the product. Service has been one of their priorities and they offer Virtual Wrench which allows the operator to get help without leaving the cab using mobile phone technology. The newest addition to their product lineup is their mojoMINI which does field guidance as well as standard navigation and will be available starting in February. You can see the unit on the display in the photo.

You can listen to my interview with Rob below:

AG CONNECT Expo Photo Album

The awards were presented at the Annual National No-Tillage Conference last week in Des Moines. Here is a complete list of winners:

o No-Till Product of the Year: Keeton Seed Firmer, Precision Planting.

o Fertility: Agrotain, Agrotain International. Honorable Mention: Avail and NutriSphere-N, SFP.

o Fungicides: Headline, BASF. Honorable Mention: Quilt, Syngenta; Stratego, Bayer CropScience.

o Insect Protection: YieldGard VT Triple, Monsanto. Honorable Mention: Herculex, Dow AgroSciences and Pioneer; Warrior, Syngenta.

o No-Till Equipment: 3600 Twin-Line Planters, Kinze Mfg. Honorable Mention: Early Riser planters, Case IH; YP2425 Yield Pro planter, Great Plains Mfg.

o Planter/Drill Attachments: Keeton Seed Firmer, Precision Planting. Honorable Mention: Martin-Till WA1360 floating row cleaner, Martin Industries; 20/20 Airforce System, Precision Planting.

o Precision Tools: 20/20 SeedSense, Precision Planting. Honorable Mention: EZ-Guide 250 Lightbar System, Trimble Navigation; SmartBoom automatic boom system control, Raven Industries.

o Residue Management: Bt Crusher, Calmer Corn Heads. Honorable Mention: The Chaff Spreader, Spreader Inc.; 600C corn head, Deere.

o Seed Treatment: Poncho, Bayer CropScience. Honorable Mention: CruiserMaxx, Syngenta.

o Application Equipment: Patriot 3330 Sprayer, Case IH. Honorable Mention: 47/4830 sprayer, John Deere; RoGator sprayer, AGCO; Apache AS715 sprayer, Equipment Technologies.

o Strip-Till: Blu-Jet Strip-Till unit, Thurston Manufacturing. Honorable Mention: 2510S Strip-Till Residue Master, John Deere; Pluribus Strip-Till unit, Dawn Equipment.

o Weed Control: Roundup PowerMAX, Monsanto. Honorable Mention: LibertyLink with Ignite herbicide, Bayer CropScience; Touchdown herbicide, Syngenta; Genuity Roundup Ready 2 Yield, Monsanto.

During the AG CONNECT Expo last week, I spoke with Nathan Faleide, sales and marketing for Satshot. The company offers a GIS online system for the agricultural industry that handles and manages satellite imagery and other data for use in variable rate technology with a fertilization, seed and chemical all-in-one online mapping system. The system can be managed from anywhere in the world with online access.

I asked Faleide what types of information a grower who uses this precision ag technology would see and he explained, “What the imagery works out is the vegetative biomass or the vegetative reflectiveness of the plant which correlates to yield and productivity in the field.”

This imagery, said Faleide, shows the higher points of the growth yield potential or lower points that don’t yield as much. Ultimately, this is an advantage because farmers can focus on areas with higher yield potential and put less inputs on areas with lower yield potential, increasing the productivity and profit of the grower.

The company also provides a worldwide elevation model and when combined with their other technology can, “really pinpoint the best areas in the field to maximize efficiency,” said Faleide.

AG CONNECT Expo Photo Album

Listen to my interview with Nathan here.