Precision Pays

Indiana farm broadcaster Gary Truitt – voice of the Hoosier Ag Today radio network – recently did an interview with Purdue ag economist Bruce Erickson about how higher input costs are making many farmers take a second look at precision.

Erickson told Gary that the change in the farm economy has spurred a renewed interest in precision farming. “Couple of major things that drive precision technologies are saving input costs and increasing yields,” Bruce said. “With both higher input costs and high grain prices, we have the potential to make precision technologies more profitable.”

Bruce says that they are seeing a bit of an uptick in adoption of precision, more in the “on the go type things that you get with individual nozzle shut offs and the planter row control and even in guidance systems. If you can shave off a little cost when diesel is $4 a gallon, those things really start to become more profitable.”

Listen to Gary’s interview with Bruce here:

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With potential yield losses at stake, corn growers are being urged to check nitrogen levels in their fields this summer.

Darrell Anderson, Successful Farming Radio Magazine, discussed that issue with Tom McGraw, owner of Midwest Independent Soil Samplers in Buffalo Lake, MN.

“The decisions are more important than ever,” says McGraw. “We can’t just throw on lots of nitrogen for insurance purposes because of cost and environmental issues.”

McGraw suggests using satellite imaging or aerial photography to detect signs of crop stress, such as the John Deere Agri Services OptiGro system.

Listen here to Darrell’s report:

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(1:30 min mp3)

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Randy Koenen of KTIC/KWPN/Rural Radio Network in West Point, Nebraska recently interviewed Jim Schepers, USDA-ARS soil scientist with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, about the OptiGro imaging program available through John Deere Agri Services.

“In years like this with lots of excessive rainfall, what happens is nitrogen losses,” Schepers says. “Too much water for two or three days will trigger de-nitrification.”

He explained to Randy how OptiGro can help correct the situation. “They say a picture is worth a thousand words,” he said. “If you can look at your entire field, that helps you start to synthesize what’s happening in terms of nitrogen losses and crop responses. This is where an aerial photograph can help you identify where you’ve got the problems and maybe why they’re there.”

Is it cost effective? Schepers says, “About a dollar an acre, that’s about a quarter of a bushel of corn – so, it’s not much.”

Listen to Randy’s interview with Jim here: Randy interview with Jim(2:55 min mp3)

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Crop stress associated with nitrogen deficiency is showing up in some fields in the Midwest.

Tracy Blackmer, an Iowa farmer who is director of research for the Iowa Soybean Association, recently talked with Neil Trobak of KCIM in Carroll, IA about the situation.

“We do a lot of field research projects around the state focusing on nitrogen in corn,” said Blackmer. “Last year we had over 250 replicated nitrogen trials that we collected yield data on and over 1000 fields that we evaluated with aerial imagery and stock nitrate.”

It has been a wet spring in Iowa and Blackmer says one of the biggest issues with nitrogen management is the amount of spring rainfall. “When you have enough rain to move the soil profile, the nitrate will leach out with that water.”

With rainfall this spring in western Iowa well above normal, Blackmer says they have seen a lot more nitrogen stress in corn fields than normal, which means growers should be doing late spring soil tests and monitoring their crop carefully.

“Aerial imagery is one of the better tools that will let people evaluate the entire field at one shot,” he says. “Nitrogen stress doesn’t show up uniformly across the field and an aerial image will let you look at the entire field and see any small part of it at any point in time.”

Blackmer says John Deere’s OptiGro system is one tool that provides aerial imagery and processes it so a grower can see the amount of N-stress in the field and exactly where it is located. “So a grower can go in and actually go in and correct the N-stress with equipment at any point in the field.”

“With the high price of corn right now, this is something people really want to watch closely for the bottom line.”

More information about OptiGro can be found on-line from www.johndeereagriservices.com.

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(4:30 min mp3)

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There were a total of 15 growers nationwide who won the American Soybean Association/John Deere Reach for the Stars contest this year, and two of them were from Illinois.

Dave Russell of Brownfield Network recently caught up with Chris Von Holten of Walnut, Illinois to ask how he is enjoying the use of a John Deere precision technology package for one year free. Chris was already familiar with precision ag, but he has found new benefits with this system.

Listen here to Dave’s interview with Chris here:

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(2 min mp3)

Check out all of the interviews with Reach for the Stars winners in our audio archive section and check back regularly for updates throughout the growing season.

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Duane Toews of KFRM, the “Voice of the Plains” in Clay Center, Kansas has been keeping in touch with Todd Swanson of Wahoo, Nebraska who was one of the John Deere/American Soybean Association Reach for the Stars contest winners.

Duane sent in two reports with Todd about how the precision ag technology package he is getting to try out for a year free of charge is helping him so far this season.

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(2:30 min mp3)

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Brownfield Network had a couple of “Reach for the Stars” winners in their coverage area, which includes Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska, Iowa, and Wisconsin.

In this interview, Brownfield reporter Dave Russell interviews Ted Vinson of Fithian, Illinois who was one of the lucky winners in the promotion by John Deere and the American Soybean Association that allows him to use John Deere’s precision ag technology for a year free.

Listen here to Dave’s interview with Ted here:

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(3 min mp3)

Stay tuned to PrecisionPays for more interviews throughout the 2007 growing season with the Reach for the Stars winners.

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Dave Russell with Brownfield Network visited with John Deere/American Soybean Association (ASA) Reach for the Stars contest winner Neal Kuhn of Manilla, Indiana.

Neal told Dave that his new precision ag system really surprised him. “It’s done things beyond my expectations,” he said. “I’ve never had anything like this.”

Neal was one of 15 winners who have the opportunity to use a premium-level precision ag system, each with a suggested retail price of more than $20,000, for the entire 2007 U.S. growing season.

Listen here to Dave’s interview with Neal here:

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(3 min mp3)

Stay tuned to PrecisionPays for more interviews throughout the 2007 growing season with the Reach for the Stars winners.

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Linda Brekke of Linder Farm Network recently caught up with one of the John Deere/American Soybean Association (ASA) Reach for the Stars contest winners. Pete Kramer of Gibbon, Minnesota talks about the advantages of using his John Deere AutoTrac System.

Listen here to Linda’s interview with Pete here:

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(2 min mp3)

Stay tuned to PrecisionPays for more interviews throughout the 2007 growing season with the Reach for the Stars winners.

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Lyle Romaine with American Ag Network recently talked with one of the John Deere/American Soybean Association (ASA) Reach for the Stars contest winners. Colin Dutenhoffer of Aberdeen, S.D. says he is impressed with John Deere’s AutoTrac System.

“I’m able to set a line in my field, punch a button, tell it I want to go from this end to that end,” he says. “I can take my time to watch the planter or whatever machine I’m pulling and not have to worry about missing something.”

Dutenhoffer says the AutoTrac was very helpful in helping him to replant this season.

Listen here to Lyle’s interview with Colin here:

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(2 min mp3)

Stay tuned to PrecisionPays for more interviews throughout the 2007 growing season with the Reach for the Stars winners.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download