Ted Vinson of Fithian, Illinois had very little experience with precision technology prior to winning the ASA/John Deere Reach for the Stars contest this season but now that he’s been able to use it he says, “It really is a tremendous technology and one you really can’t do without after you’ve had it.”
Vinson, who has a 1300 acre corn/soybean operation, used the precision farming package to map all of his fields at planting time, used the Green Star Auto-Trac assisted steering system to plant both corn and soybeans and to harvest soybeans, and used the yield monitor for both corn and soybeans.
Did it save him time or money? “Yes, definitely, it saved both time and money,” he said. “On the time side, when you plant with auto steer you get straighter rows and not having to use row markers to guide you on your next pass its faster to cross waterways. On the money side, less fuel was used when we combined the beans because you’re always taking a full header width cut.”
Listen to some of my interview with Ted here.
Ted Vinson (2:30 min mp3)
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The International Society for Horticultural Science, the International Society of Citriculture, the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, and the University of Florida Citrus Research and Education Foundation are holding an International Symposium on “Application of Precision Agriculture for Fruits and Vegetables.” The symposium will be January 6-9, 2008 in Orlando, Florida.
The main goal of this symposium is to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas among researchers, academics, professionals and related industries on applying advanced technology and information-based management techniques for fruit and vegetable production. The scientific sessions, poster and technical tours will provide an opportunity to discuss and learn about cutting edge technologies in this area.
The symposium registration deadline has been extended to November 2, 2007. Registration is available on-line.
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The ASA/John Deere “Reach for the Stars” winner from southwest Georgia had to contend with some seriously unfavorable weather conditions this year, but Roger Godwin of Pelham says at least AutoTrac made his life easier when it came to harvesting his peanut crop.
“Lot of people don’t know how peanuts are grown,” Roger said. “We have a plow that we go in and plow those peanuts up and invert them and you really have to stay within about a 2-3 inch tolerance of where you planted to plow those peanuts up correctly and invert them. And this AutoTrac has really made a difference in that. It has been the easiest to plow this crop up that I’ve ever had. I’m really impressed with that part of it.”
Listen to my interview with Roger here.
Roger Godwin (5:00 min mp3)
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We are getting back in touch with all the ASA/John Deere “Reach for the Stars” winners this year to see how the system worked for them and just how their crop year has been.
Our first follow-up is with Colin Dutenhoffer who grew wheat, corn and beans this year in Aberdeen, SD. Despite a weird weather year that included flooding and replanting, he is harvesting a satisfactory crop. “Wheat wasn’t anything really spectacular, but it was okay. Beans are looking decent, again nothing spectacular. Corn - eagerly anticipating that, looks like it might be pretty good,” he says.
Colin says he used the GreenStar AutoTrac Assisted Steering System for planting corn this year. “I don’t think I even dropped a marker on my planter this year, just used the guidance system,” he said. “And then started planting beans with it, both with the planter and the drill, and used the guidance and the auto steer on both of those.” He also used it to cut some alfalfa.
His favorite thing about the precision package was the record-keeping. “The record keeping functions during planting were really tremendous,” he said.
Listen to my interview with Colin here.
Colin Dutenhoffer (4:00 min mp3)
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Husker Harvest Days. And University of Nebraska President J.B. Milliken showed up to highlight the school’s increasing presence there. Enrollment for ag programs at the university has grown tremendously in recent years and the school says this is their strongest and most diverse showing at Husker Harvest Days.
Walking past it, many at Husker Harvest Days may not have realized just how much is going on at the UNL Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
“Some of the technology being developed, some of the science being developed it is critically important that the university stay connected with people across Nebraska, and this is a great way to do that,” said Milliken.
As they mention often, 1 in 3 jobs in Nebraska is related to agriculture. It is a stat that catches the attention of incoming students and that is reflected in the school’s enrollment figures released this week.
“The largest growth of any college throughout the university is agricultural sciences and natural resources - 12 percent enrollment growth this year - that is just great. It is a great success story, and it demonstrates how important agriculture is to the future of this state and the people recognize that,” said Jill Brown, College of Agricultural Sciences.
One of the school’s newest exhibits at Husker Harvest Days has to do with precision agriculture, using GPS satellite technology to monitor crop yields.
In fact, President Milliken got a chance to test out this technology for himself, using the GPS to track down a specific booth on the grounds.
Excerpts from Robert Price, KHAS-TV in Grand Island
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We’re seeing precision agriculture showing up in more than just farm publications these days. For example, the Montgomery Advertiser.com has a story posted from the (Florence) Daily Times which gives a pretty good overview of how some Alabama farmers are using precision agriculture on their farms.
In the story two of the farmers quoted are Shane Isbell and his Dad, Neal.
Isbell’s father, Neal Isbell, said it is almost impossible not to overlap spraying without using a guidance system.
“It is a big savings economically and to the environment because there is not a lot of excess chemicals out there,” he said.
Shane Isbell said damaging the land with excess chemicals is the last thing a farmer wants.
“This is our livelihood,” he said while reaching down to the soil.
“Farmers are the original environmentalists. I am going to protect that dirt with life and limb because that’s what I need to support my family.”
Isbell Farms also has taken advantage of aerial imagery that lets them look at each specific area of the field from overhead photos.
Images of fields can show which areas are growing well and which areas are not.
Feel free to visit the article and leave your comments since they have that feature enabled.
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The 30th Anniversary Husker Harvest Days 400-acre field demonstration area offered a chance to compare machines side-by-side. And that’s exactly what farmers of all ages recently experienced — a first-look at the newly launched John Deere equipment at Husker Harvest Days in Grand Island, Neb.
Husker Harvest Days it is a working show…growers get a chance to see implements work under actual field conditions. Seeing a tool perform at Husker Harvest Days is worth dozens of talks with salesmen.
They also had a chance to see the biggest and most technologically advanced machines in the world zip through corn during the show. And what modern farm show would be complete without precision farming exhibits? At HHD, new tractors equipped with autosteer and similar equipment strutted their stuff in the familiar Ride ‘n Drive area and visitors had a chance to visit with John Deere representatives as well as take a hands-free test drive.
Visit www.johndeere.com/ag or your local John Deere dealer for more information on the complete list of new products available for the 2008 growing season.
Photos courtesy of Jeff Jackson, Farm Progress Companies.
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See the entire new product lineup from John Deere, recently introduced in Cincinnati, Ohio.
“The Fight for the Cab” — Farm Industry News, August 2007
“Why Deere Decided to be the Mac in a World of PCs” — Farm Industry News, August 2007
“By Wheel or by Wire” — Farm Industry News, August 2007
Brought to you courtesy of Farm Industry News.
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This week, John Deere hits the road to farm shows including the Big Iron Farm Show and Husker Harvest Days. Fargo, North Dakota hosts the Big Iron show again this year on Sept. 11-13.
Husker Harvest Days also kicks off Sept. 11-13 in Grand Island, Neb. Be sure to stop by the John Deere booth to see the newly launched products and Ag Management Solutions precision farming services. And, stay tuned to Precision Pays for reports from Husker Harvest Days.
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The Iowa Soybean Association is working to get information out to growers about updating GPS equipment through a media release sent out September 5.
Farmers who rely on GPS for yield monitors or easy-steer on tractors should be aware of some changes that may affect them this fall.
“The Federal Aviation Administration, which manages the Wide Area Augmentation Service (WAAS) for GPS differential correction, replaced two older satellites and new ones in July,” says Pat Reeg, field operations manager with the Iowa Soybean Association.
While the new satellites will give GPS users increased signal strength and more accuracy, it’s possible that users may have to update the firmware in their receivers in order to receive signal correction from them.
“The change in satellites affects only WAAS GPS,” Reeg says. “And not all WAAS receiver systems will be affected. It does not impact OmniSTAR, John Deere SF2 or SF2, or the Nationwide Differential GPS, which is the old Coast Guard Beacon System.”
Reeg says if you’re not certain whether the change will affect your GPS receiver, all you need to do is turn it on and check to make sure you’re receiving a differential correction signal. If you are, you’re set to go. If not, you’ll need to replace the firmware in your receiver with an updated version.
“It’s especially important for growers participating in ISA On-Farm Network™ replicated strip trial studies, since we’re looking for accurate information on which to base future crop production decisions,” Reeg says.
The On-Farm Network, a program of the Iowa Soybean Association, assists growers in conducting on-farm studies of crop production products and practices.
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