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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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

Coverage of the event will be sponsored by Ag Leader.

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

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.

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.

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!

As the grand prize winner in the competition at the AFBF 92nd annual meeting, McDowell won one full year’s use (or 300 operating hours) of a New Holland tractor. New Holland has provided a year’s free use of a tractor to the grand prize winner for 21 of the 22 years the program has been conducted.

Other top awards of $500 apiece included Rory Frick of Illinois who developed both the “most innovative” and “most widely useable” concept. Frick’s multi-functional ladder contains platform steps that remain parallel to the surface at any inclination. When unfolded at a 45-degree pitch, the ladder resembles a staircase. When in the storage position, folded and locked, the ladder is only 2 inches thick and can be used as a ramp. Wheels can be added to convert the ladder to a creeper (mechanic’s tool) and push bars can be added to make a utility cart. It provides safe, easy accessibility to even the physically challenged and reduces the risk of injury.

The “most cost-effective” idea came from Merle Langeland of Michigan. Langeland’s Care Chute with Quick-Attach Skid Steer Bracket is a calf-sized, portable animal care chute that is easy to set up, clean, move and store. It is the ideal size for working with calves.

I caught up with Katie Beeler yesterday, Ag Leader’s marketing communications coordinator, to talk about their presence at the show. Aside from being a major sponsor at the three-day event, the company will conduct three educational sessions during the show.

• Tuesday, February 1 at 11:30am, Ag Leader’s Chad Huedepohl will talk about the OptRx Crop Sensor system. You’ll learn how they measure and record data as you drive through the field—providing information on crop health, while allowing you to apply prescription nitrogen rates based on plant need.

• On Wednesday, February 2 at 10:45 am, Jeff Bentley from Ag Leader will help growers understand its ParaDyme Autosteer system and CORS networks. Come learn about the most advanced guidance system, and how it has the capability of using built-in cellular signals for remote service and connection to the CORS network.

• Also Wednesday at 12:15 pm, Ag Leader’s Michael Vos will discuss the power of all the data that can be collected during a cropping season, and show how the company’s SMS software can work the data to help improve management decisions.

Click on ‘Seminars’ at the Iowa Power Farming Show website for the entire rundown.

And if new products excite you, Beeler says Ag Leader will be talking about three new precision farming tools at their booth, along with their full product line. “Come learn about our new Advanced Seed Monitoring through the SeedCommand system that improves planter performance monitoring and control through the INTEGRA display. We’ll also showcase the new GPS 2500 all-in-one antenna and GNSS Receiver that can utilize GLONASS satellites and differential correction from WAAS/EGNOS and OmniSTAR XP/HP/VBS. And we’ll have the new Mesa Rugged Notepad at the show running our SMS Mobile software so growers can check out this valuable in-field tool,” she says. Ag Leader will be in Booth #306 in the Polk County Convention Complex.

The Iowa Power Farming Show is sponsored in part by Farm Credit Services of America, Ag Leader Technology, Bayer CropScience, Stine Seed, and The Stewart-Peterson Group. The show is owned and managed by the Iowa-Nebraska Equipment Dealers Association (I-NEDA). I-NEDA represents over 400 agricultural, outdoor power and industrial equipment dealers throughout Iowa and Nebraska. For more information about the show and a list of show exhibitors, visit www.iowapowershow.com.

Visit these links for more information.
Iowa Power Farming Show http://www.iowapowershow.com/

New Advanced Seed Monitoring
http://www.agleader.com/2010/12/03/ag-leader-announces-advanced-seed-monitoring-functionality-for-integra™-display/

New GPS 2500 GNSS Receiver
http://www.agleader.com/2010/11/01/ag-leader-announces-new-gps-2500-gnss-receiver/

New Mesa Rugged Notepad
http://www.agleader.com/2010/11/01/ag-leader-offers-new-hardware-option-for-sms™-mobile/

Ag Leader dealer locator http://www.agleader.com/dealer-search/

The Nebraska Agricultural Technologies Association (NeATA), founded in 2001 by innovative Nebraska farmers, ranchers, agribusiness representatives and the University of Nebraska Extension, has compiled another great conference.

Need a technology makeover? How about using Nitrogen more wisely? Do you want to learn how to tell your story and share your values with consumers? How about learning a better way to select crop genetics? Check out the upcoming program, and book your trip now.

For Facebook users, find NeATA here and add them as a favorite.

The University of Missouri will sponsor three free breakfast workshops on wireless soil-moisture monitoring for timing irrigation. The workshops will feature representatives from six leading manufacturers of wireless sensors.

The workshops will take place Jan. 18 in Kennett, Jan. 19 in Sikeston and Jan. 20 in Columbia.

“The price of wireless technology has decreased so much in recent years that the annual cost for complete wireless systems can be as low as three to six dollars per acre,” said Joe Henggeler of MU’s Commercial Agriculture Program and workshop coordinator. “It won’t take too much extra cotton, corn or soybeans to pay for that investment.”

MU specialists and others will provide information on types of sensors, how far they can transmit signals and their usefulness to farmers. Company representatives will briefly explain their products.
Use of wireless sensors by 500 farmers in Nebraska has shown an average pump savings of $25 per acre for corn and $19 per acre for soybeans. Missouri survey results show that irrigators who use sensors have yields that are much higher than irrigators who do not use the wireless technology, Henggeler said.

Computer workstations linked to Google Earth will be available for use by farmers and company representatives. Farmers will be able to zoom to aerial views of their farms to see where to place sensors, measure the distances involved and observe if there are obstructions that may block signals.

The companies to be represented at the workshops are Campbell Scientific, Decagon Devices, Irrometer Company, John Deere Water, Onset Computer Corporation and Smartfield. Smartfield manufactures an infrared canopy temperature sensor that can determine when a crop needs to be watered.

Data is gathered 24/7 on the crop’s moisture conditions and is displayed on the computer as graphs. Almost all of the products can be set up to text-message an irrigator when a crop needs water.
Henggeler said he is pleased with the companies that will be represented at the workshops and with the personnel they will be sending. “Companies are not just sending regular sales staff but their vice presidents, product managers and other higher-echelon staff. They are eager to meet Midwestern irrigators because they feel they have products that will help them and they want to start partnerships here.”

Workshops are free of charge, but attendees are asked to preregister at http://agebb.missouri.edu/irrigate/bhconf/2011/prereg.htm.
Workshops begin 7 a.m. with a hot breakfast and conclude at 10 a.m. Dealers will be available later in the day to make site visits. Special workshop discounts will be awarded to attendees.

Dates and locations of the workshops:
-Tuesday, Jan. 18: American Legion Building, Kennett, Mo.
-Wednesday, Jan. 19: Clinton Building, Sikeston, Mo.
-Thursday, Jan. 20: MU Bradford Farm, Columbia, Mo.

For more information, see http://agebb.missouri.edu/irrigate/bhconf/2011/agenda.htm, or contact Joe Henggeler at 573- 225-7986 or henggelerj@missouri.edu.

LoadOut Technologies CEO Neil Mylet will be presenting the company’s technology during an AG CONNECT breakout session from 9:30-10:30 Saturday morning.

Mylet will discuss various applications and different types of Smartphone features that can help make any farming operation more efficient. He will also discuss where the mobile devices are going in the future, and highlight the top 5 applications for agriculture.

Following the session, Mylet will also host a roundtable discussion on ideas, solutions, and ways agriculture can foster technological entrepreneurship to transform farms and communities of rural America.

Hoober Inc., a farm equipment dealer with stores in Pennsylvania and Delaware, recently completed work on a precision ag training center that will go on the road to provide farmers with knowledge and training.

“Instead of farmers having to come to us, we’re going to the farmers,” said Scott Hoober, product support manager. “What we have done is create a mobile classroom to help farmers understand how to get the most from precision farming technology.

“The use of this technology has just exploded the past several years and it’s reached the point where training is needed to effectively operate the equipment,” Hoober said. “There’s so much this technology can do that many farmers may not fully understand the complete capabilities of their precision ag equipment.”

The climate controlled mobile education center provides a comfortable classroom setting that Hoober believes will enable farmers to feel more comfortable and confident with the technology.

“We believe this kind of essential training is going to help our customers save time because they will then be familiar with the equipment and will be able to, in many cases, make adjustments and corrections when needed themselves,” Hoober said. “That helps them be more productive, and that’s what matters most.”

Read more…

The program is markedly different and vastly expanded from the first one held in 1997. The first program started out with “How to access the Internet” and breakouts included “Getting Started with Windows 95,” “Using your spreadsheet for Farm Decisions,” and “Using Electronic Mail.” It is really amazing to see how fast the technology has changed and integrated into agriculture in such a short period of time!

Among the many topics on the schedule for the 2011 event are: Fast Internet in Rural Missouri; Ag production software tools; Digital media; Social networking; and Cell phone use.

Registration for the event is $115 and includes meals and materials. Sessions begin at 1 pm on January 7 and continue into the evening, begin again January 8 with an early breakfast and end at noon.

InfoAg 2011 is organized by the International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI) and the Foundation for Agronomic Research (FAR), with exhibits coordinated by CropLife. Since the first conference in 1995, InfoAg has been a leading event in precision agriculture. Information Agriculture Conference occurs at 2-year intervals, alternating years with the International Conference on Precision Agriculture (ICPA). InfoAg 2011 will present a wide range of educational and networking opportunities for manufacturers, practitioners, Certified Crop Advisers, input suppliers, farmers, Extension and NRCS personnel, and anyone interested in site-specific techniques and technology.

Watch for further details and program updates at the conference website: www.infoag.org

As in the past 13 years, the conference is Co-Sponsored the following seven mid-south universities: University of Arkansas, Mississippi State University, University of Missouri, University of Tennessee, LSU Ag Center, Auburn University, and Texas A&M. USDA-NRCS of Washington DC and USDA-ARS centers in the Southern states are co-sponsors as well.

The conference has numerous Corporate Co-Sponsors and will feature a large trade show. Ag-Media Co-Sponsors are Farm Press Publications, Delta and Southwest Farm Press.

This conference, a perennial success, first opened in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1997 and alternated locations in succeeding years between Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana. This year’s conference in Tunica, Mississippi drew a record attendance of farmers who accounted for over 1.5 million acres of agriculture production last year.

“Baton Rouge is an ideal setting for the conference, providing a relaxing environment where farmers can visit with other farmers and researchers,” said John LaRose, Chairman of the Conference Steering Committee.

“This conference is recognized as the leading Southern Agriculture Production Conference mainly because over 40 farmers along with over 40 researchers and numerous crop consultants make presentations during the 90 plus breakout sessions,” stated LaRose. “During a given hour, there are over 20 unique breakout sessions to choose from.”

“This is the only annual conference in the United States where attendees can participate in approximately 40 agriculture production breakout sessions being presented by actual farmers.”

As in the past, two other conferences will be sponsored by the Cotton and Rice Conference and held at the same time and location. The Mid-South Corn and Soybean Conference and the Mid-South Precision Ag Conference are held in conjunction with the Cotton & Rice Conference.

The Cotton and Rice Conference is a must-attend event for all farmers wishing to hone their production methods. The conference offers farmers ways to trim inputs while boosting yields. In recent years both farmers and landlords have found that beyond tillage, there are many other farming resources that can be conserved through a properly designed conservation systems program. The importance of conserving soil moisture, as well as reducing fuel, labor, seed, chemical, fertilizer and other input costs is the key to economic success for all farmers and landowners.

“The main emphasis of the conference is reducing production costs and increasing yields in cotton rice, soybeans and corn through precision agriculture in its many forms,” said LaRose.

Farmers from Mississippi, Texas, Alabama, Louisiana and Tennessee will be able to receive their state pesticide re-certification credits. Certified crop consultants can select from over 40 hours of qualifying sessions to earn CEU’s during the conference.

Featured speakers at the event include David Kruse, president of CommStock Investments and Brazil Iowa Farms of Royal, and author of The CommStock Report; Jerry Nelson, freelance writer and humorist, Farm News columnist and author; and Bob Streit, a Farm News columnist and author of “Crop Watch.”

The show runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 1 and from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 2 at the Career Education Building on the Iowa Central Community College campus, Fort Dodge.

The Conservation Tillage and Technology Conference is the largest, most comprehensive program of conservation tillage techniques in the Midwest. About 60 presenters (farmers, industry professionals, and university specialists) from around the country focus on cost-saving, production management topics. The conference is broken down into tracks covering soil and water; nutrient and manure management; advanced scouting techniques; cover crops; crop management; and planters and precision agriculture.

This will be the third year for Corn University and the second year for the Soybean School, both of which cover the latest in corn and soybean management from the top researchers and industry specialists across the Midwest.

“Both programs are a main draw,” said Randall Reeder, an Ohio State University Extension agricultural engineer and an organizer of the conference. “Last year, we had about 300 to 400 in attendance at each program interested in learning the latest in crop production techniques to get the most economic yields with conservation tillage.”

Corn University will take place on Feb. 24 from 11 a.m. until 5:50 p.m. and will feature Peter Thomison, an OSU Extension corn agronomist; Bob Nielsen, a Purdue Extension corn specialist; Fred Below and Laura Overstreet, University of Illinois; and Chad Lee, University of Kentucky.

The theme will focus on achieving 300 bushels per acre using a variety of production management techniques from strip-till to nutrient management to fungicide use. Corn University is supported by Dekalb/Asgrow.

Soybean School will be held on Feb. 25 from 8:30 a.m. until 4:50 p.m. and will feature OSU Extension Specialists; Missouri farmer Kip Cullers, who set the world soybean production record this year of 160.6 bushels per acre; Shaun Casteel of Purdue University; Vince Davis of University of Illinois; and Shawn Conley, University of Wisconsin. Pioneer and Seed Consultants support Soybean School.

Other sessions taking place at the Conservation Tillage and Technology Conference include a daylong session on cover crops on Feb. 24, a daylong session on nutrient management on Feb. 25, and a half-day session on Feb. 25 on soil and water, which will include discussions of phosphorus and nitrogen management related water quality, including algal blooms.

Crop Certified Advisor credits be will offered during the Conservation Tillage and Technology Conference, including coveted nutrient management and soil and water credits.

“CCAs can get all the credits they need in both of these areas in just two days,” said Reeder.

Elwynn Taylor, Iowa State University agricultural climatologist, will be the speaker for the opening general session at 9:30 a.m. on Feb. 24.

The Conservation Tillage and Technology Conference broke an attendance record in 2010 with 966 farmers, crop consultants and industry representatives attending the event. Farmers valued the education they received at $13 per acre, roughly a $7 million value. Crop consultants placed a value on their educational experiences at $16 per acre for the land they influence.

The event will be held Feb. 24-25 at the McIntosh Center of Ohio Northern University in Ada. Sponsors include Ohio State University Extension, the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, Northwest Ohio Soil and Water Conservation Districts, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA Farm Service Agency, and the Ohio No-Till Council.

Early registration is $50 for one day or $75 for both days. At the door, registration is $60 for one day and $85 for both days. Complete registration and program information will be available after Jan. 1, 2011 at http://ctc.osu.edu.

Among the items they have for sale on-line are hats, hooded sweatshirts, t-shirts (youth & adult), tote bags, travel mugs – and the collectible IH544 toy tractor with a 2-point mounted sickle mower is available for the first time ever. The tractor is being sold exclusively through the 2011 Marathon County Farm Tech Days and only 1,000 will be produced. Proceeds will support the 2011 Marathon County Farm Tech Days. The only catch with the tractor is that you can buy it now, but it will not be available until the show in July.

Wisconsin Farm Technology Days is the largest agriculture exposition in Wisconsin that showcases the latest improvements in production agriculture. Each year, the three day event is held in a different Wisconsin county on a different host family farm. With over 600 exhibitors, the show draws 60,000 agriculture and rural visitors from Wisconsin and surrounding states.

The July 12-14, 2011 show will be held at the Ken & Karen Seehafer farm north of Marshfield. The 3rd generation family farm was originally purchased by Ken’s grandfather in 1930 consisting of 80 acres. The farm grew to 200 acres by Ken’s parents, Alma and Elmer Sr., and were milking 36 cows when Ken joined the operation in l968. He purchased the farm in 1972 and it continued to change throughout the years to its existing 750 acres owned plus 100 rented and 250 milking cows.

Nitrogen has also become more expensive over the past couple of years so more effective nitrogen programs are of great value to them. Enter the OptRx Crop Sensor by Ag Leader. This is variable rate technology that not only applies nitrogen, but adjusts the rate of application on the go. The sensor is able to determine if the soil needs more or less nitrogen and on the fly, makes appropriate adjustments.

Jessica Reis, with Ag Leader, explained that being able to adjust nitrogen offers a multitude of benefits but one of the most important of them is the ability to use appropriate amounts of nitrogen on each area of the field will improve yield and that means improved profit.

Check out our Farm Progress Photo AlbumFarm Progress Photo Album.

Precision Pays coverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by: .

If you’re going to the show, Ag Leader Technology has a special free t-shirt offer with a chance to win an EDGE display. Before you go, just visit the Ag Leader Facebook page and click on the invite under the tab ‘EDGE Giveaway.’ Then fill out the survey and bring it to the Ag Leader booth (Lot 517).

While at the booth, check out the live demonstration of the OptRx Crop Sensor. A Hagie sprayer, complete with the OptRx sensors, INTEGRA display and ParaDyme steering system, will be gathering crop condition data on live corn plants.

Also check out the new SMS Mobile PC software that will be available this fall for PC-based devices such as laptops, netbooks and tablets that run Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7.

And stop inside the tent to learn more about all the products from Ag Leader—from displays and guidance to planter/sprayer controls and software that handles all the data. Product experts will be on hand to help you learn what can best fit your operation.

Visit these links for more information.

Farm Progress Show Website http://www.farmprogressshow.com/

Ag Leader Precision Point Blog: Calling Farm Progress Show Attendees!
http://www.agleader.com/2010/08/23/calling-farm-progress-show-attendees/

Ag Leader Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/AgLeader?v=app_4949752878

Survey for Free t-shirt and EDGE drawing http://www.agleader.com/mirror/FB-EDGE-Survey.pdf

OptRx Crop Sensor http://www.agleader.com/products/directcommand/optrx/

Fall Release of SMS Mobile Software http://www.agleader.com/2010/07/19/ag-leader-announces-fall-release-of-sms-mobile-pc/

This new program offered by University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension is designed for:

• Farm operators wishing to get more return on their precision ag dollar investment
• Crop consultants and industry agronomists who desire to provide more accurate information and better service to their customers
• Corporate industry and government agency personnel needing to know and understand the technology being used in today’s production agriculture.
• Precision ag instructors

Learn more at http://ardc.unl.edu/precisionagpracticum/.