Precision Pays

GROWMARK gets my vote for the most creative holiday video greeting this season!

From all of us at GROWMARK –

Have a wonderful holiday season with family and friends!
We look forward to working with you in 2012!

On Thursday John Deere finished and revealed the sculpture for Project “Can Do” – which is being considered now for inclusion in the Guinness Book of World Records.

This farm scene with an S-Series combine harvesting a field of corn required approximately 323,000 cans of food to complete. The finalized sculpture is now on display at the John Deere Pavilion. When it is taken down, all those cans will be donated to charity.

Katie Dierker, Division Marketing Manager for the S-Series combines, says the right model S-Series combine can harvest enough wheat in a day to make 1 million loaves of bread, or it can go through the equivalent of 30 football fields of corn in an hour or 350 acres per day.

Learn more about the project in an interview with Katie here: Interview with Katie Dierker

Here’s a cool time lapse video of the sculpture being built.

John Deere is trying to build a combine out of cans.

We’re talking about 300,000 cans of food here to replicate a full-sized S-Series combine in a field. It would be a world record. Kind of like what America’s farmers do every year – set new records in feeding the world.

The John Deere Project ”CAN DO” combine sculpture and food donation program are designed to raise awareness of the essential role farmers and ranchers play in producing safe, healthy and abundant food for a growing world population, while supplying much needed food supplies to a local food bank during the holiday season. The more than 300,000 cans of food needed to complete the sculpture are donated by John Deere with delivery from Hy-Vee Food Stores. When completed, the sculpture will be 60 feet wide, 80 feet long and 16 feet tall and will weigh nearly 170 tons. The sculpture depicts John Deere’s new S-690 Combine, which is the world’s most powerful combine that can harvest more than 350 acres of grain a day.

Project “CAN DO” also gives consumers a chance to be a part of building the can sculpture by ‘virtually’ creating cans of food, explains Richard Williamson, art director for John Deere Ag and Turf. “Anyone interested in participating can go to the John Deere Facebook page www.facebook.com/johndeere to submit their name and a photograph, which will be wrapped around their virtual personalized food can as part of a virtual sculpture.”

Helping to design the combine sculpture is a team from the Chicago office of architectural firm, RTKL. John Deere employees and retirees will also volunteer to assist with the overall project. The combine can sculpture will be on display at the John Deere Pavilion in downtown Moline, Ill., from mid-November to mid-December. All the canned food will be donated to the River Bend Foodbank when the sculpture is dismantled.

Find out more from John Deere.

Learn how this project came to be in this video:

I had limited time to attend this year’s Sunbelt Ag Expo in Moultrie, GA this week and had hoped to get some interviews to share with you, including some field demonstration video. But the weather did not cooperate. Opening day was a rain out and yesterday morning was windy and misty. Maybe next year.

However, I was also there to work with New Holland since we’re assisting them with their Boomer 555 Contest. To enter, all you have to do is tell New Holland what you’d do with a new Boomer tractor. You can write an essay, upload a photo or share a link to a video entry like the one below with one of the Sunbelt attendees this year.

Meet Joe Capps from Opelika, Alabama. He told me what he would do with a new Boomer tractor. The contest runs through the end of November so it’s not too late to get your entry in.

2011 Sunbelt Ag Expo Photo Album

Here is an edited video of Max Armstrong presenting the new John Deere products at the 2011 Farm Progress Show. John Deere experts explain some of the features on the new S-Series combines and R-Series tractors.

2011 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

I did a post about the AgRobotics AutoProbe several years ago and this month I finally got to see it in action during the 2011 CTIC Conservation In Action Tour on August 9 in northwest Ohio.

“It’s the first on-the-go soil sampling apparatus for agriculture,” Jeff Burton told me. “We’ve been developing it since 2002 and have been in the early commercialization of it in the Mississippi Delta and we’re in the process of taking it national.”

The AutoProbe collects a soil core every 17 feet traveling across a field and then transfers it up to the cab next to the operator. “It’s consistent, it’s repeatable, it’s faster than any other method on the market, with auto steer we can go back to the same place in a year or three years and see the difference,” Jeff says.

Listen to my interview with Jeff here: Jeff Burton with AgRobotics on CTIC Tour

Find out more about the AutoProbe on the AgRobotics website and watch it in action here:

CTIC 2011 Conservation in Action Tour Photos

John Deere unveiled a product that you couldn’t see on the show floor at this week’s product launch in Indianapolis, IN. It’s called Machine Sync. This new technology provides “timely, critical information on equipment location, operational status and automates equipment during harvest.”

“Having real-time data is critical for equipment operators during harvest,” says Holli Brokaw, AMS product manager for John Deere. “Our new Machine Sync and Machine Communication Radio provide the accurate, in-field information producers need to maximize efficiencies during the hectic harvest season.”

The radio, which is easy to set up and use, teams up with the Machine Sync activation and GreenStar™ 3 2630 Display and StarFire Receiver to create the in-field network to share logistics information.
Machine Sync is a John Deere exclusive system that takes harvest automation to the next level and the first application that uses the Machine Communication Radio hardware.

At this media day preview we got a field demonstration of how Machine Sync work from John Deere’s Bob Dyer. This was a simulated corn harvest demonstration where the combine and tractor/grain cart were “in sync.” I asked Bob to describe how the system works and you can also see the demonstration in the video.

You can listen to my interview with Bob here: Interview with Bob Dyer

2011 John Deere Product Launch Photo Album

One of the stops on the 2011 CTIC Conservation In Action Tour in Ohio last week was the farm of Todd Hesterman in Napoleon, Ohio. Todd has employed continuous no-till on his 450 acre corn, soybean and wheat operation for 22 years and used yield mapping for more than 14 years and is a strong advocate for doing what he can to help water quality and “still stay in business.”

“Our water infiltration rates for heavy rains, we can definitely see an improvement in the quantity of rain water we can accept and not have standing water or running water off the service,” he said. “That’s the biggest improvement we see is soil health and soil quality.”

Listen to my interview with Todd here: Ohio No Till Farmer Todd Hesterman

To show the clear difference between tilled and no-till soil, USDA-NRCS Ohio state agronomist Mark Scarpitti did a little demonstration on Todd’s farm by dropping a chunk of soil that had been in no-till for several decades, compared to a similar chunk of tilled soil. You can see what happens in the video below.

CTIC 2011 Conservation in Action Tour Photos

The South Dakota Soybean Council has posted a video on YouTube of a TV segment by reporter Michelle Rook that aired recently on KELO-TV news. The spot briefly describes how farmers are using precision agriculture technology to be even better stewards of the environment. Great message for non-farmers to hear!

Alltech is looking for videos that tell the story of how game changing innovations are helping farmers feed the world.

The Kentucky-based animal health and nutrition company has announced the first ever “Farming Film Festival,” offering a $2,000 grand prize. Following the theme of the Alltech 27th Annual International Animal Health and Nutrition Symposium, The Game Changers, video submissions should focus on an idea or technology that helps farmers meet the tough challenges in their career.

“Emerging new media such as YouTube and other social media outlets have been game changers for many in the agriculture industry,” said Dr. Pearse Lyons, president and founder of Alltech. “Sharing these game changing stories with others ignites a new wave of hope and innovation, and that’s what we hope to do with the Farming Film Festival.”

The rules are pretty simple. The video may be up to 2 minutes in length (including credits), it must tell the story of a farmer’s game changer and it must include footage of the farmer on the farm. That’s all there is to it. First prize is $2000, second is $500 and third is $250. First and Second Place Winners will be chosen by an independent panel of science and agriculture journalists. Third Place Winner will be the finalist with the largest number of online votes.

Participants in the Farming Film Festival may enter by uploading their video to YouTube and emailing the link to contest@alltech.com. Winners will be chosen by a panel of science and agriculture journalists based on creativity, quality of video, story interest and number of views and will be awarded up to $2,000 cash. The deadline for submission is May 13.

For official rules and how to participate, visit www.alltech.com/farmingfilmfestival.

It’s “like candy for pullers.” That’s the Championship Tractor Pull taking place after the National Farm Machinery Show closes for the day. I know these tractors aren’t out in the field running precision hardware/software but thought you might enjoy seeing one of them in action.

I had to spend a little time seeing the big indoor show and have some photos uploaded for you.

This invitation-only event stars the nation’s best drivers and their ground-pounding machines – Pro Stocks, Super Stocks, Modified, and Alcohol Tractors as well as Two-Wheel and Four-Wheel Drive Trucks. The drivers compete in four exciting evening performances and an additional pull on Saturday afternoon. Drivers are not only gearing up for the unequaled thrill of winning at this nationally recognized pull, but also for the chance to bring home a share of more than $200,000 in prize money.

2011 National Farm Machinery Show Photo Album

Precision Pays coverage of the National Farm Machinery Show is sponsored by:

Need a camera on your combine, tractor, grain bin or just about anywhere else on the farm? Try AgCam by Dakota Micro. The photo shows just one of the many places (pdf) you can put these cameras.

Dakota Micro, Inc., manufacturers of the AgCam camera system, is proud to announce the arrival of our newest product line. The OverView camera system (pdf) is the final component that allows us to offer our customers a complete camera lineup.

As a small token of our appreciation of our American Service Men and Women who defend our freedom to be the best we can be every day of our lives, we have decided to donate a portion of profits from the OverView camera system to a program called AnySoldier. Please check out their website to see what it’s all about: www.anysoldier.com.

To see how tough these cameras are watch the video:

Ag Leader Technology officially released the North American Wheat algorithm for OptRx during the Iowa Power Farming Show in Des Moines, Iowa this week. OptRx is a crop sensor used for mapping, data collection and real-time variable rate nitrogen application.

To learn more about how OptRx worked, I spent some time with Mike Olson, North American Sales Manager for Ag Leader, during the show. He said releasing this crop sensor was the next logical step for them because there is a huge demand in both North America as well as globally for nitrogen for wheat.

Applying the right amount of nitrogen at the right time is very important for wheat so you don’t have issues like lodging, and you get better crop stand. “So if we can monitor crop health as you go through the field and apply nitrogen based on it, we can use nitrogen more wisely across the field and give you a better overall stand,” explained Olson.

Last year, Ag Leader released OptRx crop sensor for corn. Olson said that in the past two years, the Midwest has seen very wet springs and crop variability has been very, very high. This has caused a lot of nitrogen leeching. Growers who used OptRx last year, on average, saw a $25 per acre improvement over not having the crop sensor and using a flat rate application.

Since real-time variable rate nitrogen applications in the field, such as OptRx are pretty new technologies, I asked Olson what the three most common questions were from growers, He said, “What’s the technology? What equipment do I need? and What are the benefits?” You can get detailed answers to these questions in the video below.

The 2011 season is fast approaching so now is the time to purchase your technology. Olson said that both the OptRx crop sensor for wheat and corn are now available and the has team members standing by to give growers the 411 on the technologies. In addition, his team members can help them get set up and ready to go so when the window of opportunity is available to apply nitrogen, they’re ready to go.

For more information on OptRx for wheat and corn, visit www.agleader.com.

Miss the show? Check it out in our Iowa Power Farming Show flickr photo album.

Precision Pays coverage of the Iowa Power Farming Show is sponsored by: .

You think it would be hard to make a great thing better, but Ag Leader Technology has done just that. This week, during the Iowa Power Farming Show, they announced a new update to their SeedCommand system – Advanced Seed Monitoring. This new monitoring system was designed to help growers eliminate yield robbing planter problems by monitoring key factors including seed meter singulation, skips and/or doubles, spacing quality, and population information.

The new technology was on demonstration during the show, and Mark Anderson, Territory Manager for Ag Leader talked to me about the product. It was a little cold and the concrete was a little hard to do any corn planting during the show, but I was still able to get a virtual tour of how the Advanced Seed Monitoring tool worked.

The technology was designed specifically for corn farmers to use on Ag Leader’s INTEGRA displays and when integrated with SeedCommand, is another precision ag technology that will help farmers increase yields and increase profits.

Anderson mentioned some additional features along with the ones mentioned above. These include:

• Virtual Seed Trench for a seed-by-seed view to assist in diagnosing problematic rows.

• Automatically determines and displays the rows operating at the lowest and highest levels for singulation and population.

• The new Advanced Seed Monitoring incorporates seed meter and placement details into SeedCommand’s row shutoff and planter-drive modules on one, easy to read and navigate screen.

Anderson said that growers were already really excited about the product at the show and once the word gets out, he expects high demand for the product. So, to ensure that all their growers get the update in time for planting, he encouraged them to order their Advanced Seed Monitoring tool as soon as possible. You can do just that by giving them a call at 515- 232-5363 or visiting their website at www.agleader.com.

And before you’re ready to apply nitrogen this growing season, check out their OptRx technology. Growers who used the technology last growing season, on average, improved their bushel per acre costs of $25.

Miss the show? Check it out in our Iowa Power Farming Show flickr photo album.

Precision Pays coverage of the Iowa Power Farming Show is sponsored by: .

The Iowa Power Farming Show kicked off in Des Moines today and Ag Leader Technology launched some new precision ag products just in time to show them off for the thousands of growers on site. One new product is the updated Mesa Rugged Notepad with the SMS Mobile software package.

The Mesa Rugged Notepad is a handheld device that is larger than a PDA but smaller than a laptop and the perfect size for growers to take out to the field. And it’s durable – it can be rained on or dropped and it will stand up to the wear and tear. It also has a glare-proof screen so even on the sunniest of days, you’ll have no problem reading the screen.

The SMS Mobile software includes several key types of in-field information that can be collected and analyzed including Soil Sampling Mode, Crop Scouting Mode, Coverage Mode, Boundary Mode, and General Logging Mode.

I caught up with Michael Vos, Software Sales Manager for Ag Leader to learn more about the SMS Mobile technology that was launched and how it will improve a grower’s operations. Vos gave me a step-by-step tutorial on how one element, the Soil Sampling Mode, worked. You can watch here in this detailed video. Now don’t worry. Even if you’re new to GPS systems and the software, the Ag Leader team will get you set up, trained and started in no time.

SMS Mobile is available right now through the purchase of a Mesa Rugged Notepad kit or you can purchase the SMS mobile and install it on your own device. To learn more, contact Ag Leader or visit their website.

You can check out Ag Leader during the Iowa Power Farming Show in our flickr photo album.

Precision Pays coverage of the Iowa Power Farming Show is sponsored by: .