Precision Pays

With seed costs getting higher every year, it pays to be precise when planting to avoid wasting any of that precious potential profit.

Rob Rippchen, division marketing manager for John Deere’s seeding group, was the planter go-to guy at the 2008 Commodity Classic and he was so busy talking to interested growers that I had trouble getting him away for an interview. When I did, he told me what was new this year and the key word he used was “precisely.”

“What’s new this year is we have a central insecticide system for our Pro-Series row units that allows us to precisely place insecticide treatment for rootworm in corn,” Rob told me. “The other improvement that we made was to our vacuum meters to allow growers to more precisely place seed corn in the ground.”

He says growers are looking for even emergence and even spacing for corn. “It’s not only having the accurate spacing between the plants but having the proper depth control that’s done with the row unit,” he says.

Through John Deere Ag Management Services, they also can add the auto shut-off capabilities to the planter. “Another way to save some seed costs as well as eliminate the yield drag that happens when you double plant corn.”

Check out what’s new in seeding and planting equipment on-line here.

You can listen to my interview with Rob from Commodity Classic here:

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(2:30 min. mp3)

At the 2008 Commodity Classic in Nashville, hundreds of farmers were interested in finding out more how precision technology can help them save time and money.

Laura Robson was the expert on hand, demonstrating the John Deere GS2 Display which provides excellent visibility of spraying functions while operating in the field. The GS2 Display is used for rate control, guidance, on-screen mapping, field documentation, map-based prescriptions, and Swath Control Pro.

Take a look at Laura in action:

If you are in the market for a new tractor and are maybe still using an older model - be prepared to learn some new tricks with your new ride.

Jerry Griffith, marketing manager for the John Deere 9030 series ag tractors, was at the 2008 Commodity Classic last week in Nashville talking with growers from all over the country interested in purchasing new machinery this year or next. He says some precision features are now standard on new tractors.

“Couple of years ago we started offered all of our AutoTrac integrated components as a free promotion,” he says. “Beyond that, all you really need is the receiver, the display and the software to do the AutoTrac system.”

Griffith says their dealers provide excellent support for growers to meet their precision needs. “A lot of them anymore have specialists who work with our AMS components to provide the solutions that our customers need in the farming world in the precision ag applications,” Jerry said.

One of the benefits of guidance systems and other precision features is helping farmers work longer hours with less fatigue and Jerry says one of the features on the new 9030 series lets them do that more comfortably with an air cushion suspension system that provides “the best ride in the industry.”

You can listen to my interview with Jerry here:

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(3:40 min. mp3)

One of the best places on the web to find good information about precision agriculture is PrecisionAg.com, an on-line publication of Meister Media Worldwide.

At the 2008 Commodity Classic, I had the opportunity to visit with group publisher Al Strohmaier about Precision Ag - the website, as well as the PrecisionAg Buyer’s Guide, and PrecisionAg Special Reports.

Al told me how the PrecisionAg Institute was founded in 2006 as a way to foster technology transfer, wider adoption and increasingly effective use of precision agriculture technology worldwide. “The first year we had 13 what we call founding partners,” Al said. “We used that to fund grower research on wheat, corn, soybean and cotton on precision ag acceptance.”

They also did research on how precision ag benefits growers and now they have started a new initiative called “PrecisionAg Works,” which they were highlighting at the Classic.

“We’ve got quantitative information now about profitability, how much return per acre extra, and we’re taking this message to the streets,” Al told me. “Precision is going to pay off more and more and more and that’s what the institute is all about and that’s what PrecisionAg Works is all about.”

You can listen to my interview with Al from Commodity Classic here:

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(5:20 min. mp3)

Lee Madden is product manager in the sprayer marketing group with John Deere and he was busy at the 2008 Commodity Classic trade show in Nashville this week telling growers about the new 30 series line up.

Among the changes in the new series is standard precision features, like the GS2 monitor. “That’s the color touch screen display for the GPS products that we have to offer from AMS John Deere,” Lee says. “That comes with new software for the sprayer side and also allows you to run the AMS components all at the same time.”

Lee says precision features on sprayers have really taken hold in recent years. “You have products like AutoTrac and Swath Control Pro that automatically turns the solution sections on and off for you using GPS. That really makes the operator comfortable and they see the payback really quick.”

You can listen to my interview with Lee here:

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(3:00 min. mp3)

It’s the first anniversary for Precision Pays, which was launched last year at the Commodity Classic in Tampa.

One of the first interviews we had on the site was with Laura Robson, senior marketing rep for John Deere. We caught up with her again at this year’s Classic, being held this week in Nashville. I asked Laura about the state of precision technology and how farmers are adapting to precision becoming standard on new equipment. We also talked about how last year’s ASA/John Deere Reach for the Stars contest winners used their precision package in 2007, what they thought about it and how it is helping John Deere make precision pay even more!

You can listen to my interview with Laura at Commodity Classic here:

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(4:30 min. mp3)

We continue to receive reports from farm broadcasters about precision agriculture. Our latest reports come from Duane Toews of KFRM, the “Voice of the Plains” in Clay Center, Kansas.

Duane interviewed Kyle Collins of John Deere Ag Management Solutions at Commodity Classic.

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(3:30 min mp3)

Duane also talked with Jeff Kaiser of John Deere Agri Services about OptiGro.

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(3 min mp3)

Here is a short sound bite, courtesy of Cyndi Young with Brownfield Network, that explains the advantage of John Deere’s OptiGro System for corn and wheat growers in less than 30 seconds. Jeff Kaiser with John Deere’s Agri Services does the explaining.

“The real difference is getting an image when you want it and getting it quickly after it’s taken,” Jeff says. “You can order it on Monday, get it back on Wednesday. You can have a sprayer in there Wednesday afternoon spraying nitrogen on the crop if you need to.”

Cyndi interviewed Jeff at the Commodity Classic in Tampa.

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(:30 mp3)

The industry leader in sprayers is even better with precision technology.

The John Deere 4720 was on display at the 2007 Commodity Classic, pictured here with Craig Weynand, Division Marketing Manager for John Deere Sprayers. Weynand says the 4720 is their most popular sprayer, “This machine is really tailored to the corn and soybean producer in the Midwest and the cotton producer in the South.”

Precision technology like GreenStar™ AutoTrac assisted steering system and Swath Control Pro make the 4720 even more popular.

Swath Control Pro controls boom sections in the 4720 and 4920 Self Propelled Sprayers. Swath Control Pro utilizes Global Positioning System to turn boom sections on and off automatically, according to a coverage map where the operator and machine have previously applied product or created an internal or external boundaries that is not to be sprayed.

Listen to an interview with Craig about John Deere sprayers.

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(5 min mp3)

Deere and Company was honored for its support of the American Soybean Association at the organization’s annual banquet last week in Tampa. Accepting the award from ASA President Rick Ostlie (right) on behalf of John Deere was Don Borgman, director of Agricultural Industry Relations for John Deere’s North American operation.

Deere partnered with ASA on the “Reach for the Stars” contest to help U.S. soybean producers learn more about precision ag systems and how they fit into all types of operations. ASA announced the winners of that contest during the 2007 Commodity Classic last week.

ASA and John Deere will stay in contact with each winner during the year to learn about their experience with installation and utilization of their new precision ag system. ASA First Vice President John Hoffman, a soybean producer from Waterloo, Iowa says, “We are eager to learn how precision ag has brought more productivity to their farms, and will share this information in the future on ASA’s Web site www.SoyGrowers.com.”

Earlier this year, ASA mailed a packet of precision ag information to more than 1,400 growers in soybean production areas across the country. ASA and John Deere AMS personnel will also hold a series of regional grower education meetings this summer and next winter. Date and cities for the summer meetings will be announced in June.