Precision Pays

Does your precision technology provider deliver good information to you in methods beyond direct contact or a Website?

A good lesson regarding customer service and expanded ways to connect with customers comes from precision agriculture solutions provider HTS Precision Ag, based in Harlan, Iowa.

For example, check out their blog called “Precision Ag Explained,” where Adam Gittins posts weekly insights on products, issues and even his attendance and talk he gave at the recent precision agriculture conference InfoAg.

This week, Gittins talked about Trimble’s new Ag 3000 cellular modem, used to connect to a VRS or CORS network for RTK corrections — a product he tested and wrote about in a previous post. And he mentioned the company’s True Guide, which correct implement drift. Another post talks about Ag Leader’s commitment to training customers and prospects by breaking ground on a new training center. And still more posts highlight their own training sessions and ride & drives.

Not only does HTS blog, they are also using a Facebook fan page (where you can even RSVP for training sessions if you are a Facebook member) to connect with users on that social media site. And they also have an updated Website where they also connect with customers using an email newsletter.

HTS offers solutions to growers from Ag Leader Technology, Trimble Navigation, Norac, Garmin and Wilson Electronics. They serve growers in portions of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Nebraska.

Growers need to focus on getting the right nutrient source applied at the right time, rate and place, says Steve Phillips, southeast region director of the International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI).

In his talk at the recent InfoAg precision agriculture conference, Phillips outlined the top 10 reasons why we need to understand spatial variability for nutrient management.

10. We need to understand variability to guide technology development. Understand the job to know what tools to use — GPS, GIS, variable rate, etc.
9. More accurate computer-generated modeling needed — to better understand crop scouting and yield, water quality, climate change and more.
8. Cropping system sustainability — such as soil quality on a spatial scale, variable-rate pest management, continued grower competitiveness, etc.
7. Guide nutrient management legislation. If we don’t help put science behind legislation (that is often based on models) then we’ll have policy makers creating laws not backed by science.
6. Maximize productivity — getting the right nutrients in the right locations because blanket applications are not efficient.
5. Maximize profits — using variable-rate applications and such in-season tools like GreenSeeker or Crop Circle that use sensors to prescription feed plants what they need on the go. Technology costs are coming down to help even small to mid-size farms make it pay.
4. Minimize environmental impact — more nutrients in the plant and less in the field.
3. This year is not last year — due to the impact of weather, growers too often get into the habit of applying the same rates every year.
2. Develop nutrient recommendation systems at the appropriate scale — take national/state recommendation down to the field management zone level.
1. Making the right decision with nutrient efficiency and effectiveness to increase productivity. Learn the 4R nutrient stewardship system.

Listen to Phillips’ presentation to learn more:

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Ten years of research by Dr. Raj Khosla and his precision agriculture grad students at Colorado State University has produced a soil color based management zone technique that accurately optimizes Nitrogen use efficiency within and across zones in given corn fields.

“Once farmers realize the value of varying N rates based on field productivity zones, most want to add more N to bring the low zone productivity up. We’re helping them to change this paradigm thinking because more fertilizer in a  low zone usually isn’t cost effective,” Khosla says. “Once we start talking in terms of raising the net dollar return of the entire field to the same level, that usually gets their attention. And we accomplish that by applying low rates to low producing zones, medium rates on medium zones and high rates in high productivity zones.”

In his presentation at the recent InfoAg precision farming conference, Khosla addressed several key efficiencies:

• Their SCMZ (soil color management zone) technique has three data layers — bare soil imagery, field topography and farmer experience (where farmers indicate high and low producing areas)
• In 9 out of 10 site years, this SCMZ method can accurately differentiate grain yield going from low to medium to high zones. And when N optimization prescription strategy is applied (low rates to low producing zones, medium rates on medium zones and high rates in high productivity zones) there is a significant increase in N use efficiency, and reduced N leaching as well.
• Research in Colorado has shown that N rates can be cut by up to 40 percent in parts of fields without losing any yield.
• The early days of using grid soil sampling to build prescription maps has shifted to management zones due to the constraints of grids — grid size too large to capture the spacial variability within a grid; difficulty of interpolating fertility levels between known sample points; fertility recommendation software ignores the inherent soil variability.

Listen to Khosla’s presentation to learn more:

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Speaking at the bi-annual precision agriculture InfoAg conference in Springfield, Ill., recently, Utah State Geospatial Extension Specialist Phil Rasmussen talked about the latest tools he uses in the field.

Rasmussen has worked with NASA on remote sensing projects, and 10 years ago began a geospatial training program for County Extension agents called “On Target.” In his talk he highlighted the best GPS handheld units, software he uses, some new tools coming and how these technologies are continually evolving and converging. Some of the products he mentioned include:
Archer system by Juniper Systems
StarPal software system
Spot Tracker unit
Favorite website – gpscity.com

Listen to Rasmussen discuss this technology…

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With corn tassels popping rapidly across the Corn Belt, growers continue scouting and are beginning to think about harvest prep work as well as fall fertilization strategies. While attending this week’s InfoAg 2009 conference, PrecisionPays.com caught up with Ag Leader Technology’s Jeff Bentley to gain more insight into grower use of accurate fertilizer control.

In this interview, Bentley, who heads up sales for Ag Leader’s DirectCommand precision farming control systems, talks about several valuable and efficient fertilizer application strategies (broadcast, variable-rate and prescription) that growers and commercial applicators are controlling with their Insight and Edge systems:

· More straight and variable-rate anhydrous application

· More use of our injection system to add N-Serve to stabilize N over the winter

· More use to control granular application of P & K with an air cart in strip till operations

· More control of commercial-type spinner-spreader applicators—where users can control and apply up to 5 different products in one pass

· Greater input cost savings and environmental stewardship

Listen to Jeff’s interview…

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Michael Vos explains the many features of their tough and smart handheld PC

Continuing coverage of InfoAg 2009 conference here at PrecisionPays.com also includes some news updates from our sponsor, Ag Leader Technologies. One of the products that jumps out at you in their booth is the bright orange rubberized SMS Mobile Field PC—which looks tough enough to play football with in the rain and mud.

Seriously though, it truly can withstand field abuse thanks to its water-proof, impact-resistant, easy-to-grip outer shell. But aside from its brawn, it’s the brains and software of the handheld PC that is attracting customers. We caught up with Michael Vos, software sales manager with Ag Leader, who gave us an update on this valuable tool.

Listen to Michael…

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The SMS Mobile has open architecture that is compatible with most desktop software solutions, but it integrates seamlessly with SMS software. It comes pre-loaded with Pocket Office applications and SMS Mobile software. For more details, visit the product page on the Ag Leader Website.

Precision Pays coverage of the InfoAg 2009 Conference is sponsored by: .

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Encouraging all farmers, not just the technology adopters, to use precision fertilizer Best Management Practices (BMPs) was the theme of an opening session talk by Clyde Graham, VP of Strategy and Alliances with the Canadian Fertilizer Institute.

Speaking at the bi-annual precision agriculture InfoAg conference in Springfield, Ill., today, Graham cited the importance of a global 4Rs BMP effort with their US counterpart, The Fertilizer Institute, and global science-based organization the International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI).

As environmental issues mount and become more personal, the 4Rs—Right source, Right rate, Right time and Right place—can help farmers and the public understand how fertilizer can contribute to sustainability goals for agriculture.

Listen to Graham as he outlines the need to achieve social, economic and environmental goals, and make sure farmers measure their performance to demonstrate an ability to operate without undue regulation.

Listen to part of Clyde’s presentation:

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Precision Pays coverage of the InfoAg 2009 Conference is sponsored by: .

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Register by July 1 for the best conference covering precision agriculture and you can save $100.

InfoAg Conference, held July 14-16 in Springfield, Ill., offers excellent educational seminars, a trade show of the best precision ag companies and a chance to network with top farmers from across the US and the globe.

You’ll find topics that will bring value to your farm operation–from nutrient management and variable rate technology to software, hardware, on-farm trials, farmer/dealer/consultant success stories and much more.

And if you arrive a day early, there are Monday tours of farm and equipment plots, large grain facility and Dickey-john headquarters.

Register online today.

It may still be holiday time but you can still plan ahead for educational events like the 2009 InfoAg.

Dear International Precision Agriculture Community:

Dr. Harold Reetz, Jr.
Chair of the InfoAg 2009
International Plant Nutrition Institute

For Program questions:
Harold Reetz
217) 762-2074
info@infoag.org

For Sponsor / Exhibit questions:
Harold Reetz
(217) 762-2074
exhibits@infoag.org

For Registration / General questions:
Quentin Rund
(217) 762-7955
registration@infoag.org