Precision Pays

The U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) has received national recognition for its ground-breaking campaign to help improve the dialogue with consumers about how their food is grown and raised. USFRA, along with its agency partner Ketchum Public Relations, won the prestigious Gold SABRE Award for Excellence in the Associations category. The entry, titled “Since When Did Agriculture Become a Dirty Word?,” highlighted the strategies, execution and messaging used for the public launch of USFRA at the September 2011 Food Dialogues Town Hall.

USFRA’s Communications Advisory Committee and Ketchum began their work together in March of 2011. Since that time they have worked together to create a movement that focuses on bringing the voice of farmers and ranchers to conversations centered on food and food production. Over the past fourteen months USFRA and Ketchum have implemented many successful events and tools to help farmers and ranchers have that conversation, and explain the importance of continually improving today’s agriculture. Today’s news remains filled with stories questioning the integrity of the entire food production chain, and USFRA, in response, has initiated recently the “Grow What You Know” Rapid Response System that allows farmers and ranchers to be alerted of topics in the media that lack a farmer and rancher voice. USFRA will also host two additional Food Dialogue events over the next six months to continue the conversation about how food is grown and raised.

Barcodes may bring to mind the sales tags and scanners found in supermarkets and other stores. But USDA scientists are using “DNA barcodes” to monitor insects that damage crops as diverse as wheat, barley and potatoes, and to make pest management decisions.

In DNA barcoding, scientists sequence a designated part of an organism’s genome and produce a barcode from it for a systematic comparison with the sequenced DNA of other closely related species. DNA barcodes are being developed on a wide range of plants and animals as part of a global effort to catalogue the diversity of life on Earth.

DNA barcodes are now being used in an unconventional way: to identify insect predators best equipped to control the Colorado potato beetle, which is the single most damaging insect pest of potatoes in the Eastern United States.

Read more here.

Precision agriculture products and practices have been enhanced and improved over the past two decades in large part by the work of innovative and driven individuals and organizations. The PrecisionAg Award of Excellence program sheds light on some of the most important people and programs that have helped agriculture realize the full benefits of technology to improve agronomy, efficiency, and stewardship in crop production.

The PrecisionAg Awards of Excellence presents four awards in the following categories:

• Educator/Researcher Of The Year
• Legacy Award
• Crop Adviser/Entrepreneur Of The Year
• Farmer Of The Year

Nominations for these awards are now being accepted. Recipients will be honored at the International Conference On Precision Agriculture in Indianapolis this July.

Click here to submit a nomination.

Case IH will expand its Advanced Farming Systems (AFS) precision farming offering by introducing a new GPS receiver and new variable-rate controller and telematics systems and AFS software. Earlier this week at Agritechnica in Hanover, Germany, Case IH unveiled an expanded AFS software package, AccuControl rate controller technology, the AFS 372 receiver and AFS Connect telematics.

AFS Connect
Representing the first commercial telematics launch for Case IH, AFS Connect provides wireless connectivity to the Pro 600 and Pro 700 display through cellular data. AFS Connect will provide up-to-date information regarding fleet management, a virtual display of cab monitors in the office, performance analysis, file management received from the field, and two-way messaging, among other key features.

AFS software
The all-new Case IH AFS software suite will greatly expand upon the current capabilities of AFS desktop software, while also interfacing seamlessly with previously collected AFS data. At launch, the Case IH AFS software offering will include five packages designed to work together seamlessly and meet a variety of needs.

AFS AccuControl rate controller
Using the new AFS AccuControl rate controller technology, Case IH AFS Pro 600 and AFS Pro 700 display users can vary sprayer, spreader, planter and seeder rates or turn implement sections, including non-Case IH implements, on and off.

AFS 372 receiver
The new Case IH AFS 372 receiver is a combined GPS and GLONASS integrated receiver/antenna. By combining the functionality of the U.S. GPS and Russian GLONASS (Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System) systems, the AFS 372 receiver has the capability to include up to 44 satellites in a position solution, resulting in improved uptime during crucial field operations.

Click here for more information.

Topcon Precision Agriculture will begin providing an automatic steering option for the Pantera self-propelled sprayer, manufactured by German Amazonen-Werke H. Dreyer GmbH & Co. KG. The system consists of a hydraulic kit, specifically developed by AMAZONE for the Pantera to function with the Topcon System 150 automatic steering application.

The Topcon system is fully integrated into the Pantera sprayer. The System 150 automatic steering and section control are compatible and have been tested with the Pantera to meet exacting AMAZONE standards.

The core of the Topcon System 150 is the AGI-3 GPS receiver. The dual-constellation GNSS receiver utilizes signals from both GPS and GLONASS satellite systems. Topcon GNSS receivers will also be able to receive other satellite constellations (including the European Galileo system) when they become operational.

The AGI-3 is not only a GNSS receiver, it contains inertial sensors and steering controller, plus includes integrated terrain and slope compensation for easy incorporation with existing steering components on the vehicle. With optional RTK-GPS, an accuracy of +/- 2 cm can be achieved.

Topcon Precision Agriculture (TPA) and AMAZONE Ltd. announced a strategic partnership in which TPA will provide hardware components and expertise for automatic steering systems and section control for a complete range of professional farming solutions.

Customers will realize benefits as the systems have been optimally matched and tested to ensure a maximum range of dependable applications while delivering outstanding accuracy and precision.

The initial project of the partnership was the development of user-friendly content for an ISOBUS-operator terminal with a unique AMAZONE functionality. This console will be presented at Agritechnica 2011 in Hannover, Germany, as the new AMAPAD ISOBUS terminal.

At the heart of this new product and collaboration is the innovative AgApp (Agriculture Applications) concept developed by AMAZONE. This concept allows third-party software to be loaded onto an operator terminal, which means applications from independent developers can be fully integrated into the console interface. Now, the end user really only needs one control terminal – whether operating a machine or a sensor.

Topcon Precision Agriculture (TPA) has announced an agreement with SAME DEUTZ-FAHR (SDF), to produce a new product line for SDF dedicated to precision agriculture.

The agreement provides for cooperation between Topcon and SDF’s engineering department to develop state-of-the-art precision farming products. The products will be designed for SDF tractors and combine harvesters and marketed with the brand Agrosky™ via SDF’s distribution network. Agrosky is SDF’s brand of precision farming products.

The partnership will allow the entire range of SDF products to be equipped with precision farming devices, ranging from automatic steering, with precision from +/- 2 cm, to the most sophisticated machine control systems.

The new Agrosky SDF products for tractors and combines will be officially presented at Agritechnica 2011.

T. Joe Robertson, an experienced marketing communications and public relations manager with extensive experience in wireless technology and precision agriculture, has been named product marketing manager for Topcon Precision Agriculture (TPA).

Robertson’s experience includes vice president of McCann-Erickson advertising agency in San Francisco, and the Lois/USA agency in Chicago. Additionally, he has served as manager of communications for Novariant, Inc., of Fremont, California, where he managed all communications for its AutoFarm division.

Robertson said he was “looking forward to promoting the Topcon brand and its specialized precision ag products and services. TPA’s product lineup is recognized throughout the world for offering true solutions to the precision agriculture market.”

The need for skilled labor workers in the agriculture industry was a recurring theme at the AgCareers.com 2011 North American Ag HR Roundtable held last week at Purdue University.

AgCareers president Eric Spell says they about 190 attendees were at the 9th annual event to discuss recruitment and retention of talent in the agribusiness industry, including the largest number of employers ever. “Some companies are sending 3, 4 or even 5 attendees,” Eric says. “We do have 90 employers represented, which is by far the most we’ve ever had.”

While higher education for agribusiness executive positions has always been a focus for the roundtable, Eric says the need for skilled labor jobs has become more critical lately, especially in the precision agriculture field. “Skilled labor is custom applicators in the agronomy sector, service technicians in the farm equipment industry, GPS positions in the equipment industry,” Eric says. “They’re skilled trade positions, they’re valued, and sometimes they even pay more than a four year degree.” He notes that about a third of the 2300 jobs listed on AgCareers.com right now are skilled labor positions.

Listen to my interview with Eric here: AgCareers president Eric Spell Interview

2011 AgCareers Ag HR Roundtable photo album.

CrescoAg LLC, an independent information management company, introduced its suite of crop decision and risk management tools that will help growers and their trusted advisers better analyze data and make decisions to maximize profitability.

Today’s growers have access to an overwhelming amount of valuable data generated from precision agriculture technologies. However, turning that data into knowledge that can increase productivity and profitability is often a challenge. CrescoAg understands this challenge and provides tools that will make data from precision agriculture more practical, powerful and profitable than ever before.

The company’s products and services utilize data from tools such as field mapping, soil sampling, record keeping, automated crop monitoring and “whole farm” research plots. The data generated by these tools are mapped, stored and easily accessible. CrescoAg will accept data from all major hardware or equipment brands, translate it, store it and make it compatible with other systems. The aggregated data will allow for community analysis and benchmarking at the field and farm enterprise level.

CrescoAg products will primarily be available through retailers and crop consultants throughout the MidSouth and Southeastern U.S. for the 2012 growing season.

Farmers Edge, an independent precision agriculture consulting firm, has been ranked 11th by PROFIT: Your Guide to Business Success in their annual ranking of Canada’s Top 200 Fastest-Growing Companies.

Ranking Canada’s fastest-growing companies by five-year revenue growth, the PROFIT 200 profiles the country’s most successful growth companies.

Farmers Edge received similar accolades in 2010, when it was recognized as the number one fastest-growing company in Manitoba. Co-founders Wade Barnes and Curtis MacKinnon were also named Business Development Canada’s Young Entrepreneurs of the Year for Manitoba in 2009.

Farmers Edge offers complete land management solutions, from project development and crop planning to operations and harvest management. Farmers Edge offers advanced agronomy solutions, using a balance of traditional agronomy and new technology to provide value to the grower as well as the environment. To learn more about Farmers Edge, please visit www.FarmersEdge.ca.

AquaLiv, Inc., has officially released its first commercialized agriculture product, AgSmart™ Rice.

AquaLiv scientists have been performing agriculture enhancement studies in Japan for over ten years. AgSmart™ has proven to vastly increase the yields and quality in several crops without chemicals or genetic manipulation. The company claims AgSmart™ is the only agriculture biotechnology solution that is also natural and organic standards compliant.

“Our rice study demonstrated a 100% yield increase on a scientist managed plot and a 32% yield increase on a working commercial farm who agreed to implement our technology,” stated AquaLiv CEOCraig Hoffman. “These increases indicate significant value to both farms and global food production.”

Based on AquaLiv’s BioT™ Bioinformation Technology, AgSmart™ maximizes crop potential by accelerating plants’ natural adaptivity while exposing them to a frequency-based information composite. The information composite includes local environment data (climate, pests, diseases) and traits of other species generally only available through hybridization. AgSmart™ does not involve the actual hybridization of plants nor does it utilize genetic manipulation.

MyWay RTK LLC – a precision farming technologies company that specializes in open-technology RTK (Real Time Kinematic) – introduced industry veteran, Andy Hill, as the new General Manager. Hill comes from Premier Technologies, Inc., bringing with him 20 years industry experience in precision farming and agriculture.

With its territory already blanketing the entire state of Illinois and quickly expanding in states like Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Montana, Wisconsin and the Dakotas, MyWay RTK executives sought a proven industry expert to oversee the company’s continued growth.

As General Manager, Hill’s primary role will be facilitating the expansion of the MyWay RTK territory and working with industry representatives to implement the latest MyWay RTK offerings.

It’s one thing for growers or livestock producers and processors to work together, or vertically integrate. But what can happen when the World Wildlife Fund, Wal-Mart, Coca-Cola, McDonalds, Cargill, Intervet/Schering-Plough and beef producer groups get together? A recent story in the Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) discusses the issue and the possible eco-food results.

It is a subtle, yet vital, shift in the way food producers, manufacturers, retailers and groups outside the traditional food fence, such as WWF, are addressing a new paradigm in feeding the world’s rapidly increasing population: how food is produced, not just how much.

In practice the two issues are inseparable. The difference is that while feeding a projected 9 billion people by 2050 from less farmland has long concerned governments, and global aid and food bodies, doing so in a way that satisfies escalating environmental and animal welfare scrutiny, state and national regulations and changing consumer attitudes is considerably more complex.

Behind the farm gate it means that practices in the largest and most advanced agricultural nations, including Australia, will be in the spotlight as the new food production ground rules take shape.

Enter WWF as the unexpected and uninvited powerbroker in this high-stakes scenario. The world’s largest independent conservation organisation is targeting 100 key companies that globally trade commodities including beef, sugar, cotton, palm oil, soybeans and coffee to participate in ”round table” forums about how extra food can be produced with fewer, but more precise, inputs.

WWF’s Australian program leader for water, Nick Heath, says three times more food and fibre will be needed in the next 40 years than is produced now. ”The answer lies in precision agriculture – more crop per drop.”

And Rob Cairns, the organisation’s Australian program manager for sustainable agriculture, who has a background in the cotton and sugar industries, assures the food chain that WWF is ”just one player” in the quest for a lower food environmental footprint, ”not the policeman”.

”It’s about sustaining food production without impacting on eco-systems,” he says. ”At the moment, it’s confusing for consumers. By default, organics have been seen as the answer. But organics can’t clothe and feed the world, so we have to work with those who can make a difference. And it has to involve a number of commodities.”

Beef is at the top of that list.

In this regard, the Australian cattle industry may be ahead of the game. Meat & Livestock Australia is developing a voluntary environmental module that will enable beef producers to demonstrate the ”environmental responsible nature” of their production systems.

But it remains unclear whether farmers’ ability to merely demonstrate environmental responsibility, rather than prove it, will be enough.

To this end, a group of cattle producers in Gippsland, Victoria, is marketing beef sourced from properties with independently audited environmental management systems that comply with the international ISO 14001 standard. Their ”enviromeat beef”, sourced from 15 suppliers, is thought to be the first labelled food product backed by an environmental management system in Australia.

Read on to learn more…

Check out a good story by Farm Industry News that offers the latest look at RTK signal correction across the Midwest.

The umbrella of real-time kinematic (RTK) correction signals that covers much of the Corn Belt will be larger and more robust by the time the 2011 planting season rolls around. As a result, growers in many geographies will have multiple correction signal options for driving RTK navigation systems.

Going into 2010, most of the heart of the Corn Belt was covered by either radio or cellular systems, or both. But there were coverage gaps. By 2011, a coverage gap in Illinois will have been plugged, and coverage in Ohio, Indiana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri and other states will have been beefed up.

The improved coverage is a result of build-outs of both traditional radio-based systems and newer cellular delivery systems, which distribute RTK corrections via the Internet through cellular communications networks. Unlike in recent years, when additions to the cellular delivery system were dominated by new and expanding state department of transportation (DOT) systems, this season’s new cellular entries are systems dedicated to agricultural users.

Read on…