Precision Ag Event scheduled for Feb. 24
Published: Feb 19, 2010 3:36 pm - 0
For those looking for ways to update and improve farming operations are invited to attend the 11th Annual Precision Ag Conference planned for Wednesday, Feb. 24 at the Ramkota Exhibit Hall at 1400 8th Avenue N.W. in Aberdeen.
Mark Rosenberg, Spink County Extension Educator, one of the organizers, said that 80 to 100 people had registered by Tuesday, including some students from South Dakota State University.
“We look forward to a great program and people can still register,” said Rosenberg.
Registration on Wednesday begins at 7:45 a.m., followed by opening remarks by Rosenberg. The one-day event costs $25 per person for those who register after Feb. 16. Certified Crop Advisor CEU's have been applied for and are pending.
To register, mail payment and contact information to the Spink County Extension office, 210 E. Seventh Ave., Redfield, SD 57469-1283. Make checks to the 2010 Precision Ag Conference; (605) 472-5006 or email Spink.County@sdstate.edu.
At 9 a.m., Gil Gullickson of Successful Farming magazine will present, “Where We’ve Been and Where We’re Going in Precision Ag.” He covers the latest developments in seeds, agricultural chemicals, precision agriculture and other agricultural technology.
According to Gullickson, “Precision agriculture used to be “pie-in-the-sky” technology, but it’s quickly becoming mainstream among many farmers. I remember hearing a 1982 speech when I attended SDSU by former Dakota State University Jerald Tunheim. He grew up a mile from my home farm by Langford. He talked about thinking while cultivating corn that somehow the tractor would be automatically guided between rows so he wouldn’t wipe any plants out. Although that concept sounded pretty out of it back then, its present-day form — autosteer — is pretty mainstream across the Midwest. My talk will look at how precision farming has progressed over the years, and how it may continue to influence farming operations in the future.”
Gregg Carlson of the Plant Science Department at South Dakota State University will address,“Using Precision Ag for On-Farm Research.”
Tom McGraw of owner of Midwest Independent Soil Samplers will look at “The Future of Ag, The Good, The Bad, The Ugly.” McGraw’s company is the largest independent data gathering company working in precision ag in the Midwest. Currently the company’s primary business area includes the Dakotas, Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska plus some operations in the surrounding states. The company claims several innovations and exclusives in precision ag, although soil sampling is its primary focus where it has sampled many millions of acres in the past decade.
There will be an interactive information gathering session at 1 p.m. followed by break-out sessions at 1:30 p.m., 2:15 and 3:30 p.m. with Gregg Carlson and representatives from John Deere, CNH, Butler, Ag Leader, Trimble and Raven Industries. Producers will be able to hear about the latest innovations offered by their respective companies as producers rotate through the sessions.
What is used in Precision Ag?
For those who use precision ag, there is some terminology and technology that is part of the system. For those who aren’t familiar with the definitions, the questions remains, “What makes up Precision Ag?” Various sources indicate that these are important tools used in precision farming:
The Global Positioning System: GPS is considered the foundation of the most beneficial technological breakthrough in precision ag. GPS provides the positioning that serves as a base for all data, and it drives the guidance products that allow farmers to stay on rows and move through the field predictably and accurately.
Automatic Steering: What started out to be very expensive in 2000 has spread as the benefits are realized. Less expensive products are breaking into the market. As the technology got better, and less
expensive, users could see quite a favorable return on their investment. Some surveys have shown that close to 50 percent of operators are using some type of automatic steering.
Computer-Driven Variable-Rate Application: Ag electronics in the 1980s made this one of the initial computerized ag electronics. Most users consider the technology benefits the environment.
Yield Monitor: This device is the year-end indicator at the end of the year for corn and soybean growers. It was commercialized in the mid-1990s and lets producers know how fields perform. Later it was connected with GPS to compare the data with other field variables to check on performance.
GIS Software: Geographic Information Systems tie data together to provide the maps that revealing the successes of a solid agronomic plan or the aftermaths of a bad one.
Automatic Boom Control: Considered by some to be an indispensable component of an application rig. With this took, less product is used and there is less overspray which in turn saves money and protects the environment.
Controller Technology: Saving dollars, making applications exact by varying the application to match the exact gallons per acre rather than the traditional method of a pump putting out gallons per minute (forcing the driver to go a specified speed to obtain the proper application rate) has been a big development
The personal computer was not invented for ag, but it makes many of today’s ag tools work. Using hand-held versions, many growers and agronomists can now buy and bring computing out to the field to help with scouting and data logging.
The lightbar was the first item purchased by many growers and retailers venturing into guidance products.
On-the-go sensor technology got its start in the early 1990s at Oklahoma State University. This technology has been able to identify and spray herbicides on weeds, or recognize stress in crops and make appropriate applications of products.
Satellite and aerial field imagery: Companies are at work on satellite systems and airplane-based imagery to try to overcome the limitations created by weather and cloud cover, and image delivery continues to improve.
A recently developed agricultural bus standard, ISO 11783, provided a platform for mobile equipment communications through controller area networks (CAN), enabling plug-and-play of microcontrollers of different makes, types, and models.
Mark Rosenberg, Spink County Extension Educator, one of the organizers, said that 80 to 100 people had registered by Tuesday, including some students from South Dakota State University.
“We look forward to a great program and people can still register,” said Rosenberg.
Registration on Wednesday begins at 7:45 a.m., followed by opening remarks by Rosenberg. The one-day event costs $25 per person for those who register after Feb. 16. Certified Crop Advisor CEU's have been applied for and are pending.
To register, mail payment and contact information to the Spink County Extension office, 210 E. Seventh Ave., Redfield, SD 57469-1283. Make checks to the 2010 Precision Ag Conference; (605) 472-5006 or email Spink.County@sdstate.edu.
At 9 a.m., Gil Gullickson of Successful Farming magazine will present, “Where We’ve Been and Where We’re Going in Precision Ag.” He covers the latest developments in seeds, agricultural chemicals, precision agriculture and other agricultural technology.
According to Gullickson, “Precision agriculture used to be “pie-in-the-sky” technology, but it’s quickly becoming mainstream among many farmers. I remember hearing a 1982 speech when I attended SDSU by former Dakota State University Jerald Tunheim. He grew up a mile from my home farm by Langford. He talked about thinking while cultivating corn that somehow the tractor would be automatically guided between rows so he wouldn’t wipe any plants out. Although that concept sounded pretty out of it back then, its present-day form — autosteer — is pretty mainstream across the Midwest. My talk will look at how precision farming has progressed over the years, and how it may continue to influence farming operations in the future.”
Gregg Carlson of the Plant Science Department at South Dakota State University will address,“Using Precision Ag for On-Farm Research.”
Tom McGraw of owner of Midwest Independent Soil Samplers will look at “The Future of Ag, The Good, The Bad, The Ugly.” McGraw’s company is the largest independent data gathering company working in precision ag in the Midwest. Currently the company’s primary business area includes the Dakotas, Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska plus some operations in the surrounding states. The company claims several innovations and exclusives in precision ag, although soil sampling is its primary focus where it has sampled many millions of acres in the past decade.
There will be an interactive information gathering session at 1 p.m. followed by break-out sessions at 1:30 p.m., 2:15 and 3:30 p.m. with Gregg Carlson and representatives from John Deere, CNH, Butler, Ag Leader, Trimble and Raven Industries. Producers will be able to hear about the latest innovations offered by their respective companies as producers rotate through the sessions.
What is used in Precision Ag?
For those who use precision ag, there is some terminology and technology that is part of the system. For those who aren’t familiar with the definitions, the questions remains, “What makes up Precision Ag?” Various sources indicate that these are important tools used in precision farming:
The Global Positioning System: GPS is considered the foundation of the most beneficial technological breakthrough in precision ag. GPS provides the positioning that serves as a base for all data, and it drives the guidance products that allow farmers to stay on rows and move through the field predictably and accurately.
Automatic Steering: What started out to be very expensive in 2000 has spread as the benefits are realized. Less expensive products are breaking into the market. As the technology got better, and less
expensive, users could see quite a favorable return on their investment. Some surveys have shown that close to 50 percent of operators are using some type of automatic steering.
Computer-Driven Variable-Rate Application: Ag electronics in the 1980s made this one of the initial computerized ag electronics. Most users consider the technology benefits the environment.
Yield Monitor: This device is the year-end indicator at the end of the year for corn and soybean growers. It was commercialized in the mid-1990s and lets producers know how fields perform. Later it was connected with GPS to compare the data with other field variables to check on performance.
GIS Software: Geographic Information Systems tie data together to provide the maps that revealing the successes of a solid agronomic plan or the aftermaths of a bad one.
Automatic Boom Control: Considered by some to be an indispensable component of an application rig. With this took, less product is used and there is less overspray which in turn saves money and protects the environment.
Controller Technology: Saving dollars, making applications exact by varying the application to match the exact gallons per acre rather than the traditional method of a pump putting out gallons per minute (forcing the driver to go a specified speed to obtain the proper application rate) has been a big development
The personal computer was not invented for ag, but it makes many of today’s ag tools work. Using hand-held versions, many growers and agronomists can now buy and bring computing out to the field to help with scouting and data logging.
The lightbar was the first item purchased by many growers and retailers venturing into guidance products.
On-the-go sensor technology got its start in the early 1990s at Oklahoma State University. This technology has been able to identify and spray herbicides on weeds, or recognize stress in crops and make appropriate applications of products.
Satellite and aerial field imagery: Companies are at work on satellite systems and airplane-based imagery to try to overcome the limitations created by weather and cloud cover, and image delivery continues to improve.
A recently developed agricultural bus standard, ISO 11783, provided a platform for mobile equipment communications through controller area networks (CAN), enabling plug-and-play of microcontrollers of different makes, types, and models.
Bookmark/Search this post with:
Delicious
Digg
StumbleUpon
Reddit
Facebook
Technorati