Precision Pays

The International Society of Precision Agriculture is pleased to announce the 11th International Conference on Precision Agriculture (ICPA) to be held at the Hyatt Regency in Indianapolis, Ind., July 15-18, 2012.

The 11th ICPA will highlight significant research and applications in precision agriculture, and will showcase emerging technologies and information management. The conference will offer oral and poster presentations, exhibits, and opportunities for discussion and exchange of information in various aspects of precision agriculture. The dedicated session for practitioners entitled “Precision A to Z Track” will offers practical advice and training from international authorities on key topics of precision agriculture for producers and professionals.

A familiar face to Iowa growers was the host for the Pursuit of Maximum Yields event organized by FS Green Plan Solutions Thursday in Bettendorf, Iowa.

Mark Pearson is long-time host of the Iowa Public Television program “Market to Market”, as well as being a farmer himself, and he was thrilled to be part of the event and excited about the whole Pursuit of Maximum Yields concept. “The exciting part of what FS is doing is instead of offering a product, they’re offering a system,” he said. “And I think that’s going to be more of a template for agribusiness, being more of a partner.”

Pearson says the whole point of working toward maximum yields for corn growers is meeting that growing demand. “We’ve got a growing world middle class, we’ve got growing or at least stable demand for ethanol, we’ve got a product that’s in big demand overseas,” he said. “It’s exciting what GROWMARK and FS Services are doing because we need the production.”

Pearson says he is proud of the way farmers can get together in a forum like this to help each other do a better job of feeding the world. “Because good farmers are more than willing to share what they’re doing and hear what you’re doing,” he said.

Listen to my interview with Mark Pearson here: Mark Pearson Interview

Photos from Iowa Pursuit of Maximum Yields Event

South Dakota State University (SDSU) Extension’s 13th annual Precision Ag Conference is set for Feb. 22 in Aberdeen S.D.

The one-day event is designed to provide producers with the latest in precision ag research, technology, equipment and information through presentations and a trade show.

The program will include presentations on Making ‘Cents’ out of Yield Data, Mapping and Interpreting Yield Maps, Precision Ag – Machinery Innovations for the Future, Ag Information Systems of the Future, The Miracle of Modern Agriculture. Concurrent sessions will feature industry updates from a number of companies including Ag Leader Technologies, Raven Applied Technologies, and John Deere/RDO Equipment.

The conference opens at 7:30 a.m. at the Best Western Ramkota Inn with registration and coffee and presentations will begin at 9:00.

Pre-registration cost for the event is $20 before Feb.15. The cost at the door is $25 per person. For more information contact Mark Rosenberg at the SDSU Aberdeen Regional Extension Center – mark.rosenberg@sdstate.edu.

The latest in precision farming technology and techniques are always part of the annual Commodity Classic and this year is no exception.

In addition to the huge trade show featuring the latest equipment and gadgets, there will also be a number of break out sessions dedicated to the latest in precision agriculture, including a panel discussion sponsored by the Precision Ag Institute.

Three growers will share their precision agriculture success stories in a presentation, “PrecisionAg: Know More; Grow More,” on March 3 at Commodity Classic. The growers are Lon Bohn of Gibbon, NE; Don Glenn of Hillsboro, AL and Kevin Stoy from Ashley, IN. See this article from PrecisionAg Works for a preview.

The annual meeting of corn, soybean, wheat and sorghum producers will be held March 1-3 at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville. Convention details and registration information are available at commodityclassic.com.

The Nebraska Agricultural Technologies Association Conference and Trade Show will be held Feb. 1-2 in Grand Island, Neb.

Many agriculturists contend that variable rate (VR) technologies and techniques are the next significant step in precision agriculture. This symposium offers a collection of VR topics taught by experts from the private and public sector. A fast-paced approach of 30-minute presentations combined with plenty of time for discussion and debate promise to make this a dynamic learning opportunity.

Here are some of the conference highlights:
- Variable Rate Technologies and Techniques Symposium
- Nutrient Management: Now and in the Future
- An Overview of Today’s Precision Agriculture Topics and Issues
- Employing Precision ag Technologies to Attain Record Corn Yields
- A Vision for Nebraska’s Innovation Campus
- LightSquared Impact on the Agricultural Sector
- Clouds on the Horizon: How Developments in iT as-a-serve Technologies Might Impact Rural America

Click here for the full schedule and conference registration form.

Announcing Precision Ag 2.0: The Next Generation – a trade show Feb. 22-23 in Calgary, Alberta.

As GPS and GIS is now everywhere, the next level is to understand how we can use this technology to make a profit and grow the industry. Topics covered will include increased profitability and sustainability, protecting the environment, optimizing your use of agricultural inputs, data management, on-farm research and more.

The conference will feature…
– 2 full days with over 30 speakers & interactive breakout sessions
– Current information on practices and technologies being adopted by progressive farmers in Western Canada and abroad
– Topics for all skill levels and experience
– 35 tradeshow booths dedicated to precision agriculture
– Meet with progressive and innovative practitioners of precision agriculture

Click here to register.

The growing use of precision technology in the southeast, especially among peanut farmers, led AgLeader Technology to become a sponsor and exhibitor at the Southern Peanut Growers Conference (SPGC) this year for the first time.

AgLeader’s Russ Morman (left) says being at the conference was good for two reasons. “Number one, it’s certainly helped to educate us as to where the peanut industry is going and number two, it’s helped to show the growers in the area that AgLeader is definitely a big power in the precision ag industry and we’re here to help them.”

Listen to my interview with Russ from the SPGC here: Russ Morman, AgLeader

Ag Technologies and Trimble were also at the SPGC, sponsoring the conference blog for the fourth year.

Robbie Tabb of Ag Technologies, pictured here on the far right, says they love coming to the conference and talking to peanut farmers about how they can help them be more efficient. “The southern peanut grower can stand to increase yield by 300-400 pounds per acre simply by having GPS,” he told me. “That’s why we’ve grown so much in the southeast is because of our peanut growers. They’ve really seen an increase in profitability just by having the guidance on the tractor.”

Listen to my interview with Robbie here: Robbie Tabb, Ag Technologies

Both Scott and Robbie say the use of GPS for farming in the southeast has improved dramatically over the last several years, thanks to additional satellite availability and improved technology.

The Danforth Plant Science Center will host an international conference focused on agricultural innovation this month in St. Louis.

The third annual Ag Innovation Showcase will highlight “innovative ideas and opportunities for agriculture to help solve long-term issues in food production and security, environmental and energy concerns.”

The two-day program will feature dialogue and discussion between participants and deal-making across the spectrum of ag-bio, food and nutrition, biofuels, sustainable materials, clean-tech, information technology and animal health. Innovations in various sectors will be spotlighted through presentations by 16 entrepreneurial companies selected in a global business plan competition focused on technology innovation and market and business vision. The winning companies represent some of the most promising innovations across industry sectors and worldwide geographies.

The showcase will be held May 23-24 in St. Louis. Registration and other information can be
found on the event website.

Volunteers are needed for the annual Wisconsin Farm Technology Days event this summer.

The three-day outdoor event showcases the latest improvements in production agriculture, including many practical applications of recent research findings and technological developments. Each year, it is held in a different Wisconsin county – on a different host family farm. This year’s host is Seehafer’s Acres in Marathon County. The dates are July 12-14 and the theme is “A Growing Tradition.”

About 1200-1500 volunteers are needed to help with the preparation before the show, during the show and for cleanup after the show. Volunteers will receive a t-shirt and admission pass. If you or a group of people are interested in the opportunity to be part of Wisconsin’s largest outdoor agriculture show right here in Marathon County, please contact Diane Borchardt at diane.borchardt@co.marathon.wi.us.

Next year’s event will be held in Outagamie County and in 2013 it will be in Barron County. The theme for the 2012 WFTD is “Innovations in Agribusiness,” but no theme has been chosen yet for 2013 and they are looking for ideas.

During the recent National Ag Day festivities in Washington DC, the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) Executive VP/CEO Dr. John Bonner presented Senator Mike Johanns (R-NE) and Representative Collin Peterson (D-MN) with the President’s Award which recognizes those individuals who have furthered the cause of agriculture, science, and technology.

Senator Johanns grew up on a farm and eventually became the 28th Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture in January 2005. He is the Ranking Member on the Agriculture Committee’s Domestic and Foreign Marketing, Inspection, and Plant & Animal Health Subcommittee, and he honored our nation’s farmers and ranchers as part of National Agriculture Week in a speech on the Senate floor when he highlighted the hard work of producers across Nebraska and the nation who continue to lead the way in agriculture. Senator Johanns stays in touch with the CAST organization, and he recommended a study of the Convergence of Agriculture and Energy, a CAST publication that produced valuable research information.

Representative Peterson also has farming roots, and he has been in Congress since 1990. Currently the Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Committee, he has been involved in many agriculture bills, and the President’s Award is yet another achievement to add to his many accomplishments. His agriculture staff has assisted the National Coalition for Food and Agricultural Research (NC-FAR) with locations for luncheon gatherings, and CAST has been able to present numerous Task Force Papers and Commentaries at these events.

Dr. Bonner is also chairman of the Agriculture Council of America, which sponsors National Ag Day activities, something he says is very important to help educate the public about American agriculture.

Listen to Chuck Zimmerman’s interview with John on Ag Day here: Dr. John Bonner Interview

InfoAg 2009 was a terrific success. Over 650 participants shared in presentations on a wide range of topics on technology applications and data management and interpretation. As with previous InfoAg Conferences, the networking among participants was again a highlight of the experience. New relationships formed at InfoAg will lead to greater benefits and opportunities for those involved.

InfoAg 2011 will be held July 12-14 in Springfield, Ill.

Coverage of the event will be sponsored by Ag Leader.

Only eight months until the world’s largest agricultural machinery and equipment exhibition opens its gates in Hanover, Germany with more manufacturers of tractors, agricultural machinery and equipment than ever before.

During the 2011 Commodity Classic, I had a chance to chat with our friends Malene Conlong and Annette Reichhold with DLG (Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft – German Agricultural Society) who organize the bi-annual Agritechnica. “It is in fact the biggest show,” Malene said. “It’s got 355,000 visitors from all over the world and many of them are from America. In fact, 3-4,000 people come from North America to visit the show and 2,300 exhibitors.”

“It’s not only the largest in the world but it’s the most modern in the world and it’s very well organized,” Annette added, explaining that they have 18 halls under the show roof, structured by topic and interest for farmers who attend.

They also choose a special topic to highlight during each Agritechnica and this year it is “smart farming,” according to Malene. “You guys in America actually started this off with your precision farming and this is something that we’ll be exploring in depth,” she said. “We’ll have interactive displays on things like navigation, GPS, sensor technology and we’ll be focusing specifically on protecting the environment and cost reduction for farmers, how to produce more efficiently.”

Agritechnica has partnered with the AgConnect Expo here in the United States to build up a similar show on this side of the Atlantic on the off years – even though they will technically be held in the same calendar year. Agritechnica 2011 will be held November 15-19.

Listen to or download my interview with Malene and Annette here: 2011 Agritechnica Preview

Thanks to John Deere for sponsorship of our coverage of the 2011 Commodity Classic
2011 Commodity Classic Photo Album

Agricultural equipment and machinery manufacturers are implementing more advanced electronics into their products these days to help farmers become ever more efficient. That’s why “Smart Farming” will have its own special segment at Agritechnica 2011, November 15-19 in Germany.

According to show sponsor DLG, “Smart Farming – Intelligent and sustainable plant production “ will host a wide range of renowned independent experts from leading agricultural consultancies and specialists from academia.

Visitors to the “Smart Farming” show special will be able to obtain a wealth of authoritative information and practical advice on the best-practice application of current technologies together with news of the latest technical trends that underpin intelligent farming.

“Robotics, automated steering and driving, and GPS satellites are just some examples of future technologies which are now within the reach of today’s progressive farmers. The DLG at Agritechnica 2011 will highlight the exciting efficiencies that can be achieved by adopting the best technologies available today that are vital to intelligent enthusiasts” says Roland Hörner, Head of Technology, DLG.

Read more here.

Precision agriculture means more than just the use of equipment and technology to save time and money, it also means the “application of technologies and agronomic principles to manage spatial and temporal variability associated with all aspects of agricultural production for the purpose of improving crop performance and environmental quality.”

At the recent GROWMARK FS Green Plan Solutions “In Pursuit of Maximum Yields” conference in East Peoria, growers and consultants heard from two University of Illinois experts on how to maximize corn and soybean yields.

Dr. Fred Below gave his “Seven Wonders of the Corn Yield World” presentation to the audience. “The seven wonders concept was designed for us to put a value and ranking behind those factors that every year impact corn yields,” said Dr. Below. “Number one is the weather, number two is my favorite – nitrogen, three is the most important decision farmers make each year – hybrid selection, number four has to do with crop the year before, number five is plant population, number six is tillage or no tillage and number seven is a new broad category called growth regulators. And these factors together can combine and maximize to produce up to 260 bushels.”

Listen to my interview with Dr. Fred Below here: Fred Below Interview

Dr. Vince Davis discussed how it takes a total management approach to increase soybean yields. “In soybeans, increasing yields is a really tough game to get into,” Vince told me. “About 10 bushels, 9 and a half bushels an acre is about what we were able to obtain in our large plots, and that’s about what I’ve seen as a maximum level that we can increase. If you can put up 10 extra bushels at $13 beans, that’s a lot of extra money.”

Vince urges farmers to get as much information as they can and experiment to find out what works on their own operations and he had praise for GROWMARK and FS Green Plan Solutions agronomists working with producers. “We worked with one of our local agronomists at the Illini FS location and they are doing a great job getting on the farms, finding out what growers are interested in doing, what does and doesn’t work on the farm, and do it all from the standpoint of economics,” he said.

Listen to my interview with Dr. Vince Davis here: Vince Davis Interview

FS Green Plan Solutions, an integrated, solutions-based approach designed to help producers enhance farm profitability by providing complete agronomic recommendations from a trusted team of FS specialists.

The most influential people in the world are not politicians,
financial advisors, or corporate executives…
They are American farmers.

FS Green Plan Solutions is holding an informational conference this week in Peoria designed to help farmers pursue the maximum yields possible on their operations to continue to provide food, fiber and fuels for a growing world population.

Among the presentations, Dr. Mike Boehlje of Purdue University will discuss the factors driving world economics, and how they affect American agriculture. Dr. Fred Below and Dr. Vince Davis of the University of Illinois will talk about the ‘formulas’ for reaching unprecedented corn yield levels and recent research in maximizing soybean production. Agricultural attorney Gary Baise will review how modern agriculture plays in both the environmental and political landscapes, and discuss the efforts of agriculture industry advocates in informing and educating the American public on the value of optimizing and sustaining food production. A panel of industry experts will discuss how technology tools are supporting maximum yield potentials and GROWMARK Agronomy Services Manager Dr. Howard Brown will present the findings of field trials conducted by individual farmers in Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin in their pursuit of maximum yields.

Precision Pays will be at the conference doing interviews with key presenters about this vitally important issue of increasing yields to share with our readers in the coming days. You will definitely want to stay tuned!