Precision Pays

John Deere has recently announced that it’s offering a slew of different precision agriculture products. Some are available now and others are scheduled to be released in the spring or fall of 2009. Kim Fletcher, Marketing Representative with John Deere Ag Management Solutions has been hosting several live presentations showcasing many of the new products and some old favorites at the 2008 Farm Progress Show John Deere exhibit. I managed to grab video of one of her presentations. Check out the video below. I’ll also be posting a couple interviews with her about the products in the next few days.

John Deere RowCommand: New Technology for Efficient Planter Row Control
John Deere AutoTrac RowSense
John Deere GreenStar Lightbar, GreenStar 2 Display 1800 and StarFire 300 Reciever
John Deere SeedStar 2 Monitoring System
John Deere iGuide
JDLink

John Deere Precision Ag Products from Laura McNamara on Vimeo.

The 2008 Farm Progress Show is just around the corner. Both Chuck and I will be on-site providing constant updates throughout the event, August 26th through 28th. I’m sure we’ll find plenty of information on precision agriculture, so be sure to check back here for the latest precision farming news from Boone, Iowa.

The show is boasting the following for participants and visitors:

• Field demonstrations: harvesting and tillage
• Ride ‘n Drive
• New product introductions
• GPS display and demonstrations
• Seed and crop technology plots
• Marketing seminars
• Cattle handling demonstrations
• Equine events
• Antique tractors and equipment
• Crafts and collectible farm toys
• 75-acre exhibit field featuring hundreds of top agribusinesses from around the world

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:

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

(3:40 min. mp3)

Farmers near Lubbox, Texas who are interested in learning more about precision farming equipment and software are in luck. The High Plains/Midwest Ag Journal reports The Southwest Farm & Ranch Classic will offer special courses on precision agriculture on Jan. 31, 2008.

9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Precision Ag. Courses–Room 107 (just off the south Pedestrian Mall);

–”What Precision Ag does for me on my farm”–Glenn & Steven Brosch, Slaton, TX; Eddie Griffis, New Deal, TX (1.0 CEU Gen);

Click here to view the entire article.

John Deere is launching its new 6030 Tractor Series in England next month. The line will debut during January’s New Horizon Tour. The Stackyard News reports the tour will make at stop at the LAMMA Show at Newark on January 16th and 17th, the Royal Welsh Showground on January 22 and 23, and The Dairy Show at the Bath & West Showground on January 30. But that’s not all. The green and yellow will also be featuring new intelligence packages and precision applications.

This special display will also feature the new 7750i self-propelled forager, 5430i self-propelled sprayer and T560 combine, which were launched in 2007, plus the latest John Deere balers and trailed sprayers. The company’s technical and sales staff and local dealer personnel will be on hand to explain the latest technology behind the new machines, which are spearheading John Deere’s equipment range for the 2008 season.

In addition to the basic models, six new i Series machines will be equipped as standard with an integrated ‘intelligent’ package of precision farming technology. This includes the HarvestLab dry matter sensor, GreenStar 2600 display, Harvest Monitor and Harvest Doc software and StarFire iTC receiver with SF2 signal (offering +/-10cm accuracy for yield mapping). The new AutoLOC feature also provides automatic adjustment of the length of cut depending on the dry matter content of the crop being harvested, based on settings programmed in by the operator on the in-cab GreenStar display.

Click here to view the entire article.

The farming industry is constantly changing and the 2007 Farm & Gin Show wants to give farmers the tools and education to keep up with those changes. The Delta Farm Press reports that this year’s show will feature one of the most innovative tools in farming today, precision application.

Technology’s impact on farming will be even more evident at this year’s show, as agriculture moves rapidly toward development of systems that save time and labor, such as the new cotton harvesters with on-board module builders, and widespread adaptation of global positioning system (GPS) technology that allows precision application of inputs, auto-steering, and other advancements.

More than 400 exhibitors, from almost every state and several worldwide locations, will be participating in this year’s show, which is co-sponsored by Delta Farm Press.

Click here to view the entire article.

Central Ohio Agronomy Day is scheduled for December 18th, and the Newark Advocate reports that the event will open up a discussion on precision agriculture between farmers and precision ag experts:

Topics of discussion during the event include growing organic matter and tilth in soils; scenarios and possibilities for 2008 weather; enhanced quality soybean traits; fertilizer application accuracy; optimizing fertilizer costs; soil and water balance; precision farming with planter units and sprayer nozzles; foliar disease management in corn and soybeans; and weed resistance.

Click here to view the entire article on Central Ohio Agronomy Day.

Farmers had the chance to learn about tools available for precision agriculture at The Peoria Civic Center in Peoria, IL this week. The Greater Peoria Farm Show just ended Thursday. The PJStar.com reports that the the Peoria show is considered the largest indoor farm show in the state of Illinois. The news organization also highlighted a display at the show that featured precision agriculture:

If you think farming is just a matter of reaping what you sow, a visit to the Precision Planting booth is instructive.

That education involves an elaborate series of booth displays and an ample supply of literature on company products such as the Precision Meter.

Click here to view the entire article.

One of the biggest client-customer programs offered at the John Deere Agritechnica exhibit is the iSolutions program. Paul Leathem, the manager of John Deere Advertising in Africa, Europe and the Middle East, explains that AMS technology is well known in both North America and Europe, but the technology is less understood in Europe. He says iSolutions is meant to explain the different packages of AMS solutions John Deere can offer to farmers.

You can listen to Paul give a detailed explanation of iSolutions and several packages offered for different types of farmers here:

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(4:00 min mp3)

The technology behind the 730i series sprayers is child’s play for Paul Leathem, the manager of John Deere Advertising in Africa, Europe and the Middle East. The sprayers are also equipped with intelligent applications such as the AutoTrac assisted steering system, BoomPRO and SprayPRO. Paul says these sprayers can retract to dimensions suitable for road travel at the push of a button. The 730i series sprayers can also travel up to a speed of about 12 mph in the field.

You can listen to Paul elaborate further on the 730i series sprayers here:

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

(6:00 min mp3)