Versa

The growing importance of technology in farming and agriculture cannot be downplayed. Chief among the innovations making farming more efficient is precision technology. And while more and more growers are adopting products that provide features like yield monitoring and planter control, others are still hesitant to embrace the movement toward precision farming.

What’s the holdup? Well, for many growers, it can be a sense of intimidation. Today’s precision farming products are so sophisticated that it’s understandable how someone new to precision farming may be intimidated by the multitude of features high-end precision farming displays offer.

In addition, some may fear they will be paying extra for additional “bells and whistles” they may never use. To help eradicate that fear, Ag Leader introduced the Versa display last fall. This entry-level display is perfect for those new to precision farming or looking to add a second display, for it puts all precision controls in one small, efficient package.

And don’t let all the controls intimidate you. Precision farming newcomers can start by utilizing the Versa’s more basic features, before progressing to more advanced features after becoming familiar with the controls. And for the precision ag veteran, this full-feature display comes equipped with the functionality needed to maximize production right now. It’s what Versa-tility is all about.

The 2012 farm show season has kicked into full swing and Ag Leader is excited to network with thousands of enthusiastic farmers, students, industry professionals and visitors at the Ag Leader booth.

Governor Branstad visits the Ag Leader booth at the 2012 Iowa Power Farming Show.

Be part of the Ag Leader action! Stop by booth#831 at the Iowa Power Farming Show today through Thursday at Veteran's Auditorium in downtown Des Moines.

At our booth we’ll showcase the economical VERSA™ display, the innovative OptRx™ crop sensing equipment, Advanced Seed Monitoring through the INTEGRA™ display and SMS™ software to help growers get more value from their precision farming data. Experience these products firsthand and interact with our precision agriculture experts at these upcoming farm shows:

Iowa Power Farming Show
Des Moines, IA
1/31/12 – 2/2/12

Cotton & Rice Conference
Tunica, MS
1/31/12 – 2/1/12

Southern Farm Show
Raleigh, NC
2/1/12 – 2/3/12

Spokane Ag Expo
Spokane, WA
2/7/12 – 2/9/12

World Ag Expo
Tulare, CA
2/14/12 – 2/16/12

National Farm Machinery Show
Louisville, KY
2/15/12 – 2/18/12

Precision Ag 2.0
Calgary, AB
2/22/12 – 2/23/12

New York Farm Show
Syracuse, NY
2/23/12 – 2/25/12

Western Farm Show
Kansas City, KS
2/24/12 – 2/26/12

Hawkeye Farm Show
Cedar Falls, IA
2/28/12 – 3/1/12

Triumph of Ag Expo
Omaha, NE
2/29/12 – 3/1/12

Commodity Classic
Nashville, TN
3/1/12 – 3/3/12

Mid-South Farm Show
Memphis, TN
3/2/12 – 3/3/12

Western Fair Farm Show
London, ONT
3/7/12 – 3/9/12

North American Farm & Power Show
Owatonna, MN
3/15/12 – 3/17/12

We hope to see you there!

Some of the improvements include:

A new sign for Ag Leader Academy

New desks for two classrooms equipped with displays and laptops for hands on training.

Larger all-in-one PC’s for the SMS Lab

All of these improvements have been made to help you get the most out of your Ag Leader equipment.  We hope that you can brave the winter elements and join us in preparing for the upcoming season by attending one of our 66 dealer trainings or 41 customer trainings.  To find a customer training in your area go to http://www.agleader.com/training-sessions/hardware-training/ We look forward to seeing you in training.

1)  Tech-savvy. Technology in agriculture is exploding. Your partner should always be experimenting with the new technology, be it smartphones, apps or precision farming equipment. The more willing they are to experiment with new technologies, the more experience they bring to you.

2)  Accessibility. RTK networks. Handheld operating systems. High-tech sensors. Evolving software. There are a lot of moving parts with precision farming. Make sure the person you partner with is accessible via phone, text, email or whatever your preferred method of communication.  You don’t want to have to wait for hours in the field to get help.

3) Focus. Precision farming technology is an industry on its own.  There are a lot of companies that like to sell precision farming as an added feature to some other product or service. That can work if there is a person dedicated to precision ag, but if not, you’re likely partnering with people who would rather sell you something else.

4)  Scientist. You don’t need to be an agronomist to understand precision farming, but having a partner who will take the time to help you understand what’s going on in your field based on your data and maps can be a great asset – and will pay for itself in better decision-making and higher profitability.

5)  Product. Not all precision ag systems are created equal. Some only work with proprietary software or equipment. Others focus on just one season – like planting or application.  Others are behind in cutting edge technologies like crop sensing or yield monitoring.  It’s important to work with a dealer that has access to a complete package of precision farming equipment.

In many cases, when you switch to a different hybrid or variety, you’re also switching seed size.  That may mean you need to adjust your seed meters so you don’t get skips and doubles.

SeedCommand’s Advanced Seed Monitoring feature helps you determine if you need to make adjustments to your meters.  Its virtual seed trench lets you see the placement of each seed in a row so you can easily determine if a problem exists in the seed meter or seed tube.  And, while monitoring population is great, if your planter monitor doesn’t allow you to see skips and doubles by row unit, you could have the right seed population – but the wrong seed spacing – which can also reduce yield.

Because today’s high-tech seed isn’t cheap, it’s just smart to increase your yield potential by ensuring seed spacing is consistent across your field, row-by-row even after you’ve switched to a different seed type.

How do you make data pay? Data will lead you to management decisions that make a difference to your bottom line.

What hybrid should I plant?  That decision is made each year on my farm by looking over the performance of the ones I have planted on each farm.  I run a number of side by side trials with different hybrids, so I have a good idea of how each performs on different types of soils, etc.

Let me show you a couple of maps of this year’s data to illustrate why this is so important.

Below is a map of the different hybrids I planted on a field this year.

Below is the yield map from the same field this year.  The different hybrids show up quite well in a streaking pattern.

So, how much difference is there in different hybrids?  There were 4 different hybrids on this farm – three from one company, one from a different company.  The one hybrid from the second company yielded 20.58 bushels less than the top number in the field, and 11.8 bushels less than the third place number.  For calculating the math, I will use the average yield of the rest of the field, excluding the low hybrid that I am comparing against, which was 15.96 bushels per acre less than the rest of the field average.

Not only is this great information for you to understand what numbers work on your farm, you also can lean on your seed guy with real data to show how his product performed.

How did this pay?   15.96 bushels per acre X 18.22 acres that this hybrid got planted on = 290.79 bushels X $6.00 / bushel = $1744.74, or $95.75 PER ACRE on the acres that this hybrid was planted to.

Maybe the low cost seed wasn’t such a bargain after all…

For more from Adam, please visit the HTS Precision Ag blog at htsag.wordpress.com.

Released in December 2011, Google Currents is a magazine-style digital content masher. If you have a smart phone or tablet (Apple or Android) you can get this app and view all of your favorite website content delivered to you in a way that’s appealing and easy to navigate .

You can now stay up-to-date on Ag Leader news, videos and updates using Google Currents. All you have to do is get the Google Currents app at either the Android or the Apple app store (there is no charge for this app), then search for the Ag Leader publication.

To get more information on Google Currents visit www.google.com/producer/currents.

Adam is a Precision Ag Sales Manager with HTS Precision Ag. He developed a love for agriculture at an early age while helping out on the family farm in Neola.  He attended Iowa State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agricultural Business, with an area of emphasis in Farm Business Management. Working with GPS while crop scouting, Adam developed an interest in precision ag that eventually led to a position with Ag Leader Technology in Ames, IA.  During his time with Ag Leader, Adam was still heavily involved in the family farm in southwest Iowa, helping to expand the operation in 2004.  In the fall of 2005, Adam joined the then small Precision Ag team at HTS and relocated back near the family farm with his wife, Melissa. With his in-depth technical knowledge, he hit the ground running and has continued to assist in building the team at HTS. Adam has taken over the family farm from his dad, and extensively uses precision ag in his own operation to improve efficiency and add to the bottom line.

The post below was excerpted from Adam’s post on the HTS blog (htsag.wordpress.com) – “The Value of Data”:

In December of 2011, Ag Leader received the United Way Gold Award. This award is given to companies who increase their pledge donations above the previous year. In addition, the company also received the Live United Award, an honor received by those organizations that continue to exceed corporate goals and go to great measure to increase contributions every year.

The Ag Leader United Way Committee: Bob Hejlik, Tim Gaul, Trish Spurlin, Rose Flaspohler and Jerry Busta.

For the past four years, Ag Leader has encouraged employees to take part in supporting this human services organization. Trish Spurlin, a member of Ag Leader’s United Way campaign committee, said that this year the company’s goal was to increase participation. “Fifty-seven percent of Ag Leader employees participated in fundraising this year compared to the thirty-one percent who participated last year,” she said. “We achieved this goal by inviting speakers from community organizations supported by the United Way to come in and speak with employees about how their contributions benefit the people of our community.” The company also hosted a fun week of activities including games, contests and an employee lunch to get employees excited and motivated to participate.

In addition, Ag Leader matches the employee donation dollar for dollar.

We hope you have a safe and happy holiday season!

As for Ag Leader, we had several distributors helping us out on the stand: Hauke Heinrich from P H Roden in Germany, Volker Smirek from Kress and Co in Germany, Kamil Szymanczak from KAMROL in Poland, Henryk Pawelec from PAWROL in Poland, Mykola Boyko from KonKord in the Ukraine, Geert-Jan Giesberts from Louis Nagel in the Netherlands and Renz Waller from Germany. My thanks go out to all of them for helping us out.

As mentioend earlier, this year’s Agritechnica was bigger than ever before. It was also intersting to note just how much precision farming, or smart farming as some would now call it, has increased in the last few years. Certainly from Ag Leader’s perspective, we have grown in Europe a lot and when I think back to my first Agritechnica with Ag Leader in 2007, the achievements have been very noticeable. Not least from the fact that our stand size has increased significantly!

Ag Leader booth in 2007.

Ag Leader booth in 2011.

Whilst I did not get the opportunity to walk around and see much, I was told by several poeple that even though precision farming has notably increased, there were no siginificant developments in this area from any of the key players. There were of course some of the usual product launches from the big machinery guys with new tractors and or implements as well as some concept ideas:

CLAAS concept vehicle.

Overall it was a great exhibition, if not very tiring, so I am thankful it is only every two years!

Technical Support will be closed from Saturday, December 24, 2011, through January 2, 2012, during which time our phone system will not be accepting voicemails. We will be resuming our normal 8am-6pm, Monday – Friday working hours beginning on January 3, 2012.

On a side note:
We will have several new faces in the office beginning January 4, 2012, and I look forward to introducing them to you as a continuation of our “Getting to Know Ag Leader’s Customer Support Team” blog post series.

On behalf of the Technical Support Department, I would like to offer Holiday Greetings to all and I look forward to another year of providing quality customer service!

You can reach Ag Leader Customer Support at 515-232-5363 or support@agleader.com. And don’t forget about our video tutorials, as well as the information available on the Customer Support website.

It is true GPS equipment like receivers are designed to be weather resistant, but if your equipment will be stored for an extended period of time it is recommended you remove the hardware from your machinery and take it out of the elements.

When the receivers and other equipment are removed, it is also advised to dock the cabling so it is not exposed to the elements.  In the case of the ParaDyme roof module, use the provided dummy connectors on the roof rail.  If you have one of our other receivers it is best to remove the cable from the roof and store it in the cab so water and dust are prevented from entering the cable ends and possibly damaging or allowing corrosion to take effect.

As Nathan Tebbe advised in an article on PrecisionPays.com, we do also recommend removing the display as well as the combine grain flow sensor from the combine.  This will better protect your touch screen from damage and it will prevent mice from snacking on the potting material on the flow sensor.

If you have any questions about this or any other subject please don’t hesitate to call our tech support line at 515-232-5363. We would be happy to help you in any way we can!

The heart of the system is a hydraulic down force actuator, engineered by Dawn Equipment. The actuator is the fastest on the market, allowing the INTEGRA display to make quick row unit down force adjustments. Ag Leader will be selling and supporting a branded version of the actuator.

“Soil conditions encountered by the planter change fast,” says Ag Leader Product Manager Roger Zielke. “Other down force pressure systems that rely on air compressors and air bags can’t respond like this hydraulic system. The planter can be a long way past a different soil condition before air bags fully respond. The hydraulic system reacts as soon as the planter enters a different soil condition, providing consistent seed depth without seed trench compaction. Plus, hydraulic systems hold up better in dusty, rigorous field conditions compared to air-compressor systems.”

About Ag Leader

Ag Leader Technology, Inc. is a pioneer and recognized technology innovator of precision agriculture hardware and software. Located in Ames, Iowa, USA, the company manufactures and markets industry leading precision farming technology designed to help growers make smart, profitable business decisions. Founded in 1992, the company has achieved consistent growth and expansion by providing value-based products that help growers and agricultural professionals achieve and maintain a successful, profitable operation.

For more information visit: www.agleader.com

About Dawn Equipment
Dawn Equipment Company is a Sycamore, Illinois-based manufacturer of ground engaging row crop tools. Since 1993, the company has built top-quality products out of American made components. Working always from first concept, the company develops innovative precision agriculture systems that adapt to constantly evolving farming practices.

For more information visit: www.dawnequipment.com

Extreme temperatures take a toll on almost everything that surrounds us, and that includes the high-tech electronic equipment found in our tractors, sprayers, spreaders, trucks and combines.  Extreme cold will cause parts to shrink and become brittle, as well as allow condensation to form on parts that are not sealed.  It’s always a good idea if you’re not using your Ag Leader display to remove it from the vehicle, put it back in its packaging and store in a climate-controlled environment.  This is also a good time to clean the touchscreen on your display.  If there is dust or dirt on the screen, first blow it off using non-direct air to remove the dust that could scratch the screen.  Then you can use Windex or an electronic cleaner/wipe with a soft, non-abrasive cloth.  Do not spray directly on the screen, but rather spray the cloth and then clean the display.

When it comes to the equipment there are a few recommendations that can keep your cabling and modules in top shape as well.  Many of the chemicals and fertilizers used in today’s farming operations can be very damaging and cause corrosion on your cables and connections.  Take extra care when cleaning the equipment to also clean connections and cabling by applying dielectric grease to terminals and contacts.  If any of the cables show signs of corrosion, take corrective action now by either providing additional protection from the elements or replacing the cable.  While cleaning, also inspect the cables for damage at any pinch points or corners and near moving parts.

Yield Monitor systems also need some special attention.  If you’ve already put your combine away for the year, go back and check the cabling as stated above.  In addition, you will want to make sure the Elevator Mount Unit (EMU) on your clean grain elevator is cleaned out.  Pull the two retaining pins at the bottom of the EMU to remove the auger.  Thoroughly clean all the grain out of the chamber and make sure there is nothing stuck in front of the proximity switch.  Lastly, the load cell for the flow sensor is surrounded by a protective potting material that can be easily damaged by small rodents. To prevent this, pull the flow sensor off the top of the elevator and store it in the house, shop or a sealable container.

By taking these precautions now, you can help ensure that your equipment will perform properly the next time you use it, and you will also be protecting the investments you have made in your precision agriculture technology.

It is years like this that a new feature in SMS Version 11.5 can help you manage data to get quality information for your fields. We have added a feature that provides an easier way to flag data to exclude from analysis functions so that abnormal data from one field or year doesn’t affect other analysis information. Below are some examples of where we are using this in our operation:

• 2008: Wet weather during the first part of the summer resulted in some poor weed control in some NON-GMO soybeans. Even after rescue applications, we still had weed escapes that affected yield more than we like to see.
• 2009: We had a severe outbreak of White Mold in a few soybean fields. Areas that for several years were very productive suddenly were the lowest yielding areas of the field.

• 2010: We were rained out of the field, with half of the corn still standing. A low pressure system came through, and two days of 60-70 mph winds flattened the other half of the field.

You can probably come up with many of your own examples. In the above situations, I still wanted to have the data for production records and as a yearly reference. I can set these flags for omission one dataset at a time by right clicking on the dataset and choosing Edit Item, or for multiple datasets using Batch Command (see screenshot below). With these flags set these datasets will be removed automatically when I run analysis, and I no longer have to remove data manually from my analysis setup.

Display level

Data management starts at the field level with your Ag Leader display. There are a couple options available for you to copy logged data: (1) Enable the display to copy log files upon every shutdown, or (2) manually copy the files at a time of your choosing. (For more information on how to do this consult your display manual). In either case, your Ag Leader display structures data files in a way that is easy to keep information organized. A folder named the serial number of the display (2010120937 in this case) is created on your USB and any information transferred from the display is placed inside that folder. The INTEGRA display also has a “display nickname” function, which allows you to assign a label to your INTEGRA. In the screenshot below I have named my INTEGRA “Planter INTEGRA.”  This structure makes it easy to keep data from multiple displays separate.

The log files themselves also follow a specific naming structure. The figure below illustrates the different elements that make up a log file.

PC level

Now that you’ve got your data from display to PC, it’s a good idea to create an archive where you can store your data from all years in one location.  I’ve found that organizing data by crop season is the simplest and most effective way to navigate through “archived” data. An externally-mounted hard drive is the best place to create your archive, that way you won’t lose any data if something were to happen to your PC. It takes a little extra time, but after a few years worth of data comes rolling in, you’ll be glad to have a permanent home for your information. Now that everything is nicely organized and stowed away safely in your computer’s memory, its time to bring that data into SMS and start getting value from it.

There are many service options available and depending on what you plan to do with it, this choice will make or break the success you will have with your new purchase.

The three dominant GPS differential correction sources available are WAAS, OmniSTAR and RTK.  The differences between the three can be substantial. This information will help you decide which source is right for your operation.

WAAS & OmniSTAR

WAAS is a satellite based correction source that utilizes ground stations to generate a correction and broadcast it via a radio signal.  The correction is derived from combining the data from GPS satellites taking into account the GPS satellite orbit, clock drift and timing delays.  It is calculated by ground stations across the US and is broadcast through three geostationary satellites fixed over the equator.  Using WAAS will get a user 6 – 8 inch pass-to-pass accuracy.

OmniSTAR is a wide-area differential GPS service.  It uses GPS satellite data and ground stations similar to WAAS to derive a multi-station correction to increase accuracy over the service area.  OmniSTAR offers two types of service: HP and XP. The HP signal is a higher accuracy solution providing the user 2 – 4 inch pass-to-pass accuracy.   The second service is labeled XP and offers the user 3-5 inch pass-to-pass accuracy.  To find out more about these options, you can find more information: http://www.agleader.com/2010/07/06/lessons-in-precision-ag-differential-correction-part-3-omnistar-and-waas/,  http://www8.garmin.com/aboutGPS/waas.html or  www.omnistar.com.

RTK

RTK offers users the highest accuracy available in GPS technology.  It combines GPS satellite data with a ground station in the same location as the user to broadcast a correction via radio or cellular data connection.  The increased accuracy is possible because the ground station is broadcasting from an area within miles of the rover; therefore the conditions of the two are virtually the same negating accuracy compromising differences in the atmosphere.  With this technology it is possible to achieve sub-inch pass-to-pass accuracy and year-to-year repeatability. Go to http://www.agleader.com/2010/07/02/lessons-in-precision-ag-differential-correction-part-2/ for more information.

With differential correction, you can achieve different levels of accuracy. The key is choosing the one that’s right for your operation.

GPS Products from Ag Leader Technology

Ag Leader Technology offers GPS receiver products to satisfy your GPS needs at all levels of precision utilization.  Check out http://www.agleader.com/products/gps/ for more information on our current product offerings.

TRADE TALK

Lori C. and Josh R. are interviewed during Trade Talk at the 2011 NAFB Convention.

The 68th NAFB annual convention was held at the Westin Crown Center in Kansas City November 9-11 . This year, Ag Leader was a new sponsor of the event and participated in the popular “Trade Talk” interview event. Ag Leader’s Lori Costello, Katie Monroe and Josh Rasmusson were on hand to discuss the latest and greatest in precision agriculture including the new VERSA™ display.

“Talking with the farm broadcasters directly at the Trade Talk event gave us the opportunity to educate them about precision agriculture products and services that can help farmers increase their bottomline,” explained Rasmusson.

And that education will come straight to you via your radio when you listen locally. You can also listen to interviews with Costello and Monroe at precisionpays.com; direct links to the interviews are below.

Ag Leader Technology also joined with Alltech to sponsor the NAFB Foundation Auction reception on Thursday night.

Ag Leader Supports Farm Broadcasters – from PrecisionPays.com

Is the Ag Leader VERSA™ display right for me? – from PrecisionPays.com

You may have noticed the Customer Support hours on our website have been adjusted back to our normal operating schedule: Monday-Friday, 7am to 6pm CDT. During this time, Technical Support will be available to help with any late harvest and fall fertilizer application questions, as well as any pre-spring planting questions.

Our weekend schedule is also about to change; Saturday, November 19th will be the last Saturday that we are open for the year. Technical Support will not be open November 24th & 25th, so be sure to get your questions answered before turkey day!

As part of our preparation for the 2012 growing season, the Hardware and GPS Technical Support teams will also be completing several hours of internal staff training. Internal staff training days help ensure our technicians have the resources and information they need to efficiently assist our dealers and customers with technical questions. The first internal staff training day will occur on December 9, 2011. During this training session, Technical Support for hardware and GPS products will not be available, so plan ahead to get your questions answered.

You can reach Ag Leader Customer Support at 515-232-5363 or support@agleader.com. And don’t forget about our video tutorials, as well as the information available on the Customer Support website.

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!