Does precision farming, with page after page of information generated by automated devices, really make your no-till fields more productive? Or are you about ready to unplug it all in frustration?
Several St. Louis National No-Tillage Conference attendees who use GPS auto-steer systems raised the question of adding more GPS wizardry directly to drills, planters and sprayers for reducing costly side draft on steep slopes.
For more accurate seeding and spraying, a few no-tillers are already starting to believe that global positioning satellite systems should be placed in the ground — where it may count the most.
Getting started doesn’t have to be an intimidating chore, and the results could raise your no-till management skills to a whole new level of insight and profit.
If you're strip-tilling or want to improve traffic control in your no-till fields, you should consider auto steering, says Randall Reeder, an agricultural engineer with Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. While the cost is hefty and a decision should be made carefully, the returns can be well worth the investment, he says.
If you've ever wondered if precision farming would fit in your operation, listen to Clay Mitchell. This farmer from Buckingham, Iowa, has been using automatic guidance systems in his no-till operation since 2000, and he has some thoughts on the subject.
With every new innovation that comes around to make our lives easier, there comes a price tag — usually a hefty one. And that rule of thumb is not set aside when it comes to auto-steering.
While it may be an expensive investment, precision agriculture has the potential to make you more money. Here’s one no-tiller’s advice on getting the most bang for your buck.
Computers. GPS. Monitors. Receivers. Satellites. If you were to ask growers 50 years ago what any of these words meant, they’d probably look at you as if you were crazy.
Get full access NOW to the most comprehensive, powerful and easy-to-use online resource for no-tillage practices. Just one good idea will pay for your subscription hundreds of times over.
On this episode of Conservation Ag Update, brought to you by Martin-Till, Westville, Ind., no-tiller Jeff Herrold provides an update on how planting is going so far, and why a potential problem with slugs is causing some early-season anxiety. Herrold also explains why he prefers to plant soybeans before corn.
Needham Ag understands the role of technology in making better use of limited resources within a specific environment by drawing on a wealth of global experience to overcome the challenges facing today's farmers, manufacturers and dealers.
The Andersons grows enduring relationships through extraordinary service, a deep knowledge of the market, and a knack for finding new ways to add value as we have done for nearly 70 years.