Precision Ag Archives

A typical example of a SWAT map showing multiple layers of field data including soil, water and topography, providing producers with a visual picture of variable field conditions – which helps farmers better manage crop inputs to optimize production.

Perhaps it’s time to give VRT a second look

Soil tests provide valuable information, variable-rate technology (VRT) can help you manage that

By Lee Hart October 12, 2021

Investing in detailed soil test analysis this fall will help Prairie farmers know the level of nutrients available as they plan the 2022 cropping season, says a Saskatchewan-based agronomist. A soil analysis is valuable in any year, but particularly after drought conditions, says Cory Willness with CropPro Consulting headquartered at Naicam, Sask. He says having […] Read more

AGCO and a consortium of tech companies are involved in field trials of a spot-spray system they say will provide growers with a way to reduce inputs and save costs.

Equipment, Machinery and Shop

Are broad-acre spray applications about to go extinct?

AGCO and tech partners team up to advance spot spraying

By Scott Garvey October 6, 2021

The sight of sprayers broadly applying a constant flow of herbicide across Prairie fields may soon go the way of the dodo — at least if AGCO and its technology partners have anything to say about it. The company announced it has teamed up with Robert Bosch GmbH, BASF’s Xarvio Digital Farming Solutions and Raven […] Read more

Columns

Let Geonics know you want to up your game with an EM38 Field Scout

By Les Henry June 21, 2021

In the March 23 issue of this year, I talked about the EM38 non-contacting soil conductivity meter. The new EM38 used extensively in preparing zone maps for variable-rate maps is heavy and not convenient for field scouting. I have an earlier version of the EM38 that shows the same information and is very light and […] Read more

Crops, Features

Crop advisor dos and don’ts for #Plant21

A few pointers on what goes into optimizing crop production and profitability

By Lee Hart April 22, 2021

One key message looking at the coming 2021 seeding and growing seasons from a panel of western Canadian agronomists and crop advisors in late March — pay attention to the details. That may seem like a no-brainer, but the agronomists point out there are plenty of important dos and don’ts — some small, some not […] Read more

The original wood framed EM38 complete with store string. Readers of Henry’s Handbook can check out page 81 to get the story behind the store string.

Columns, Crops

Les Henry: The EM38 Field Scout

The EM38 always gives the right answer — what that answer means in terms of soil interpretation is up to the user and experience

By Les Henry April 5, 2021

This piece is intended primarily for PAgs and CCAs and the farmers they serve. Field scouting of crops and soils has become an important part of the services provided. Grainews carries a regular column highlighting examples of crop-problem scouting by agronomists with Richardson Pioneer. I read the column each issue and often learn something new […] Read more

Crops, Wheat & Chaff

The goal of precision ag is to do things more effectively

Q & A with an expert

By Nathan Trowell April 1, 2021

Q: Is zone management a fit for my farm? A: Zone management is one of many precision agriculture practices utilized in farming. In its simplest form, zone management is shutting off the fertilizer in areas of your field that are unproductive. More advanced zone management utilizes precision ag tools like GPS auto steer, yield mapping, […] Read more

As some producers are realizing the benefits of inter-row seeding and as soil compaction is becoming a more mainstream concern, controlled traffic farming and accurate-to-the-inch navigation are gaining attention. This photo shows inter-row seeding of canola using RTK technology.

Equipment, Features

Real-time kinematic technology use and costs

RTK technology offers ultra-precise, multi-year positioning, but its price remains a significant deterrent for Prairie farmers

By Madeleine Baerg March 19, 2021

When it comes to navigating through your crop, how accurate is accurate enough? It wasn’t so long ago that farmers scoffed at autosteer, saying “straight-ish” was straight enough. Now, as some producers are realizing the benefits of inter-row seeding and as soil compaction is becoming a more mainstream concern, controlled traffic farming and accurate-to-the-inch navigation […] Read more

The redesigned Fendt Xaver seeding robot could soon see commercialization.

Equipment, Machinery and Shop

Fendt’s Xaver robotic project continues to evolve

Second-generation field robot debuts at global event

By Scott Garvey March 17, 2021

Last October, AGCO’s Fendt brand had a lot it wanted to talk about publicly, and it wasn’t about to let COVID-19 prevent that from happening. The brand live-streamed a digital press conference online. A few European farm machinery writers and editors were physically present at the event held at the Marktoberdorf, Germany, brand headquarters and […] Read more

Columns, Crops

Les Henry: Harvest, not crops with a combine but information online

Hopefully this “old stuff” will prevent folks from rediscovering the moon

By Les Henry February 18, 2021

This is a bit of a different theme. It is all about harvesting information that could be useful in planning and executing farm operations on the Canadian Prairies. The title, “Harvest,” comes from our very own University of Saskatchewan Library research archive, and the wealth of information that can be obtained with a few mouse […] Read more

John Deere’s AutoPath guidance records the actual position of crop rows and stores the information, allowing for more accurate in-season passes during spraying and harvesting.

Features, Machinery and Shop

John Deere improves guidance with AutoPath

System stores exact row positions for more accurate in-season passes

By Scott Garvey February 16, 2021

For those Prairie producers who grow corn or use strip tillage, John Deere is introducing AutoPath row guidance to help improve accuracy during in-season field passes. During seeding or planting, the system records the exact location of the crop row lines and stores that information about the field for later use. How it works: The […] Read more

U.S. grains: Corn, soy firm as harvest slows; wheat falls on profit taking

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures extend rally; hog contracts weaken

Bibeau keeps role as federal ag-minister, Canada gets a new environment minister

GFM Network News