SD Corn

The use of precision technology in agriculture has been a game-changer in the way food is grown today. These advancements have led to drastic improvements in both the economical and environmental sides of farming. Precision agriculture has allowed farmers to increase yields while reducing the amount of necessary inputs such as seed, fuel, fertilizer and others.

To further grower education in this arena, South Dakota State University Extension will be hosting a Precision Ag Conference on Wednesday, March 13^th in Sioux Falls at the Convention Center. The conference will focus on managing farm data and the financial benefits of precision ag technologies. There will also be a precision ag trade show during the break periods and following conference.

To register and/or view the conference agenda, click on the link provided below:

http://igrow.org/product/western-corn-belt-precision-ag-conference/

The 2012 Precision Ag Conference was filled with great speakers, who concentrated their message around one task, doing more with less. Getting more from the land with fewer inputs while improving the overall environment. This idea of increasing productivity is not simply a dream, but a necessity if we plan on being able to continue feeding our world’s growing population.

The challenge is indeed real as I heard some very interesting statistics from Dr. David Clay of South Dakota State University. Dr. Clay stated that for each person born, 1 acre of space is lost to urbanization. In terms of food, he noted that in 1994 we had 1.8 acres to feed each person, but by 2050 we will need to use only .6 acres.

Dr. Clay believes that elevated productivity will not come from increased irrigation, fertilizer use or additional farmland. Our challenges will be me achieved by farming smarter, using precision tools and technology driven by new knowledge to continue our producers on a course of making more from less.

*Photo courtesy of PrecisionAg.com

Walking around the giant tradeshow at Commodity Classic in Nashville you couldn’t get very far without seeing a company who had something to do with precision agriculture. And rightfully so as a large majority of farmers continue investing in and adapting to the latest technology to make their operation more efficient and productive while reducing their inputs, costs and environmental impact.

Precision ag has done wonders for the industry and it has evolved considerably. From following a straight black line with your tractor to becoming hands free in your combine. If you can dream it, ag engineers have either done it or are working on it. While remote control equipment is still not for sale just yet, there is much that you can control right from your home computer.

Certain precision systems now allow producers to monitor everything from equipment speed, seed population and fuel usage with a virtual dashboard on their home computer with the ability to communicate back and forth with the machinery operator. Operators can also sync machinery with each other in the same field sharing speed, maps and guidance lines.

As smartphone and tablet devices become more and more prevalent, so do the applications that involve some sort of agriculture functionality. Mapping, creating shapefiles, analyzing elevation, measuring distance and marking soil sample locations are just of the functions possible from your mobile device. While the purchase price of theses applications might seem high, so is the convenience and quality of information that you will be able to plug into your operations wealth of data.

Corn Comments Podcast with Jim Woster.

Attention farmers, get ready for the 2012 Precision Ag Conference being held at the Ramkota Hotel in Sioux Falls, SD on March 27th featuring numerous industry experts including three key note speakers: Tom Doerge, Agronomist for John Deere, Barry Anderson, Pioneer Agronomy Research Manager and Don Roose, Founder and President of U.S. Commodities.

The afternoon will feature 3 different breakout sessions to choose from including: Linking Equipment and Managing Data, Equipment and Technology and On-Farm Research and Improving Knowledge.

You can register online at sdcorn.org or call the office at 605-334-0100. The price of admission is $25 per person which includes lunch, trade show and both morning and afternoon sessions. Event registration starts at 8:00am with the day wrapping up at around 3:30pm.

Click here for the complete agenda and registration information.

Increased yields, savings in time, reduced runoff, precise application of nutrients and seeds are all ingredients of precision agriculture, which is setting up farmers for future success. With the price of inputs on the rise and margins thin, a farmer’s productivity has never been more important.

Precision ag dates back to the 1970’s when laser controlled graders and scrapers were used in broad-acre operations for cotton and wheat farming. Unitl only 15 years ago was the first GPS constellation NAVSTAR made available for non-military use. Initially, accuracy was only within a number feet but now is within the inch. Today’s technology allows farmers to operate a variety of machines with little-to-no user interaction. Most systems provide all steering for the operator by picking up coordinates from GPS satellites.

Saving Time

Having your large equipment making precise turns, rows and applications will save your operation time. Most notably in planting, spraying and tillage work.

Reducing Cost

A reduction in the amount of seed, pesticides, fertilizer and fuel can be a big money saver. With the equipment mostly steering and operating on its own, extra experienced help is not a necessity.

Environmental Stewardship

There are a number of benefits coming from precision ag which reduce the producer’s environmental impact. Pollution and runoff are reduced by applying fewer chemicals; in fact some systems are so sophisticated that it will automatically apply more or less product as needed. Certain systems have the capability to alarm the producer of having proper wind and temperature conditions. The soil also benefits by having minimal disturbance.

The Future

The future of precision ag will continue to focus on improving its user friendly interface allowing more producers to adapt.
Telematics will soon allow producers to monitor machinery conditions including location, fuel consumption, speed, direction and potential maintenance all from their phone. Information on everything from planting to harvest will be available instantly.

Even further into the future there is talk about remote control capability. It sounds crazy, but you could someday plant from home.

As ag technology moves forward, farmers will become more and more reliant on precise statistical information allowing their operation to increase in efficiency while delivering productive yields.