Variable Rate Technology

Defend Every Bushel With A Proactive Disease Plan

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:33:53 GMT

Addressing corn disease pressure in-season is rarely a matter of “if” and more likely “when.” Coming off heavy disease pressure from 2025, now is the time to put your plan together for how you’ll address challenges like northern corn leaf blight, tar spot and others this season. Plan your moves with these five recommendations, so you are ready to take action when disease pressure hits:

1. Use A Proactive Scouting Plan.

Success begins with staying ahead of disease, according to high-yield corn grower David Hula. “You have to stay proactive with your scouting and willing to go with earlier fungicide or even multiple applications, depending on what shows up,” he says.

While planning, consider the following:

1. Know your potential threats. Depending on the disease, some pathogens survive the winter on previously infected crop residue (e.g., northern corn leaf blight, tar spot). Other diseases move into northern growing areas on winds from southern locations (e.g., southern corn rust). For a suitable environment, many foliar diseases need warm, humid, and wet conditions to propagate.

2. Have your budget in place. Be ready for at least one in-season fungicide application. Use tools like the Newly Designed Fungicide ROI Calculators to guide your investment in products and applications. By inputting costs, market prices, and disease severity, these calculators provide research-based estimates of net benefits and breakeven probabilities, helping you make a more informed decision.

3. Delegate the scouting job, if necessary. If you cannot scout personally, assign the task to a family member, employee, or employ a professional service.

“Lots of great pest managers work in retail,” says Ken Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist. “Their success depends on you being successful also.”

2. Leverage Friends, Neighbors And Industry Expertise.

Don’t monitor disease pressure in a vacuum. Stay informed about what’s moving into your neighbors’ fields; track regional pressure by tapping into local agronomists and organizations like the Crop Protection Network.

Randy Dowdy, Hula’s partner in Total Acre, notes that in the Southeast, farmers are constantly receiving feedback from Extension and industry experts regarding southern rust.

Similarly, Elliott Henderson, who farms in Buchanan County, Iowa, has a group of farmers there that he connects with on a regular basis during the growing season.

“It’s a network of dozens of us farmers that call each other, bounce ideas off each other,” he says. “The things we’re talking about are often time-sensitive. It can be a daily thing.”

3. Select The Right Chemistry.

Applying the wrong product in the heat of battle with disease pressure is a common mistake. For aggressive diseases like tar spot or southern rust, Farm Journal Field Agronomist Missy Bauer recommends using “Cadillac” type chemistries — newer technologies that feature multiple modes of action.

To ensure you are using the right tool:

Consult Your Experts. Use the Crop Protection Network’s Fungicide Efficacy tables to see which products perform best against specific diseases.
Match Product to Problem. Ensure the product is labeled for your specific issue and is capable of handling high-pressure scenarios.

4. Optimize Applications for Maximum ROI.

If you need to apply a fungicide, make sure it delivers the results you need.

“It’s all about coverage,” Dowdy says. “Drone applications can be fine, but no matter what you do, if a guy is spraying two to three gallons, and you compare it to a ground rig spraying 15 to 25 gallons, I mean, there’s just no comparison in that coverage.”

Another aspect of coverage, Hula adds, is making sure the fungicide gets into the plant canopy far enough to have the desired effect. That becomes even more critical as the season advances.

“Fungicides have a tendency to work from the leaf they’ve come in contact with and move up,” Hula says. “So, if you’re trying to protect at least that ear leaf – and I like to protect the leaf opposite and below the ear – you’ve got to get penetration with that product.”

Hula says growers might have to spend a couple extra dollars to get sufficient volume for the product to get down below the canopy, if using a drone for application.

“If that’s what needs to be done, let’s do it,” he encourages. “If I’m spending $30 or more an acre, then I want to at least have the success that I’m paying for.”

5. Commit To Protecting Corn Through The Entire Season.

Modern corn genetics have significant “back-end” potential, enabling them to add yield through kernel fill late into the season. Hula and Dowdy advise against walking away from the crop early. They say evaluating fungicide applications during later reproductive stages can often yield a high return on investment.

D hybrids are of particular concern late-season, Ferrie says. These are hybrids that have kernel depth changes, positive or negative, based on populations and environmental conditions during the last 30 days of grain fill.

Missy Bauer, Farm Journal Field Agronomist in Michigan, zeros in on corn growth stage to guide uber-late-season fungicide applications.

“If I had a field that has no fungicide at all on it, and I had fairly heavy disease pressure from something like southern rust or tar spot, and I’m at early R4, I would still apply the fungicide,” she recommends.

From Best Buy Toy to Pro Spray Drone: A Father-Son Duo Takes Flight In Missouri Cattle Country

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 19:41:27 GMT

Iowa State University freshman Rhett Keaton and his father, Vance, are launching a drone spraying side hustle.

The father-son duo started out just having some fun several years ago, buzzing around the house with a $20 drone from Best Buy that “drove mom crazy”. But now, they are getting serious about turning entertainment to revenue.

Vance, who runs 5K Cattle Company out of Anderson, Mo., ran out and purchased a DJI Agras T20P spray drone this spring, and both Keatons secured the Part 107 Commercial Pilot Certificate needed to operate on a farm. Combined with the private pesticide applicator’s license 5K Cattle Co. already held, the guys can now apply restricted-use pesticides to their own pasture ground.

University of Missouri Extension experts recently weighed in on the promise of drone usage in farming, and more specifically, in cattle operations. Field specialist Caleb O’Neal likens the technologies’ versatility and practicality to that of a UTV.

“Back in the 1980s, it would have been rare to see a UTV being used on a farm,” he says. “Visiting farms today, I’m hard-pressed to find an operation larger than 20 acres that doesn’t have some type of UTV that they utilize on a regular basis.”

And while the Keaton’s are banking on custom application services with a spray drone as their next play in ag, you don’t have to spray crops or weeds to use drones for the benefit of your farm or ranch, according to O’Neal.

Use of drones in agriculture is increasing as row crop and livestock producers find new ways to improve efficiency and productivity.

(Photo courtesy of Caleb O’Neal.)

“Livestock producers can monitor fences and availability of water and can make sure animals are where they should be without even opening a gate,” O’Neal explains. “Drone technology lets cattlemen quickly check estrus indication patches for optimized breeding timing, monitor cows during calving season, look for hidden newborn calves and look out for potential predators.

Getting back to the Keatons, the next step is for Rhett, who is majoring in ag systems technology in Ames this fall, to secure his Missouri commercial pesticide applicators license.

Once that happens, the pair can start marketing drone spraying services to neighboring farms. Their plan is to start locally with pasture and grassland applications before seeking out work on row crop farms to the north once foliar fungicide season hits.

Related - The Scoop Podcast: What’s Next For Ag Drone Application?

Even though the T20P is one of the smaller spray drones offered by DJI, Keaton says it’s proven to be the perfect fit so far. He also rents a neighbor’s spray drone, paying a per-acre fee, when he needs more than one bird to cover more ground.

“We do a lot of flying in and out of trees and stuff like that,” Keaton says. “Having that smaller drone with less capacity and a more efficient battery, I get about double the battery life as [the bigger drones] do. But I also have about half the tank.”

The reservoir on the T20P holds about 5.5 to 6 gallons of tank mix, so Keaton will usually need to land and refill his tank after about five or six minutes of spraying. He averages 23 acres per hour when everything is set up for a quick land-refill-takeoff cycle.

Keaton says Corteva’s DuraCor herbicide, an aerial application-approved formulation containing two Group 4 AIs, is the main product he’s been spraying from the drone thus far. The product label calls for 2 to 3 gallons of active ingredients (mixed with carrier water) applied per acre with coarse droplets.

A fellow rancher kicks the tires on Vance and Rhett Kaiser’s spray drone trailer at a field day event. The Kaisers operate 5K Cattle Company out of Anderson, Mo., and have plans to launch a spray drone custom application business in the near future.

(Rhett Keaton )

Keaton and Vance also picked up a nicely appointed spray drone trailer off — of all places — Facebook Marketplace. The whole setup – drone, trailer, extra batteries, etc. – cost about $30,000 all-in, Keaton says.

“We found one that was cheaper to buy than it was to build our own, especially with the generator — that is probably the most expensive part of that trailer,” he explains. “It already had the generator, pumps, the mix tanks and a thousand-gallon freshwater tank, and everything was lined up.”

With the spray drone in the air and the nice, shiny trailer parked edge-of-field as Keaton makes his passes, cleaning up weed escapes in fields that he says are “pretty clean” already, neighboring farmers often take notice and stop by to ask if he and his dad can come by and spray some of their ground, too. Their plan is to find the sweet spot between a $12 to $20 per acre fee to charge for their drone spraying services.

Speaking of sweet spots, O’Neal feels that spot spraying, guided by aerial imagery or even first-hand producer knowledge of where weed problems are significant and need to be addressed, is a good target for drone service providers like the Keatons.

“A pasture with a rash of blackberry weeds in isolated areas has great potential for a prescription herbicide application where only the problematic areas receive treatment via a spray drone, as opposed to a broadcast application where the entirety of the field is treated whether it needs it or not,” he says.

“I think there’s a lot of opportunity [for it] around us. There’s a lot of guys with hay fields, and they do a lot of burn down applications. That’s one thing we are planning on hitting on,” Keaton says. “I think some guys would be interested in that. Especially if we have a wet spring and guys can’t get in the field.”

Missouri Extension field specialist O’Neal agrees with that assertion.

“In my neck of the woods in southwestern Missouri, the topography can be quite unforgiving, with some areas too harsh to allow access by ground spray rig or even an ATV,” O’Neal says. “With an aerial piece of equipment like a utility drone, landowners can now get herbicide applications on these problematic areas and put them into useful forage production.”

With a pilot year of flying his family’s acres fastened securely under his belt, Keaton says the arrow looks to be pointing up on spray drone technology in agriculture.

“Hopefully we can expand and get maybe another trailer or a bigger drone, it just depends kind of on what’s calling for us,” he says. “I’ve got to see exactly how much work is out there in this business and from there just make it all work out. Our foot is just in the door [right now].”

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Kelly Hills Pushes the AgTech R&D Envelope with Driverless Tractor Pilot, Fungicide Spray Timing Tool

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 19:05:56 GMT

Emerging from its annual summer field day , Kelly Hills Unmanned announces the launch of two interesting endeavors that will surely move the needle forward on smart farming technology R&D:

The outfit is co-launching what it is calling the Rural Autonomous Mobility Program (RAMP), a pioneering public-private initiative to bring autonomous farm equipment onto public roads for the first time in the U.S.
Kelly Hills is also launching SpraySense, an AI-powered, autonomous application intelligence product developed through the company’s accelerator program, The Forge.

We’ll start with RAMP

Sabanto, founded in 2018, is working to allow farmers and ag retailers to convert any make and model into an autonomous tractor through an equipment retrofit kit.

(Sabanto)

RAMP, or the Rural Autonomous Mobility Program, was born from the vision of Kelly Hills CEO Lukas Koch and was made possible by the Kansas Department of Transportation’s (KDOT) Innovative Technology Program.

RAMP’s mission is to enable autonomous tractors and farm machinery to safely and legally operate on rural public roads, solving logistical bottlenecks and revitalizing rural economies.

Initial RAMP collaborators include:

Kelly Hills Unmanned Systems (Program Manager)
Sabanto (Autonomous Tractor Manufacturer)
Nemaha County in Kansas (Local Partner)
KDOT
Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA)
Kansas State University (K-State)

According to a press release, the partners aim to develop policy, infrastructure and safety protocols to allow fully autonomous tractors to move between fields and operational bases without human drivers.

RAMP will operate within a pilot phase in Kansas through 2026, collecting data on autonomous road operations, engaging with local communities and working with regulators to build a scalable model for other states and agricultural regions.

Let’s learn about SpraySense

(Heinen Brothers)

The inaugural 2025 cohort of The Forge, which we wrote about back in June, brought together ag tech and drone technology companies like Yamaha Precision Agriculture, Pyka, Precision AI, Scanit Technologies, Heinen Brothers Agra Services, and Taranis to co-develop solutions that address one of farming’s most persistent questions: When is the right time to apply fungicide?

According to Koch, the group was originally focused on optimizing fungicide application for corn and soybean growers, but the collaborative efforts exceeded expectations, resulting in the creation of SpraySense.

The platform, an end-to-end AI-driven recommendation and application system, brings together aerial imagery, weather and environmental conditions, disease risk models and traditional agronomy data sets to deliver real-time recommendations on whether, when, where and how to spray.

While its debut application targets fungicide optimization, SpraySense is designed as a modular, flexible platform. Kelly Hills plans to adapt the technology to other crop inputs including fertilizer, biologicals, herbicides and insecticides.

There’s a lot of cool, innovative stuff happening in those gently rolling, emerald green north Kansas hills. Check out KellyHills.us to learn more.

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John Deere-Sentera Tie Up: Here’s What We Know So Far

Fri, 23 May 2025 21:07:32 GMT

John Deere has announced its acquisition of Minnesota-based aerial optics innovator Sentera. Although specific details are few and far between this early in the process, here’s what we know so far:

The two companies have a long history. John Deere was the first enterprise customer Sentera signed onto its system over a decade ago, and the two companies have had an API link in place between Sentera’s drone management software and John Deere’s Operations Center since 2016.
Financial details are not being disclosed. We do know the deal is not subject to any further regulatory or shareholder approvals.
In a similar fashion to the Blue River Technologies and Bear Flag Robotics acquisitions, Sentera will maintain its independence as a free-standing business unit. Once fully integrated into the Deere family, Sentera will operate under the John Deere Intelligent Solutions Group (ISG) framework. Sentera leadership will remain at its St. Paul, Minn., headquarters.
For the time being, no major changes are planned for either company as we head into the heart of the summer crop scouting and spraying season. The two companies anticipate having more details to share about the nuts and bolts of the acquisition this fall.
The two groups are a natural fit. Sentera is aggressively marketing its SmartScripts drone weed mapping program, and the technology is complimentary to John Deere’s Operations Center and its See & Spray and ExactApply application technologies. One driving force behind this deal, Farm Journal is told, is Deere’s motivation to integrate more real-time agronomic data into its Operations Center platform, and Sentera’s aerial data capture capabilities can help make that happen.

(John Deere)

A deal to lift both boats. John Deere has built up a deep bench of artificial intelligence, machine learning and autonomous technology expertise within ISG, and Sentera has a long track record of aerial sensing and camera payload innovation. Considering how many cameras and sensors are included from the factory on new John Deere machines and within its Precision Upgrades retrofit kits, there should be a healthy cross pollination of sensor and camera innovation between Urbandale, Iowa, (where ISG is based) and St. Paul, Minn.
Sentera can help make See & Spray even better. SmartScripts uses drone-based imaging to scan a field and build a weed pressure map which is then loaded onto the sprayer’s in-cab computer. Now the sprayer operator can see exactly where weeds are in the field and focus their spraying efforts there first. There’s also a logistical and planning aspect to SmartScripts: by knowing exactly how many weeds are present in the field, and even what type of weeds are there, an adept operator can have the right active ingredients premixed and the exact amount needed loaded into the tank or staged nearby in a tender truck to keep that sprayer running all day long.

“Farming is becoming a very sensor and data-centric business, and in our opinion, there isn’t anyone doing it at broad scale today better than John Deere,” says Eric Taipale, chief technology officer, Sentera. “The way we can bring these data-driven insights and improve grower outcomes — it’s just what we’ve always been about. It’s what John Deere is all about. There’s such a great mesh between the two cultures, the objectives and the mission of the two organizations.”

Joseph Liefer, global technology marketing lead at John Deere, adds, “We’re excited about how this complements our existing portfolio with See & Spray, and then not just that (product). Now a farmer with an individual nozzle-controlled sprayer from any manufacturer can also leverage this technology. A drone can fly their field, generate a weed map, turn it into a prescription in Operations Center and the machine can go execute the plan. From an ag retailer standpoint, that might have a mixed fleet, and this gives them more tools in the toolbox to do targeted application for growers and help them save on herbicide. We view this deal as complementary to our overall tech strategy.”

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Used Sprayers in the Spotlight: Auction Prices, Farmer Demand Still Strong Despite Tough Year

Thu, 22 May 2025 18:58:20 GMT

May is normally a slow-down zone for used equipment auctions, but today there is ample activity taking place in the market. The heightened action is due to the COVID-era expansion of online equipment auctions.

“Conditions for new (equipment) are still soft, and it’s just a challenging time overall, but I would say through the month of May good (condition) used is doing surprisingly well,” says Machinery Pete.

Casey Seymour, who has over 20 years of dealer lot experience, says there is more buying activity on used sprayers than he normally sees this close to summer spraying season.

Machinery Pete agrees, and he has sales data to back it up. Pete shares three recent auction transactions that demonstrate ascending farmer interest (and price upside) in application equipment:

(Machinery Pete Facebook)

A 2022 John Deere 410R sprayer (347 hours, shown above) brought $362,000 at a DPA auction in Illinois. The average 2025 auction price on a 410R is $353,000, up 10% from last year. Meanwhile, the average dealer price is well over $400,000.

(Machinery Pete Facebook)

A 2022 Case IH Patriot 4440 sprayer (1,059 hours) brought $210,500, which is the second-highest auction price on a ’22 4440 this year.

(Machinery Pete Facebook)

A 2023 AGCO RoGator 1300C (2,300 hours) brought in $125,500 at an auction in Texas.

A look at the current supply and demand forces at play in the market was another topic of discussion. According to Seymour, used combines and sprayers are up in supply and demand, while row crop tractors and used planters are down.

“I’m anticipating an even bigger end of the year auction cycle than what I anticipated, and I was already anticipating it being pretty big,” Seymour adds.

Pete agrees with that take as well, adding things are “much healthier” this year in terms of dealer inventory. Last year, he recalls, many dealers pushed a large chunk of used machines onto the auction market out of sheer necessity, as the machines weren’t selling fast enough and inventories were too high.

“If I’m a dealer and I have some excess, I’d feel pretty darn good about tiptoeing it out onto the auction market if I have to,” Pete says.

Here Come the Combines

Aaron Fintel, used equipment specialist for 21st Century Equipment, says farmers in his area are either finished with spring planting or very close to being done. That often means more slow days at the equipment dealership.

“We had a second half of February into March and April with pretty good traffic and pretty good (buying) action,” Fintel said. “As quiet as the market was before that, it’s that quiet after, too.”

One machine class that is “very slowly waking up” in his area is used combines, Fintel says. Seymour adds that he expects more new combines to move ahead of fall harvest, and that will result in a bump in used combine inventory on dealer lots. Trade-ins will be the primary factor bumping those used harvester inventories up, he thinks.

Seymour and Fintel then take a deep dive into dealer inventory data from 2023 up until May 19 of this year. The data showed row crop tractor inventories are down 585 units year over year, but Fintel believes the market will bounce back soon with a wave of new tractors hitting dealer lots from the factory.

“What I like to see, and it’s a good indicator of (segment) health, is it’s not about the number of machines — it’s are they moving or not,” Fintel said. “And right now, they’re flowing in nice and healthy, but then there’s a trickle on the back end.”

Seymour also chats with Blue Reef Agri-Marketing’s Chip Nellinger and John Deere’s Josh Ladd, who talks about Deere’s portfolio of precision technologies for crop sprayers.

Want the full story? Head over to YouTube to watch this week’s Moving Iron Podcast episode.

High Clearance, High Yields: How Brent Pence Bootstrapped Big Acres With Hagie Sprayers and John Deere Tech

Fri, 02 May 2025 14:11:41 GMT

In a bi-level red barn setback from a winding country road that weaves through the Central Ohio landscape, first generation farmer Brent Pence has built a corn and soy operation many never imagined would come to fruition.

“Everyone told us we wouldn’t make it, that we weren’t going to make this dream happen, and we’re still here,” says the easy-going farmer on a sun splashed, breezy spring morning.

Folks in town had doubts because they knew Pence didn’t grow up on a farm or hit the genetic lottery by inheriting thousands of acres. His father spent his career as a skilled machinist in New Carlisle, Ohio, a quaint rural enclave halfway between Dayton and Springfield. If that town sounds familiar, it might be because in 1933, the infamous cat burglar John Dillinger commissioned his first bank heist there — nabbing a cool $10,000 from the New Carlisle National branch on Main Street.

Meeting Pence for the first time, you can tell there is a fire fueling him beyond big scores and scale ticket dollar signs. After starting with 123 acres of rented ground from his longtime business mentor, Jerry McMahan, today he calls the shots across 4,500 acres of cropland spread over a 50-mile radius. Pence jokingly refers to his area as the “Boulder Belt” due to its rock-filled, clay pan soils.

The college-grad-turned-row-crop-farmer speaks with a booming, rapid-fire cadence and bounces back and forth from what he’s excited about at the time to tales of hilarious adventures on the goat and livestock showing circuit with his wife, Christine, and daughter, Paige.

Luckily for us, Pence was all fired up about his new approach to nitrogen management and application technology when we dropped in on him. Planting season was so close in his neck of the woods that you could almost taste the airborne soil dust dancing on the early spring breeze.

Shifting to Spoon-fed

First generation Ohio farmer Brent Pence in his “man cave” inside of his red barn in New Carlisle, Ohio. The space is festooned with photos of his daughter Paige winning awards on the livestock showing circuit.

(Matthew J. Grassi)

Many seasons ago, Pence dove head first into late-season nitrogen on corn research. Convinced it would drive his yields higher and pay off, he got his hands on a Hagie high-clearance sprayer and went in at V13-V14 to spoon-feed nitrogen on 400 acres that first year. Before the Hagie came roaring into his life, he often steered a side dress rig to put nutrients on around V4-V5.

“I don’t care who it is – whether it’s DeKalb, Channel or Pioneer – all of these hybrids today react to late-season nitrogen,” Pence says. “Most of the guys around here put anhydrous on and maybe do a side dress before they head to the lake, then we normally get really dry, and you’ll see the corn brown out. But ours stays green. We don’t go to the lake either. We work all summer.”

Pence saw a yield bump of 14 bushels per acre. He also noted hardier plants that better withstood the blustery mid-summer windstorms common to mid-Ohio.

“I would call it standability. The corn is not cannibalizing itself anymore to make an ear. Now the nitrogen is right there where the plant can use it to make the ear,” he adds.

Last winter, Pence signed the papers on a brand new 2025 Hagie STS 16 from his local AgPro dealership. He’s excited to run that shiny, hulking graphite and yellow sprayer all summer long - the pilot seat his favorite throne of all.

Tech Tools
Another benefit Pence discovered – after running two passes over 350 acres of winter wheat this spring – is how easy it is to steer the new Hagie around his smaller, oddly shaped fields with a front-mounted boom. Add John Deere’s ExactApply technology, which turns off individual nozzles on the boom where it knows the sprayer has already applied, and AutoTrac guidance with the G5 display, and you get why he’s so at home in this cab.

Ohio farmer Brent Pence’s 2025 Hagie STS 16 sprayer. Pence plans to put about 12,000 acres on the machine this summer.

(Matthew J. Grassi)

He also says John Deere’s Boom Recirculation upgrade has saved him money and headaches. Now, he’s able to reclaim 50 to 70 gallons of product from the boom back into the tank.

And then there’s the John Deere Operations Center mobile app. Pence whips out his iPhone and knows exactly what his machines and operators are doing, how long until they finish a field, and where he needs to send the tender truck to keep those guys working. Christine, who has a day job with the Ohio Department of Agriculture, can also keep track of everything going on from her office upstairs in the farmhouse.

During one particularly busy spring planting season, before she knew about the app, Brent was watching her work a field in Operations Center when he noticed she was stopped for awhile.

“I called her and said, ‘Hey, you’re not moving. I’m almost done. I can come help you in a few minutes.’ And she goes, “You knew I wasn’t moving? How the hell did you know that?’ And I’m like, ‘No, I didn’t mean it like that’,” he recalls with a chuckle. “So, I get down there and she’s standing there pointing this screwdriver at me and she goes ‘You have two options, so you better tell me how you knew I wasn’t moving,’ and I was like ‘Well, there’s this app I have on my phone.’ and she’s like, what!?”

Of course, that transparency goes both ways. Brent has had to answer for his own periods of inactivity as well. And when Paige makes her return to the farm this summer from college, she’ll have the Operations Center app, too. When she’s not out helping her customers win awards on the show animal circuit or breeding new goats for the future crop of customers, she’ll be on the farm helping out right next to mom and dad.

That basically sums up Brent Pence: he loves his family and farming, and he’s always thinking about that next piece of machinery or technology that can give him a leg up on ol’ Mother Nature.

“This journey we’re on as a family, the whole farming thing has been such a blessing,” Pence says. “And when Paige came into this world, we were able to spend time showing livestock all over the country with her. It’s just been pretty unreal, and it’s been a hell of a ride, that’s for sure.”

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New Partnership Automates Delivery of Customized Planting Prescriptions

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 16:40:18 GMT

A new partnership between Corteva and John Deere is making planting season a more enjoyable, seamless process for some U.S. corn and soybean growers in 2025.

The companies are automating a process many row-crop growers historically jotted down in a notebook or, more recently, stored on a USB flash drive – their planting prescriptions.

The partners, who are integrating the digital and onboard capabilities of the John Deere Operations Center with the agronomic expertise and analysis of Corteva, can deliver field-by-field planting prescriptions direct to farmers’ equipment via the cloud and a wireless connection.

Andy Fabin, second from left, says he was able to improve the planting accuracy on his farm ten-fold last season because of automating his hybrid and variety placement in the field.

(Rhonda Brooks)

Andy Fabin, who participated in the partners’ 2024 pilot program and signed on again this season, says when he or an employee drives into the field boundary, the display in the tractor cab will pop up with the work plan for that field. The farmer accepts the work plan, and all the information will populate into the display and they are ready to plant.

“That’s one of the beauties of this – I don’t have to rely on the operator to know anymore exactly what hybrid is supposed to go into that field,” says Fabin, who’s based near Indiana, Pa. “That information has been preplanned and put into the computer. I don’t have to worry that, ‘whoops, I keyed in the wrong information.’ I know it’s going to be correct.”

Correct Data From The Get-Go
Good data about which hybrid or variety is going into a field sets the grower up for season-long success from the start, notes Trenton Brisby, North America agronomy innovation manager for Corteva .

“We’re able to auto-create a work plan for the grower now, something we had not been able to do before,” Brisby says. He adds that the work plans can be based on a flat seeding rate or a variable rate prescription. Either way, the goal is to place every seed where it can perform up to its maximum yield potential.
Lindsey Pollock, agronomy collaboration manager for John Deere, says information the work plan delivers helps streamline the time and effort it takes for growers to start planting. “We know they’re in a hurry, that they want to get that seed in the ground. The [technology] is reducing the time and mistakes that could happen within those work plans,” Pollock says.

That was true for Fabin, who says the work plans improved the planting accuracy on his farm ten-fold last season.
“Having the information delivered wirelessly really made a difference,” he reports. “If we had to travel 15 miles back to the office to get something and bring it back to the field, I mean, that’s hours that the planter could be sitting. And to be honest, it wasn’t going to happen. We were going to go into the field, plant and fix it later.”

A lot of farmers find themselves dealing with that same issue or a similar one during planting season, says Corbin Crownover, Pioneer sales representative.

“Every year we’ve had cases where the same seed corn hybrid could be named three different ways in the monitor, so we’d have to sort that out and get the information adjusted at the end of the year before we could do anything with the data,” Crownover recalls. “When we can make the [hybrid] numbers all accurate the way they should be, it makes things easier for all of us in the post-harvest review and analysis.”

How The Process Works
The basic process of building the work plan involves a handful of steps, according to Brisby, who outlined the steps for Farm Journal in a brief discussion.

First, the Pioneer sales representative works with the grower to develop a hybrid and variety placement plan for each field, Brisby says.

Next, the representative then connects with the John Deere Operations Center to make a work plan for each field, using either flat or variable seeding rates. Then, the grower is contacted to review the plan.

“Once they give the representative permission, the rep can then push the work plan direct to the equipment monitor,” Brisby says. “When the grower goes to the field to plant they get a pop up on their monitor screen that says, ‘You have a new work plan. Do you want to accept this?’ The grower can say ‘yes,’ and then start planting.”

The grower can also answer no, in case he needs to use a different hybrid or variety in a field. If needed, the operator can load the new seed information into the system manually.

However, Crownover says the grower’s seed sales representative can load multiple varieties and hybrids into the system, so they are included in the original work plan. This gives the farmer the ability to switch between seed products without having to go through a manual step. “We’re able to fine-tune seed selection and placement so farmers can feel more confident that their fields are going to be planted as prescribed,” Crownover says.

Technology Needed To Participate
In some cases, farmers who might want to participate in the partners’ program lack the equipment or are unable to wirelessly send and receive data.

“This is where we really believe strengthening the relationship and collaborating comes into place between Pioneer and John Deere,” Brisby says. “Working together, we can make sure the customer is able to get what they need.”

Fabin says he appreciated being able to work with Corteva and John Deere in the pilot program. “I appreciate all this technology, as a small business owner,” he says. “Capital is something we really have to manage, and these partnerships are a way for me to leverage the equipment we’ve already got. If we can reduce inputs whether seed, fertilizer or chemicals it’s good for us and is why I partner with these two companies.”

For 2025, John Deere and Corteva are expanding the pilot program to additional U.S. farmers before rolling out the program on a more widespread basis, which the companies anticipate for 2026.

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10 Sprayer Technology Retrofit Kits That Will Save You Money

Fri, 14 Mar 2025 10:01:00 GMT

With new four-wheel-drive tractor and self-propelled combine sales both down over 40% from 2024 sales levels, one can reason new sprayer sales would be down as well.

If farmers aren’t interested in buying new sprayers right now, then naturally the interest in adding technology to the machines already on the farm starts ticking upward.

Here are 10 technology kits you can add onto a sprayer to improve its performance and apply crop inputs more accurately.

AGCO Fendt OptiPulse Nozzle by Nozzle Control

(AGCO/Fendt)

This pressure-based nozzle control system deploys a pulsing valve at each nozzle assembly to control the rate of flow for changing sprayer speeds and turn compensation. It claims to allow for spraying at “higher speeds” while still maintaining spray efficacy and reducing spray drift. It’s a standard feature on Fendt Rogator 900 series sprayers and is also available in a retrofit kit for 90’ to 132’ booms. Pricing is dependent on boom length and nozzle spacing.

Ag Leader Right Spot Nozzle Control

(Ag Leader)

Right Spot offers nozzle by nozzle sprayer control (via pulse width modulation) and can be installed on virtually any sprayer that has Ag Leader’s InCommand Go 16 display in the cab. It also offers individual nozzle monitoring and applicators can change pressure settings on the fly. The retrofit kit consists of individual valve control modules installed along the spray boom that control each nozzle assembly independently. It has curve compensation that Ag Leader says ensures a consistent spray coverage swath (rate, pressure, and droplet size) across irregular shaped fields. Applicators have reported good results spraying at 12-15 mph with the system. Request a quote from Ag Leader for pricing information.

Case-IH and New Holland IntelliSense Sprayer Automation

Case IH and New Holland’s IntelliSense systems are built on the same technology platform.

(New Holland)

This new technology kit offers green-on-brown (pre-emergence) selective spraying and a handful of VRA modes like nitrogen and fungicide (based off real-time plant biomass readings) with a single, self-contained camera vision and GPU processing unit. The cab-mounted system can see, target, and spray tiny weeds at speeds up to 19 mph. CNH says the farmer will never owe per-acre or yearly subscription fees. Later this year dealers will have kits available for select 2023 and up Patriot and Guardian machines. CNH has not published a price for the system.

Greeneye Technology Selective Spraying System

(Greeneye Technologies)

This technology is available pre-installed on a new aluminum spray boom with integrated LED lighting for night use and can be added onto ISOBUS-enabled sprayers as old as 15 years old, regardless of brand or model. Greeneye founder Nadav Bocher says it can reduce overall herbicide use by up to 90%. It offers both green-on-brown and green-on-green (post-emergence) applications with a two-tank setup, allowing the user to put down residual chemistries alongside contact herbicides in a single pass. Greeneye does not charge annual subscription fees or per-acre fees. The technology is available for up to 120’ spray booms and works in corn, soybean, and cotton crops. Greeneye plans on adding longer boom lengths soon, Bocher says. A Greeneye precision spraying system for a 120-foot boom, which includes a new boom, sprayer retrofit, installation, and warranty, costs around $239,000.

John Deere See & Spray Premium

(John Deere/Mel Koltai)

The kit retails for $25,000 and Deere says it can save farmers an average of 59% off their yearly herbicide spend vs. a broadcast program. See & Spray Premium is a single tank system and is available on select John Deere sprayer model years 2018 and up and some newer R-Series and 400/600 series sprayers. New for 2025 are variable rate fungicide and nitrogen modes, as well as expanded availability to Hagie STS20 sprayers and compatibility with 90’, 100’, and 120’ steel booms. Per-acre pricing is $5 per acre for green-on-green in corn, soybeans, and cotton, and $1 per acre for green-on-brown applications in fallow ground.

John Deere ExactApply Precision Upgrade

(John Deere)

ExactApply uses nozzle pulse modulation to keep droplet size and composition, as well as application rates, consistent as sprayer speeds vary during an application job. It’s often cited as a “must-have” among applicators and farmers who have grown accustomed to having the option on their application rig of choice. Depending on sprayer model and boom size, the retrofit kit is available on some sprayers back to model year 2014. Deere says the system compensates for spraying at lower speeds, such as when the sprayer needs to execute a turn at the end of a row, and most farmers will see between a 2 and 5% reduction in overall chemical applied. Check with your local John Deere dealer for current pricing info.

PTx Trimble Weed Seeker 2 Automatic Spot Spray Technology

(Matthew J. Grassi)

This system utilizes at-nozzle sensors and processing units across the boom to sense and spray weeds at up to 25 mph. PTx Trimble says it can reduce a farmer’s overall herbicide spend by up to 90% and is compatible with any in-cab display with ISOBUS. It can be added to any boom length with 20” nozzle spacing and will automatically compensate for spraying at lower speeds (turn rows) and turn off nozzle sections (section control) that pass over areas already sprayed. The system does not charge a per-acre fee, and its up-front cost varies depending on boom length. A total system retrofit can cost anywhere from $180,000 to $270,000.

Raven Hawkeye 2 Nozzle Control System

(Raven Industries)

This system features individual on/off nozzle control valves across the boom and it can self-adjust to maintain consistent spray deposition across turns, contours, and headlands to avoid over- and under-application. Raven claims it results in 250% more accurate droplet coverage out of the tip than comparable systems. It can control up to 192 nozzle sections and can be used for variable rate liquid fertilizer applications. Other benefits include reduced drift and blockage detection, and Raven says applicators can spray at up to 15 mph. The system is compatible with a wide range of sprayer brands and models and it costs $25,000 to $35,000 depending on boom length.

WEED-IT QUADRO

(WEED-IT)

This system was developed at Wageningen University over in The Netherlands, and it is sprayer model and brand agnostic. It combines chlorophyll fluorescence sensors and Pulse Width Modulation solenoids to achieve 95% reduction of crop protection products in fallow ground spraying. It is available in single or two tank setups adn capable of green on brown and green on green applications, and it can even be installed on a pull behind sprayer. The system does not limit the sprayer to lower speeds and the company does not charge per-acre or subscription fees. WEED-IT has a base price of $165,000.

360 Yield Center 360 Y-Drop

(360 Yield Center )

Y-Drops are a tool for putting on nitrogen right at the base of the corn plant late in the growing season, when the crop needs a boost to push yield. The application tech is available retrofitted to a wide range of front-mounted and rear-mounted boom sprayers from John Deere, Hagie, Case-IH, Miller, Fendt (Rogator), and Apache. The kits include variable rate nozzles for accurate rate control and fit row spacings from 15" to 36". And 360 Undercover is an add-on option for Y-Drops that bolts on an additional spray module containing four multi-directional nozzles on each unit for customized spray patterns and 150-degree horizontal spray application that can apply fungicides, insecticides, and liquid plant health products inside the crop canopy. Y-drop systems can cost anywhere from around $16,000 to $23,000 depending on configuration.

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From Seed to Success: Plan for Your Largest Corn Harvest in 2025 with Drought-Proofing Strategies

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 21:20:10 GMT

Ground moisture levels in some parts of Corn Country are abnormally low as planting time nears. Ken Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist, addressed the issue at length in this week’s Boots In The Field podcast for growers.

Ferrie has been keeping tabs on moisture and where there are deficient areas, via the weekly U.S. Drought Monitor. Based on the Monitor, he estimates that about two-thirds of the Midwest is abnormally dry with more than half of that area already in a D1 drought.

Given the increasingly dry conditions there, farmers are asking Ferrie whether they should cut back on their corn populations, reduce yield goals or trim nitrogen rates. The simple answer, Ferrie says, is no, as conditions can change rapidly.

“With timely rains the soil profile can be reloaded with moisture quickly. We never set out at spring planning for a drought,” he says. “We want to plan for 2025 to be our biggest crop ever, because we know this moisture concern could disappear.”

Going into the season, plan A is to be prepared to grow your largest crop ever. However, Ferrie advises farmers to make a plan B – figure out how to mitigate drought risk this season if conditions stay dry.

“We can mitigate drought risk by eliminating and farming without compaction layers – getting roots to go deep quickly,” he says. “Pick the right hybrids and place them correctly in your fields. That will go a long way in mitigating drought risk.”

How farmers can go about making their plans for this season:

First, identify the hybrids in your lineup, which ones have offensive characteristics and which ones have defensive characteristics.

Second, evaluate your fields to identify where soils are offensive or defensive in nature.

Third, match the right hybrid to the right field (or part of a field, if you use VRT). Essentially, defensive hybrids go on defensive-type soils. Offensive hybrids go on offensive-type soils.

The 3 Rs Of Hybrid Selection
Ferrie says in his agronomic meetings with farmers this winter, Jared Bergan, research agronomist for Crop-Tech Consulting, Heyworth, Ill., spent a lot of time addressing the three Rs of hybrid selection – picking the right hybrids, the right placement and the right management. Learn more at Plant Corn Hybrids Where They’ll Perform The Best

A large portion of Bergan’s presentation focused on taking corn growers through what makes a hybrid defensive or offensive in its makeup.

“To maximize yield, we must capture 97% of the sunlight by the time a corn hybrid tassels, whether the hybrid is offensive or defensive,” Ferrie notes. “Capturing sunlight is a combination of several things: plant population, row spacing, plant height, leaf architecture and leaf size.”

When water is not a concern on heavy soils or irrigated soils, farmers can achieve 97% light capture by pushing up their hybrid plant populations.

When water is a concern, you still want to achieve 97% light capture but you will need to do it with fewer plants, leaving more water available per plant, so you will be lowering your planting population.

Assess Fields For Moisture
As you evaluate fields and how to match them to your hybrids, identify where water is and is not a limiting factor in each field. In most cases, this can be done by tapping into your personal experience in a field, as well as by revisiting previous yield maps.

Fields that can retain moisture and are more productive are referred to as offensive. Fields with light soils that tend to get tight on water in dry years are referred to as defensive.

Soils can vary considerably across a field, so sometimes you’ll have to make a judgment call on whether to call it offensive or defensive.

Ferrie offers this example: “If a field is 70% defensive, we’re talking about light soils that tend to get tight on water in dry years, while the other 30% has high water-holding capacity and can hold its own in dry years. With how those percentages are, we’d call this a defensive field,” he says. “On the other hand, if 70% of the field is more productive soil and can hang on in a dry year, then you have an offensive field.”

Look At Your List Of Hybrids
Once fields are identified as offensive or defensive, Ferrie says to look through your hybrid lineup to see what you have to match the fields.

So what makes a hybrid offensive or defensive? Here are three key factors to consider:

Plant Height. Defensive corn plants tend to be taller, making it easier to shade the ground at low populations.
Leaf Architecture. On defensive plants, the architecture tends to be pendulum in nature with wider and longer leaves.
Number of kernels per bushel. The third thing to evaluate is, how many kernels does the hybrid need to produce to make a bushel?

“When you lower the number of plants on defensive soils to conserve water, it’s important that your hybrid can still produce enough kernels to reach your yield goal,” Ferrie explains.
“Defensive hybrids produce typically somewhere between 55,000 to 65,000 kernels per bushel. They can get that low.”

Offensive hybrids are on the other side of the spectrum in characteristics. They’re usually shorter in nature and are more upright in leaf structure. To capture 97% of available sunlight, they need to be planted at higher populations.

“Kernels per bushel in our offensive hybrids tend to be in that 70,000 to 80,000 per bushel range,” Ferrie says.

Engage Your Seedsman In The Process
Many hybrids fall into the space that’s in between defensive and offensive: medium-tall, semi-pendulum in nature; or medium-short, semi-upright in nature, for example.

“It’s why for many growers, this might be a conversation you need to have with your seed supplier,” Ferrie says. “They can help you match hybrids up with the fields that are best suited to them. On those defensive fields, match them with taller, pendulum-type hybrids that can be planted at lower populations. On the offensive fields, line them up with the more upright, shorter-statured hybrid varieties that can be planted at higher populations.”

Ferrie notes that corn growers often lean toward having a lineup of offensive, racehorse type hybrids. But it’s important to have some defensive hybrids in your lineup. The reason: having a lineup of only offensive hybrids – when you likely also farm a number of defensive-type fields – will not mitigate drought stress.

For example, Ferrie says planting a short-statured, upright leaf hybrids at a 38,000 population on defensive ground could be setting yourself up for yield losses. “Not being able to close the canopy quickly or sufficiently will allow temperatures to climb to a point where they will stress that hybrid. Catalog your farms and your hybrids, and match them up accordingly,” he says.

“This is where a good seedsman is worth their weight in gold. They can help you find defensive hybrids for your defensive ground. Now, most likely these hybrids will not be contest winners. You’re looking for base hits here, not home runs. But by getting the right hybrid on the right field, you’ll mitigate drought risk every year, and not just when you think a drought is coming,” Ferrie adds.

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Listen to Ken Ferrie’s Boots In The Field podcast here:

New Holland Joins The Smart Sprayer Revolution With IntelliSense Automation

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 14:39:04 GMT

New Holland is releasing its own spin on selective spraying technology, IntelliSense Sprayer Automation.

The manufacturer claims it is the most comprehensive application automation solution on the market. The technology will hit the market first as a factory offering for new Model Year 2026 Guardian series front boom sprayers.

The technology is accessible with no annual subscription requirements or per-acre fees.

New Holland says the system can be used on a wide spectrum of crops — from corn, soybeans and cotton to pulse crops and small grains like wheat and canola — and is capable of a wide array of full-season application functions, including herbicide, fungicide, plant growth regulator, nitrogen and harvest aid.

“Operators and farmers are going to be able to optimize the return on their inputs and increase productivity both in terms of acres covered and resulting crop uniformity and yield. IntelliSense Sprayer Automation is in a class of its own as the most versatile sense and act spray technology available,” says Curtis Hillen, cash crop segment lead, New Holland North America.

What Makes It Work?
Just like the smart spraying platform released this week by its CNH Industrial sister brand Case IH, New Holland’s IntelliSense Sprayer Automation uses a single cab-mounted, front-facing SenseApply Camera unit.

The SenseApply camera unit is a multi-spectral vision system that enables IntelliSense Sprayer Automation to continuously scan upcoming field conditions across the full width of the boom from a high vantage point atop the cab.

(Robb Long Photography/New Holland)

The SenseApply camera unit is a multi-spectral vision system that enables IntelliSense Sprayer Automation to continuously scan upcoming field conditions (50 feet out in front of the sprayer) across the full width of the boom (up to 140 feet in width) from a high vantage point atop the cab.

Unique Sprayer Functions
The leading aspect of the new IntelliSense Sprayer Automation is its Selective Spray function. It offers operators the choice of two application types to enhance herbicide applications: Spot Spraying and Base + Boost.

Spot Spraying utilizes green-on-brown functionality and operates by detecting weeds smaller in stature (less than two inches in height) and activates nozzles on the boom that correspond to the location of the detected weed.

Where an operator is applying a broadcast herbicide over a field, Base + Boost mode applies a uniform base rate across the entire coverage width and activates a localized boost rate from nozzles where weeds are detected. When the SenseApply camera identifies a weed, IntelliSense Sprayer Automation boosts the maximum application rate for that single weed within the herbicide’s prescription rate range.

Beyond Selective Spray, IntelliSense Sprayer Automation bolsters its capabilities with a range of full-season live variable rate application functions that further elevate a sprayer’s productivity, utility and overall operating ROI. Functions include nitrogen variable rate application (VRA), plant growth regulator VRA, fungicide VRA, harvest aid VRA and burndown VRA. These functions operate by automatically adjusting the amount of each input applied (nitrogen, PGR, fungicide, harvest aid and burndown) based on plant health levels.

To further in-field productivity, a Guardian front boom sprayer actively engaging one of the VRA functions can operate at speeds up to 25 mph. If Selective Spray is in active use, the sprayer can run at speeds up to 19 mph. This is a speed range that ensures operators can maintain a high level of in-field performance and quality of application, New Holland says.

Currently, IntelliSense Sprayer Automation can be used on a variety of crops, including corn, soybeans, wheat, barley, canola, cotton, small grains, edible beans and other legumes.

IntelliSense Sprayer Automation will be available factory-fit on Model Year 2026 Guardian series front boom sprayers — the SP310F, SP370F and SP410F. New Holland representatives also confirmed the technology will be available as a retrofit option on Model Year 2023 and up Guardian sprayers in the near future.

For more information, head over to NewHolland.com .

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Tech On the Farm: McArthur Ag Ventures Flips The Script On Traditional VRA

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 10:05:00 GMT

McArthur Ag Ventures (MAV) is a 112-year-old, fourth-generation operation that fans out across 18,000 acres of western Canadian prairie land. The soil is productive yet diverse in terms of typography, and technology is one tool that helps Brennan McArthur level the playing field.

“A new machine is a million bucks now,” he says. “Farmland is soon to be a million bucks. It’s not like 10 years ago where you just needed to grow a crop, and you knew you could pay the bills. There’s still money to be made, and it’s still a rewarding line of work, but you really need to be on the ball.”

MAV has an extensive smart farming program that incorporates annual GPS-based soil sampling to inform variable-rate nutrient applications, drone-based scouting and machine and in-field agronomy data management.

Everything begins, though, with managing the soil. Five years ago, the farm switched from an in-house soil sampling and variable-rate program to using Croptimistic Technologies’ Soil, Water and Topography (SWAT) maps.

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(Photos Courtesy of McArthurAg.com, Croptimistic Technology Inc.)

Every spring, the Croptimistic team runs its sensors across McArthur’s acreage. The soil data is then crunched and extrapolated onto 3D, multicolored maps to notate elevation, water-holding capacity and other soil metrics. The maps are loaded onto the operation’s fertilizer spreading tractors that vary the rate at which nutrients are applied. The high-yielding zones get a bit more to push yields, while areas that aren’t as productive get a bit less.

“I do believe since we’ve adopted a lot of these practices, such as SWAT, minimum tillage and direct seeding, our soil health has improved and continues to improve all the time and allowed us to grow more bushels,” he adds.

Data-based Decisions

When McArthur hears the term “smart farming” he thinks about making decisions based on the data that flows with every pass across a field.

“The more we grow and the more progressive we get with our consultants and our teams, the more I realize there are lots of smart farms out there today, but at the same time, there’s still not enough,” he explains. “You really need to know your cost of production and your machinery metrics. And you need to utilize technology to grow the best crops you can with what you have. To me, that’s smart farming.”

3 key takeaways from our conversation with McArthur:

Importance of Data-Driven Farming. Using technology and data in all aspects of farming practices is important to maintain profitability in today’s volatile ag markets. McArthur Ag Ventures relies on GPS soil sampling and SWAT maps to help them find variability in soil conditions, which in turn allows the agronomists on staff optimize their inputs and incrementally improve yields without added input costs.
Sustainability as a Standard Practice. Brennan McArthur feels sustainability should be standard practice among progressive farmers, rather than just a marketing program focus. Modern farming operations are implementing sustainable practices without needing to promote them heavily.
Adoption of Advanced Technologies. Farmers must adopt advanced practices like variable rate applications and analyzing machinery metrics with AI to remain competitive. As farming becomes more business-oriented, understanding costs and how to find new efficiencies is crucial for success.

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What Technologies Are Farms Using and Why?

Fri, 07 Mar 2025 21:09:45 GMT

Technology adoption continues to grow, but it varies based on farm size and purpose. USDA asked farm operators about their use of a variety of precision ag technologies. Here are some of the responses:

Case IH Launches SenseApply: Subscription-Free, Variable-Rate Capable Smart Spraying Technology

Sun, 02 Mar 2025 13:59:00 GMT

Case IH is launching SenseApply technology, an automated live variable-rate application and selective spraying solution. The company says its smart spraying technology is designed to maximize the output of every input.

SenseApply consists of a single cab-mounted camera system that offers multi-season uses.

Case IH says its new SenseApply technology includes lifetime Live VRA use and a one-time activation fee for Selective Spray, eliminating per acre fees and annual subscription fees for the life of the device.

(Case IH)

“SenseApply offers unparalleled flexibility, with a range of application methods that were previously unavailable in a single solution,” says Leo Bose, application equipment customer segmentation lead at Case IH. “It is also a cost-effective solution with no annual subscriptions or per acre fees, driving efficiency and profitability for a grower.”

Multi-Application Uses Include:

Selective apray
Green-on-brown spot spray offers upgraded weed management
Base + Boost applies a consistent base rate across the entire boom while boosting individual nozzle sections to a higher rate when passing over areas with higher weed pressure
Live variable-rate application (VRA)
Burndown VRA
Nitrogen VRA
Harvest aid VRA
Plant growth regulator VRA
Fungicide VRA

SenseApply technology includes lifetime live VRA use and a one-time activation fee for Selective Spray, eliminating both per acre fees and annual fees for the life of the device.

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The technology is designed for simple and efficient application, at speeds of up to 25 mph, with the camera self-calibrating to the crop within the first 150 feet during live VRA. The SenseApply camera – which is mounted on top of the cab to maximize field of view – senses plant biomass and responds accordingly, depending on the application type the operator selects.

SenseApply integrates with Case IH FieldOps and Raven Slingshot, enabling operators to connect and manage application data through their preferred platform. Case IH says the integration enables real-time data analysis and decision-making capabilities.

Learn more about SenseApply at caseih.com.

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John Deere Details Model Year 2026 Updates, New Machine Capabilities and Technology Features

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 16:47:58 GMT

John Deere announces a suite of equipment and technology upgrades and new features across its portfolio of machines. Some of the updates are exclusive to model year 2026 machines, and some are available as retrofit options or upgrades for new and/or older John Deere machines.

Next Generation Perception System For Autonomous Tillage
John Deere is releasing its autonomy Precision Upgrades kit for select tractor models that brings autonomy to tillage work. The system is available as a Precision Upgrades kit for model year 2022 and newer 9R and 9RX tractors and model year 2020.5 and newer 8R and 8RX tractors. Select model year 2025 John Deere tractors are autonomy ready from the factory.

RELATED: John Deere Introducing Next Generation Perception Autonomy Kits

To add autonomy to the tillage tool, retrofit kits are available for 2017 and newer John Deere tillage implements with additional lighting and the StarFire receiver mast and harnessing. The autonomy ready solutions are factory installed in base models for select MY25 tillage tools.

Combine Improvements
For model year 2026, the additions include a new three-piece CAM hinge draper reel with dense pack fingers and a new CF 18 30 corn head, which John Deere says is the industry’s first folding corn head with 18" rows and 30" spacing.

John Deere is also announcing several enhancements to its model year 2026 combines:

The Harvest Settings Automation feature will now include an out-of-crop settings adjustment that engages when the combine is passing through previously harvested areas of the field. Now the feature supports wheat, barely, canola, soybean, corn and rice crops.

Predictive Ground Speed Automation is being updated with a new feature that helps operators manage unique field terrains such as waterways, ditches or terraces. Weed detection sensing is also being added. There will be new functionality incorporated into John Deere Operations Center that will use crop-type data from planting and satellite imagery to ensure all eligible combines have the essential harvest automation files necessary to increase productivity. Predictive Ground Speed Automation supports wheat, barley, canola, soybean, corn, peas, edible beans and lentils.

AutoTrac Turn Automation is being updated to automate the raising and lowering of the combine head for hands-free turning, and a new auto-unload camera with supporting hardware and software is available to help consistently fill grain carts and possibly reduce in-field spills.

(Dan Videtich/John Deere)

John Deere also announced a handful of harvest settings updates available in Operations Center, including grain harvest weight sharing and Grain Sensing with HarvestLab 3000 available now for all model year 2025 and newer X9, S7 and T6 combines.

And physical updates to model year 2026 machines include a new instructor seat in all models and a dual USB-C fast charging module in the cab. And the JD Link Boost satellite connectivity module is available for install on eligible combine models to maintain connectivity during harvest.

Sprayer Updates
John Deere says these updates were developed to give farmers cleaner fields that have less weed competition, leading to more yield potential.

See & Spray has new variable rate capabilities that can unlock precise applications and significant product savings in later-season fungicide and desiccant applications, preharvest passes and more, according to John Deere. Farmers can also now see the percentage of biomass each perception camera detects throughout the field. See & Spray Variable Rate capabilities will require a G5 or G5Plus CommandCenter display.

See & Spray Select is now available from the factory on model year 2026 John Deere 400 and 600 series sprayers with 90', 100' or 120' steel booms. See & Spray Select also will be available as a Precision Upgrades kit for model year 2018 and newer John Deere sprayers with ExactApply and a 120' steel boom.

See & Spray Premium is adding new boom sizes and is now available on Hagie STS20 sprayers. See & Spray Premium is compatible with 90', 100' or 120' booms.

(Mel Koltai/John Deere)

Beyond the See & Spray updates, John Deere also has two new AutoTrac options for sprayers:

AutoTrac Turn Automation (ATTA) is now compatible with John Deere 400 and 600 series self-propelled sprayers, 800R floaters, and Hagie STS12, STS16 and STS20 sprayers, model year 2022 and newer. The new feature is also included with Automation 4.0 on Gen4 displays and the G5 Advanced license for machines that have a G5 display.

AutoTrac Vision 2.0 is a new technology that ensures sprayer wheels remain centered within each crop row, and it boasts a maximum speed of 22 mph, slope performance of up to 6 degrees, and the ability to navigate curves with a radius of just 50 meters. AutoTrac Vision 2.0 is available on model year 2026 John Deere sprayers as a factory option.

John Deere is also introducing ExactApply Variable Rate capabilities – including multi-rate across the boom with AutoSelect Pulsing (and A+B pulse width modulation nozzle switching). Sprayer operators can now vary multiple application rates across the entire boom, up to 11 unique sections, leading to more precise product placement. Operators also can use increased rate ranges for variable rate prescriptions and curve compensation. This technology is available as a software update for model year 2023 to 2025 sprayers, and model year 2026 will come factory installed with updated software features and functionalities.

Planter Updates
John Deere announced four new planter updates:

A new rate controller, the John Deere Rate Controller 3, with the option to control and apply two liquid and/or anhydrous ammonia (NH3) products simultaneously across up to 16 sections. This can help farmers decrease the number of trips through the field while getting the same application work completed. John Deere says the new rate controller is suitable for a variety of row crops, ranches, high-value crops and even on golf courses.

Rate Controller 3 also features a new rate controller app that is available within the John Deere display menu. The rate controller app is fully compatible with Gen 4 v2 and G5 displays.

(Michael J Newell/John Deere)

John Deere says the new app will give farmers a similar experience as operating a self-propelled sprayer with a controller with a built-in base from the factory. This means farmers can now monitor their planter and rate controller functions on one screen on the display and execute easy adjustments, according to John Deere.

The new rate controller module also has a new harness and 48-pin connector, which expands the compatibility with third-party equipment.

Seed-Level Sensing provides farmers with a more accurate look at the level of seed remaining in the tank. It places a sensor in the tank that can measure the volume of seed left in the tank, which is then provided to the operator in the cab and the John Deere Operations Center. This feature is available on model year 2026 planters or as a Precision Upgrades kit for certain models back to model year 2022.

Fertilizer-Level Sensing is also new and it is similar to seed-level sensing, providing the operator with better information on the fertilizer level remaining in the tank. It is an external manifold that includes two pressure sensors, which are used to calculate both the liquid density as well as the volume remaining in the tank. This update is available on model year 2026 planters and is also a Precision Upgrades kit that can be added to machines that are model year 2022 and newer.

Active Vacuum Automation is available on model year 2026 planters with electric drives and the SeedStar 5 Monitoring System. This feature looks in real time at singulation and automatically adjusts the vacuum, helping to prevent skips and doubles.

To determine which new features and updates are available for existing machines or only on model year 2026 new machines, contact your local John Deere dealer.

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How This 29-Year-Old Farmer is Calculating His Costs on Every Acre in Real-Time

Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:26:54 GMT

At just 29-years-old, Illinois farmer Chase Sailer is always exploring unconventional ways to be more productive.

“This is one of the things that we can probably see the biggest return on investment,” Sailer says, pointing to the GPS Ditch Grader in his machine shed. “Spots that used to yield 20 bu. [per acre] for soybeans are now getting all the way up to 50 to 70 bu. [per acre] in those wet holes.”

Sailer, who farms near Carmi, Ill., says it’s been one of the biggest game changers on his farm.

“It’s pretty much a surface drain drainage tile, if you want to look at it that way. It’s a lot cheaper than putting drainage tile on a field. But we can go out there, take the topography of any field, and we’re overlaying that with yield maps, to see where trouble spots are,” Sailer says.

Chase Sailer

(Russ Hnatusko)

Instead of guessing why low-yielding spots are an issue in any given field, they use all that data to know exactly what the culprit is.

“And then we’re able to go out there with this ditcher and grade it; we’re able to make sure that water flows to where it needs to,” Sailer says.

It’s that attention to detail, along with Sailer’s ability to turn to technology to solve problems on the farm, that makes this southern Illinois farmer a true maverick.

“We’re going to admit when we’re wrong, and we’re always willing to learn,” he says. “So, I think that’s a huge role, and the key in trying to be better is really dive in deep each year on what you did wrong. Because if you only focus on the things you did right, you’re never going to have growth,” he adds.

The Push for Precision

Another way Sailer Farms is taking the guesswork out of farming, is by fulling grasping onto precision farming. Now, Sailer is able to drill down their decisions to the acre.

“Right now we’re using about every part of precision technology that you can possibly use, and that’s going all the way from obviously auto row guidance with AutoTrac , which is kind of the bare minimum, to section control on your planters . And now we’re going into tramlines where we’re trying to limit the compaction zones on all of our fields,” Sailer says.

Aerial of Sailer Farms, Carmi, Illinois

(Russ Hnatusko )

In this area of southern Illinois, the two biggest limiting factors to yields are either too much or too little water, as well as compaction.

“So, with the use of tramlines and AutoPath from John Deere Ops Center, we’re able to pull into the field, already have the field mapped out and the route that we want to take. And we’re taking that same 60-foot pass on every application that we do. So that’s allowing us to come in here in the fall and in-line rip only where our equipment’s ran,” Sailer says.

Data-Driven Decisions

What goes into every decision the Sailers make, well, that all comes down to data.

“We have so much data anymore, all the way from our soil tests that we do every other year, and this is where we’re working really close with our agronomist. So, we’re pairing up different seed varieties to different soil types to make sure that we’re getting the biggest bang for our buck in that aspect,” he says.

Chase Sailer, Carmi, Illinois

(Russ Hnatusko )

Getting Rid of Bad Data

Sailer admits their farm used to comb through bad data, but now, through Ops Center, they finally have good data they go through not monthly or weekly, but daily.

“Even from our See & Spray maps where we’re going out with our sprayer, we’re getting these weed pressure maps and each year we’re able to learn and build off of that and make sure in that particular field that we’re doing a better job. And it’s helping us make decisions on what type of chemicals to use for certain fields,” Sailer says.

From being better able to decide which chemicals to use, to knowing which seed variety needs to be planted on every acre, Harvest Profit is another tool Sailer Farms now relies on heavily.

“Harvest Profit is a neat tool where we’re able to put in every overhead cost that we have in our farming operation, all the way from our employees to the random bills we get from the parts stores, so you get a true number of how much does it cost to run this one acre,” Sailer says. “And then, when we’re spraying and spreading throughout the field, we have all of our chemical prices and our fertilizer prices in Harvest Profit. And it’s just continually giving you a calculator throughout the field on a per acre basis.”

Chase Sailer, Carmi, Illinois

(Russ Hnatukso )

There’s no shortage of technology and precision tools on this farm, but what may be Sailer’s biggest key to success is the people they surround themselves with.

“As a farm, it’s just like a sports team. You’re only as good as your weakest link. We have 12 different guys and all of them play a huge role, whether it’s planting, harvesting, spreading, spraying. Every row needs to be done just as good as the best guy, and I feel like we have that as a team,” Sailer says.

At not even 30-years-old yet, Sailer just may be wise beyond his years. But as he looks ahead, he has big plans for the next 30 years.

“I’m a third-generation farmer,” says Sailer. “We’re always looking towards that next generation, trying to make decisions and set up the farm to where we’re successful for years to come. I hope to be here for another 100 years.”

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Too Busy For Field Trials? Top Researchers Can Help

Thu, 07 Nov 2024 22:29:23 GMT

One of the best ways to improve as a farmer is to experiment with different products and application and seeding rates. Following harvest, you collect and analyze the data, and now you have data from your own ground to use in the decision-making process.

The problem is setting up and managing on-farm trials simply takes a lot of time, and farmers are already busy. Therefore, many rely on third-party and university research for a product’s performance data that ultimately determines whether or not they adopt it.

University of Illinois agricultural and consumer economics professor David Bullock seems to have an answer, known as the Data Intensive Farm Management Project (DIFM) .

Started in 2016, the collaboration between university researchers, private crop consultants, retailers and farmers has helped conduct scientific, large-scale farm trials in Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Texas, Washington, Argentina, Brazil and South Africa.

“It’s going to sound intimidating, to do science on their own farm, but it’s really not intimidating,” Bullock says. “It’s really user friendly, either for farmers themselves who are a little tech savvy, or we can work with their crop consultants, and we can design and run really big trials on their farms and help them get excellent data. The only way to learn more about your farm is to get on-farm data.”

The National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and USDA provide the bulk of funding to DIFM — over 20 land-grant universities are signed on as collaborators — to help farmers conduct scientific experiments on their fields.

Here’s the kicker: no matter the result, the farmer is guaranteed not to lose any money. If money or yield is lost on a trial, the project has a mechanism in place where the farmer will be made financially whole again, Bullock says.

What Do I Need To Do?

Basically, a farmer needs to dedicate a minimum of 80 acres and have a calibrated yield monitor and equipment featuring variable-rate application (VRA) technology with GPS.

“It could be any type of nitrogen — whether synthetic, biological, whatever it is — it could be seeding rates or variable rating different products,” Bullock says. “ If it can be applied at variable rates, it’s something we can look at.”

The DIFM team can take an 80-acre field, remove the headlands and slice and dice the remaining 65 acres into up to 400 different observation areas, or field trials.

They also help collect and clean the data before analyzing the output and showing the farmer which variable-rate strategies worked, and which ones did not using real data, right from their own fields and soil types.

“And we can do that at the click of a button,” Bullock says. “Right now, it is still a research project, so it’s not perfected. If a farmer is going to work with us, they need to know this is research. It’s not perfect, but boy, we think we can get better. And it doesn’t cost them any money. It does take a little bit of effort, but for a lot of farmers, it’s not a lot of effort, and they learn some great stuff.”

One takeaway that has emerged from DIFM trials is variable-rate fertility programs really only pencil out in scenarios that have either high soil type variability or elevation shifts. Wide-open, flat and homogenous fields — like many of the fields located around Champaign, Ill., where Bullock is based out of, for example, do not typically pay off in VRA scenarios.

“Historically there has been insufficient data on yield responses (from VRA) and how they vary across different parts of fields,” Bullock says. “This makes it difficult to create effective variable-rate prescriptions based on quantifiable data rather than general, often outdated rules of thumb.”

Bullock adds that all farm trial data generated within DIFM always belongs to the farmer. The data might be aggregated and used in academia with the farmer’s permission.

Farmer Endorsement

Ohio farmer Jim Uphaus says, in his experience, most on-farm trials run by farmers start off on solid ground, but then the farmer gets busy or sidetracked elsewhere, and aspects of the trial that shouldn’t fall through the cracks end up doing so.

That’s why the 300-acre northwest Ohio row crop farmer and former plant breeder is so excited to get started with the DIFM project.

“The tools and everything they’re developing really meshes well with the farmer, basically all they have to do is make sure everything is turned on and they start planting or applying in the right spot,” Uphaus says. “It really simplifies things because it’s basically end to end, from initial design all the way through data analysis.”

His plan is to have DIFM assist him in laying down a multitude of cover crop seeding rate trials, so he will definitively know from here on out how cover crop planting density affects future yields on his own ground.

“Every year we learn more, and yet we have so much data we’re not currently using, or we’re basing these major decisions on outdated data,” Uphaus says. “With this project we’re really going to focus on mining our old data to help drive these trial designs, and then allow the data to validate or contradict our old approaches.”

With harvest 2024 in the books (or oh so close), Bullock says now is the time to reach out and explore whether working with the DIFM team is a good fit for your farm trials.

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10 Smart Ways to Start Cutting Your Fertilizer Bill

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 19:46:11 GMT

Fertilizer costs are weighing on many farmers this fall, as they wrap up the 2024 harvest and look forward to next season. Ken Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist, says one of the most important decisions you can make now is to keep your wits about you in the process.

“Don’t get caught up in a fire sale mentality,” he encourages. “Emotional decisions based on what you hear at the coffee shop or read on social media rarely pay in positive outcomes. Instead, take a more controlled, calibrated approach to reducing fertilizer costs.”

Here are nine additional thoughts from Ferrie on how to approach your corn and soybean fertility program for 2025:

1. Figure out what you currently spend on fertilizer. With the facts in hand, you’ll be able to make decisions based on reality and not feelings.

2. Determine the target dollar amount that you want to get to for next year, what will make your cash flow work.

“Your agronomist can help you through this process, but they need real numbers to work with – not just emotions,” Ferrie says. “There’s a big difference between taking $20 per acre out of your program or trying to reduce it $120.”

3. Once you have the target dollar amount in mind, refer to your soil test information.

“Let your soil tests do the talking,” Ferrie says. “They will tell you if you can cut fertilizer costs in a field by 10%, 20% or even 50% without dinging yields short-term. The opposite is true, too.”

4. Keep your rotation in mind as you prepare to trim. For instance, Ferrie says when farmers are building fertilizer levels in lower testing areas, most do that ahead of soybeans.

“So, if you say, ‘I’m just going to cut out all my bean spreads,’ you’re going to be cutting the lowest fertility in the field,” he says. “It usually works better to scale back your corn fertility program for most fields.”

5. Remember that applying less fertilizer than the removal rates will lower soil fertility in the field, and that will need to be reckoned with when profitability finally stabilizes.

“The good news is that most of your farms are in a good place where you can lean them out without damaging yields short-term. That’s the power of knowing your fertility levels,” Ferrie says.

6. However, if you’re dealing with a new farm or one with poor fertility, it’s a tough climb to pull back on fertility in either of those scenarios without adjusting your yield goals. If this is your situation, be sure to check soil pH levels.

“This is where to start. Don’t be too quick to pull lime out of the program,” Ferrie advises. “Adequate lime is important in making all your nutrients work at optimum levels.”

7. Consider where you might be able to trim costs without taking as much money out of your fertility program. Maybe you reduce tillage passes or your seed spend. In addition, there might be some fields where you pull back on fertility and others that you leave alone.

8. Don’t wait until the last minute to start the process. What you end up doing will involve a series of important decisions, and that requires time.

9. Tap into your valued experts who know you and know your fields. They can provide good counsel and partner with you in the process.

You can listen to Ken Ferrie’s full recommendations on how to go about reducing fertility costs as well as his take on how harvest in central Illinois is progressing here:

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EarthOptics, Pattern Ag Combine Forces On Next-Level Soil Data Analytics

Thu, 29 Aug 2024 14:26:47 GMT

EarthOptics is merging with data analytics and predictive modeling firm Pattern Ag. Executives at the newly-formed venture feel the combined company will be better positioned to offer enhanced soil testing and data analysis services.

Todd Martin is one of the founders of EarthOptics and he will assume the chief growth officer role at the merged company. Martin helped launch the startup in 2018 with the aim of providing farmers with better, faster, and more economical field-level soil data than traditional grid soil sampling programs.

The experienced ag industry vet pulls zero punches in stating that precision ag thus far has largely failed farmers with overwhelmingly complex and costly-to-collect data sets siloed in walled off platforms devoid of revenue-generating insights. It is his belief that combining with Pattern Ag positions EarthOptics to rise up and deliver more ROI for its farmers.

“The newly merged EarthOptics, when it’s EarthOptics plus Pattern Ag, is going to be able to deliver for farmers like never before,” Martin states. “We can replace their current soil testing regime and - for about the same price as two and a half acre grid sampling for variable-rate fertilizer - give them a prescriptive tillage recommendation and variable-rate fertilization data down to the best resolution that is currently possible. And now we can combine that with the biological and soil DNA data from Pattern Ag and tell them all about disease expectations in their soil, and about pest expectations.”

EarthOptics’ technology includes two and soon-to-be-released three spectrum analyzing sensor systems - deployed via tech-outfitted side-by-side UTVs that local service providers run across acres throughout the Midwest - all with the aim of providing farmers with detailed soil maps and actionable variable rate fertility insights. Martin says this boots-on-the-ground approach is what defines EarthOptics. The data provided includes soil type, moisture, disease and pest predictions, and more.

EarthOptics also says it can help farmers with climate-related programs by measuring carbon in the soil and providing tools to assess and report data that measures carbon intensity and field emissions.

“We’ll help farmers that want to enroll in climate programs and look at their carbon intensity scores or their field emissions, and sometimes we’ll be able to utilize satellites for some of that,” Martin explains. “But when it comes to soil, we believe you’ve got to get your hands dirty. You’re going to have to be in the field. You cannot use satellite technology, no matter what anybody says, it just does not exist to do the type of analysis and data gathering that we can do in the field.”

The two companies plan to unify under the EarthOptics brand name. Other considerations like branding colors and a logo to represent the newly combined company will be worked out soon as executives from both groups come together and pencil out the venture’s go-forward strategy.

Want to learn more about this new soil data partnership? Study up on all of the publicly released details here.

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Bayer's First Carbon Credits Are Issued, More On The Way

Fri, 07 Jun 2024 17:47:52 GMT

The initial results from the Bayer Carbon Program are in – and they’re significant.

According to Nori, a carbon removal issuing program, registry and marketplace, over 125,000 regenerative tonnes from the program have been issued. These are the first credits to come from Bayer’s program and make up the largest issuance Nori has had since it was founded in 2017. The 125,000 regenerative tonnes issued are the result of these practices on 190,000 acres across the U.S.

“Being able to establish relationships like the one we have with Nori is essential to helping turn farmers’ regenerative agriculture efforts into tangible credits that can provide monetary value to these practices and further help stand up carbon markets,” said Leo Bastos, senior vice president and head of global ecosystem services at Bayer. “This squarely aligns with Bayer’s goal of scaling regenerative agriculture to help farmers produce more while helping restore the planet.”

Bayer says this is just the beginning, with 240,000 additional credits in the pipeline and expected to be issued as carbon credits later this year.

A regenerative tonne is equal to approximately one tonne of carbon dioxide that has been removed from the atmosphere through regenerative practices. For Bayer’s program specifically, those practices could be no-till, strip-till, cover cropping or implementing a Nitrogen Management Program.

Bayer Announces 2024 Carbon Program, Expanding Opportunities

Nori and Bayer first partnered in 2022.

With the help of its additional partners, Nori anticipates supporting 400,000 acres of regenerative farming, paying $6.5 million to suppliers and removing over 700,000 tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere this year.

“We have enjoyed partnering with the team at Bayer to issue hundreds of thousands of new soil carbon credits,” said Radjika Moolgavkar, Nori vice president of supply and methodology. “The pairing of Bayer’s expansive regenerative farm network with Nori’s vertically integrated issuing program, registry and marketplace enables us to significantly scale regenerative agriculture adoption together — a key step toward mitigating climate change.”

Big Ideas In Ag Technology: Where Selective Spraying Is Going

Mon, 13 May 2024 20:43:21 GMT

Written by Darryl Matthews

Selective spraying is the technology of detecting weeds in a crop or on fallow ground and only spraying the weed. The reduction in herbicides can be between 60% and 90%, depending on the weed density in the field.

Detecting weeds in a fallow field is a technology that has been around for nearly 20 years and treats large acres in the southern hemisphere’s growing regions of the world. The fallow selective spray system detects a green plant in the fallow ground and only sprays the green plant.

There are two types of selective spray systems: brown on green, which detects green plants in fallow ground only (John Deere See & Spray Select, PTx Trimble WeedSeeker 2, Weed-It,) and green on green, which can detect weeds within a crop (John Deere See & Spray Ultimate, PTx Trimble Bilberry, Greeneye Technology, and One Smart Spray). Depending on the system, the selective spray system uses either a camera or a near-infrared sensor.

What The Tech Can Do

Selective spray systems can significantly reduce the amount of herbicide applied and reduce the costs of controlling weeds in certain crops. All selective spray systems generate a map during the spraying process, giving the grower a visual map of weed location and density. The visual weed map can be a valuable tool for your agronomist and in understanding what is happening in your field with weed pressure year over year. Selective spray can help in managing herbicide-resistant weeds by allowing the application of two different modes of action, particularly with a two-tank system.

Selective spray systems can locate a weed as small as 1/4".

What The Tech Can’t Do

There are limitations to green-on-green systems. They require a slower application speed of 9 mph to 12 mph to identify and spray the weed quickly when crossing the field. Like anything, the application speeds will increase given time and improved technology.
Selective green-on-green spray systems require distinguishable contrast between the weed and crop. Some weeds and crop are very similar in their leaf structure and growth characteristics. The best example is wild oats in a wheat crop; they look almost identical in the early growth stages when only experienced agronomists can identify the differences.

Using a green-on-green system requires access to a weed and crop identification library. John Deere confirmed at CES 2024 that the See & Spray Ultimate green-on-green system requires a $4 per acre fee for access to the corn libraries. The science behind the selective spray green-on-green system is the weed/crop image libraries all companies are generating, which teach the cameras to identify what they are seeing and to identify the weeds in the crop.

Selective spray systems only work with contact herbicides, which can kill the weed when applied to the weed leaves. Selective spray systems do not sense and precisely spray residual herbicides, which require broadcast application across an entire field and control weeds before

emergence. Systems with dual tank setup enable the application of a spot spray and a residual in one pass.

Spraying at night with selective spray green-on-green systems requires additional lights or different cameras. Some green-on-green systems can work at night, and
others cannot. The green-on-brown fallow system uses a different sensor to detect the green foliage in the field and can spray at night.

Future of Selective Spray

As selective spray technology matures, crops and weed image libraries will increase. Selective spray green on green is a new tool to help manage resistant weeds while reducing the amount of herbicides applied on a field.

Darryl Matthews, with more than three decades in the technology industry, brings his business sense and tech know-how to reveal opportunities for farmers.

Feeling Economic Pressure? Technology Can Help Lessen the Blow

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 14:24:56 GMT

Farm Journal’s Smart Farming Week is an annual week-long emphasis on innovation in agriculture. The goal is to encourage you to explore and prioritize the technology, tools and practices that will help you farm smarter. Innovation today ensures an efficient, productive and sustainable tomorrow.

In early February, USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) released its 2024 net farm income projections . The numbers were not promising — namely the 26% decline in net farm income year over year. To top it off, there are other red flags for the year.

The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) is projecting net farm income to see the largest year-to-year decrease since the organization began tracking such figures. John Deere has projected a 20% decline in large equipment sales, and economists at the University of Illinois released data showing corn farmers should be prepared to take up to a $160 per acre loss.

According to AFBF, the forecast decline in 2024 net farm income is directly tied to lower crop and livestock cash receipts and continued increases in production costs.
With that said, 2024 is shaping up to be an incredibly challenging operating environment for farmers and the companies that serve them, which includes the technology and machinery segments.

“All the major OEMs are predicting a decline in equipment and technology sales in 2024, anywhere from 6% up to 20%,” says Darryl Matthews, a recently retired Trimble executive.

The good news? Farmers are built for this.

“You put a crop in the ground, and you hope because to some extent you’re going to have weather events, you’re going to have supply chain events — there’s so much uncertainty,” says Viren Popli, president and CEO of Mahindra Ag North America. “It’s our business to deal with it.”

What does worry Popli is the swings, or cycles, seem to be growing more pronounced of late.

“Coupled with high inflation, higher labor costs and [lack of] availability of help — these are big challenges,” Popli adds. “Can we use technology to do some of these tasks easier, better and faster, and save money that way?”

For Matthews, it comes down to this double-edged sword: Farmers might be reluctant to part with hard-earned dollars in a depressed farm economy, yet technology is the tool that can help them better weather the storm.

“It’s in these challenging markets farmers need to think about driving more efficiency using technology,” he says.

Machine guidance is a great place to start. Matthews notes GPS and guidance technology have already achieved 80% market penetration in North America. Now would be a good time to pick up that last 20%, though.

“Guidance can pay $15 an acre, on average, in corn production back to a farmer in less overlap, less fuel and less inputs,” Matthews says. “At 650 acres and $15 an acre, guidance is going to pay for itself in one year, and typically those systems will last seven years.”

Another potential revenue stream Matthews advises farmers to take a closer look at is programs that pay for on-farm sustainability practices.

“Those programs can pay $4 to $8 per acre; that’s new passive income few farmers are signing up for,” he says. “If you’re farming 1,600 acres or more, those programs can bring in $10,000 you can use on technology and bring more efficiency into your operation.”

Ultimately the choice to invest or sit out the year from a buying standpoint rests with each farmer. Matthews recommends leaning on trusted partners to help navigate these choppy waters.

“I’d bring in your ag retailer and farm equipment dealer when deciding where you’re trying to go and have an honest conversation,” he says. “Variable-rate seeding and nutrients are another area where you can get about $20 per acre savings in corn production.”

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Variable Rate At-Plant Inputs: Industry Update

Tue, 05 Mar 2024 21:44:45 GMT

Since 2020, the team at AMVAC has been pioneering at-plant applied variable rate crop protection. To date, tens of thousands of acres have been planted with SIMPAS-Applied Solutions (SaS) through the SIMPAS application system.

“Our retail agronomist partners expect this market to grow by 50 percent in the next three to five years,” says Jim Lappin, director of the SIMPAS portfolio at AMVAC. “Growers already think about variable rate opportunities with macro fertilizer. And the variable rate seeding rate adoption is high. Right now, variable rate inputs at plant are in the low double digits for adoption. Overall, the industry is moving away from any flat rates across a field.”

Lappin adds the retention rate for growers after using the system after one season is very high. Also, the shift in planter refurbishment—now equal for the number of farmers upgrading existing planter toolbars as buying new every year—opens the opportunity for more SIMPAS installations.

“Whereas before only 17% to 20% of planters were traded out new every year, farmers are taking existing planters and upgrading at a much higher frequency,” Lappin says.
The product portfolio for SIMPAS has also grown to include micronutrients along with crop protection products.

Lappin says the highlights of the current product portfolio are corn rootworm control, nematode control and micronutrients. Biostimulants are also being added including Envita and iNvigorate.

“We aim for growers to use products they’ve known and already use, but to think about them differently,” he says. “Generally speaking, we have growers aligning their inputs with their opportunities—where there are areas in the field that are higher producing. In the more productive areas, what are the inputs where I can optimize my yields?”

AMVAC partners with Trimble dealers for sales and service of the systems. Retail agronomists who are part of the SIMPAS network provide the prescriptions for the variable rate inputs.

“The grower has intuitive knowledge. This builds on how to deliver because it’s about understanding what’s going on in the field, and what I want to do differently in this zone vs. another. There’s a lot of interest in adopting sustainable/regenerative practices, but I think of it as responsible and profitable,” Lappin says.

As AMVAC continues to grow its SIMPAS footprint and product portfolio, the team is also eager to report on the return on investment.

“Functionality is part of the discussion, and which product is giving a reliable return for their dollar. Growers want products that are convenient and perform,” he says.

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John Deere, Corteva Partner Up On Customized Agronomic Solutions

Tue, 30 Jan 2024 15:15:59 GMT

Corteva Agriscience and John Deere announced a partnership for farmer access to Corteva’s agronomic recommendations through the John Deere Operations Center, according to a press release.

The partnership combines the digital and onboard capabilities of John Deere with agronomic analysis from Corteva. The result is the delivery of customized agronomic insights to:

Equipment - via John Deere Precision Ag technology;
Pioneer sales representatives - for providing direct agronomic support;
Farmers - for improved decision making support.

“We are focused on making it as easy as possible for farmers to unlock value through data-driven, scientific recommendations, based on the unique characteristics of their farm. This partnership does exactly that,” said Brian Lutz, vice president of agricultural solutions, Corteva.

“The future of farming will be enabled by the combination of data-driven insights and science-based agronomic recommendations that are precisely executed by connected and increasingly intelligent machines,” added Doug Sauder, director, product management and user experience at John Deere.

Pilot programs will begin in the spring across the United States and expand to Canada in the future, according to the press release. The pilots will serve as the foundation for a strategic, multi-year partnership, leveraging the companies’ respective areas of expertise to develop and deploy digital solutions that support farmers.

Bayer, Precision Planting Announce FieldView Updates And New API

Fri, 19 Jan 2024 17:21:37 GMT

Climate FieldView announces enhanced capabilities in FieldView Plus for 2024, including more personalized features available through the new FieldView Premium subscription tier, as well as improvements to FieldView’s in-cab experience.

Precision Planting also announced that FieldView customers can now transfer agronomic and farm equipment data from Panorama to their FieldView accounts. The new Panorama app and website connects to a farmer’s Gen 3 20|20 to view maps, input summaries, and agronomic data on a smartphone, tablet, or computer. Testing took place throughout the 2023 season, and FieldView is one of the first platforms with the ability to receive data from Panorama.

“The FieldView Cab app paired with a 20|20 provides accurate real-time mapping of planting and harvest data, and we’ve added map layers and other features to further improve the in-cab experience with Precision Planting,” said Brandon Rinkenberger, chief customer officer.

In addition to FieldView’s collaboration with Precision Planting, the following FieldView Plus features and new capabilities are now available for the 2024 season:

Use Field Region Reports to analyze yield data by application (FieldView Plus).
Search for connected API partners directly within FieldView (FieldView Plus).
Receive personalized analysis and reports, delivered right to your inbox (FieldView Premium).
Manage variable rate planting at scale with unlimited FieldView Seed Scripts (FieldView Premium).

FieldView is the flagship product of Climate LLC, the digital farming arm of Bayer.

Unverferth Adds High-Flotation, ISOBUS Boundary Control to Pro-Force Spreaders

Wed, 27 Dec 2023 13:55:15 GMT

Unverferth announces the addition of two high-flotation undercarriage options to its lineup of Pro-Force dry fertilizer spreaders (models 1850, 2250 and 2650): an Equalizer track system and in-line walking tandem dual wheels, and ISOBUS-enabled boundary control for optimal fertilizer placement, according to a press release from the company.

The Equalizer track system features a patented cambering action which pivots the track up to 20-degrees front to rear and up to 9-degrees side to side for smooth operation over rough terrain and maximum flotation.

The in-line walking tandem axle undercarriage features front to rear oscillation for maintaining ground contact and smoothing out the ride. Model 1850 features 710/50x26.5 HF-2 tires and wheels and models 2250 and 2650 feature 750/60x30.5 HF-2 tires and wheels. The wider tire design distributes weight across a larger area for improved flotation.

ISOBUS boundary control moderates the speed of the right-hand spinner disc for more precise application around field edges. This feature can be activated using the Raven RCM screen or through the use of a convenient on/off switch.

Pro-Force dry spreaders, depending on model, are available in mounted or pull-type models with 10- to 22-ton capacities and are constructed from premium 304 stainless steel, the company says. The 34” wide belt-over-chain conveyor and dual 30” dished spinners with tapered vanes accurately spread common fertilizers up to 90’ and lime and litter up to 60’. For micro nutrient application, up to three compartments can be added to apply four separate products, each with variable rate.

For additional information, farmers should contact their local Unverferth Pro-Force spreader dealer, or visit the Unverferth website.

Tech Takes the Wheel: John Deere Delivers Solutions Beyond Iron

Wed, 21 Sep 2022 03:49:56 GMT

The unifying theme of John Deere’s product launch is to increase productivity, profitability and sustainability. And the big green manufacturer is achieving that trifecta across all seven new products by intertwining iron and technology even closer.

“The line where the precision ag starts and the tractor stops is extremely gray. It used to be bolting on precision ag hardware, and now it’s part of what the tractor does,” says marketing manager Ryan Jardon. “Just as much as hydraulics, technology is what you get when you buy a tractor from John Deere. The deep integration of precision ag gives the ability for the tractor to do all the features customers want with no bolt-on harnessing and hardware. Our 7, 8 and 9 series tractors now have the same base level of precision ag integration. And sprayers and combines have gone through the same process to deliver on our precision ag opportunities.”

9 Series Delivers Power, Efficiency

The Model Year 2022 9 Series tractors span 200 hp and 12 models—six wheeled, three 2-track, and four 4-track models ranging from 390 to 640 hp. John Deere is the only manufacturer offering tractors in all three forms.

As marketing manager Ryan Jardon explains, this lineup features improved efficiencies with more horsepower and hydraulic capabilities. Powered by brand-new 13.6 L John Deere Powertech engines, the tractors are designed to stay in the power band longer, and optional hydraulic power management offers up to 50 more horsepower in high hydraulic demanding jobs. The largest model can provide up to 640 hp, is powered by a 15 L Cummins engine, and has up to 67,000 lb. of ballast.

“With more power, we beefed up the drivetrain, which increased the overall weight of the tractor, and it really allows you to hug the ground and get the traction needed for additional power,” Jardon says.

“Customers want to pull wider implements–or the same implements but faster–to do more work in less time. This tractor helps them be ready to go and get as much work done as they can in the time windows they have.”

All 9 series tractors are geared with the e18 powershift transmission.

Factory-integrated technology packages from the 7 and 8 series are now standard on the 9 Series with, StarFire 6000 receiver, AutoTrac, the Gen 4 CommandCenter and JDLink, to stream data to the John Deere Operations Center.

“Ultimately, precision ag has never been this easy for a four-wheel-drive customer,” Jardon says.

In the newly designed cab, the operator is optionally heated, ventilated and features massage.

“There’s plenty of adjustability in the seat, and there’s a bigger fridge and more storage,” Jardon says. “We know long days are inevitable, and we want operators to be comfortable. We also have device power connectors so whatever you want to plug into the cab, it’s there to keep you running.”

In summary, Jardon says, “It’s the technology and the brains within these tractors that sets them apart. They provide high power, power to the ground, and efficiencies to do a lot of work and do it precisely. That’s where the industry is going.”

8 Series Delivers New Integrated Solutions

Ranging from 230 to 410 hp, the 15 models of 8 Series tractors are available across three forms: wheeled, two track and four-track. Also like its big brother in the 9 series, 8 series tractors come factory equipped with JDLink connectivity, an integrated StarFire 6000 GPS receiver, Generation 4 CommandCenter display and AutoTrac guidance.

The 8 Series front axle options include mechanical front-wheel-drive or independent link suspension. Three transmission options include 16-speed PowerShift; e23 PowerShift, or the Infinitely Variable Transmission with optional CommandPRO.

With the new 8 Series, John Deere deepening its focus on how its machinery is more about delivering agronomic solutions than just iron, and it has two new offerings as examples.

The first example is ExactRate Tanks, which are an industry first, factory installed tractor/planting solution.

“This is the next step for a green on green solution as we strive to make things easy for our customer. Our customers know of the agronomic benefits to apply nitrogen with the planter pass and at sidedress, but it hasn’t been easy until now,” says Jardon. “With ExactRate Tanks, everything is turn key for the grower. Our John Deere dealers can be a one-stop shop to eliminate the pain points of aftermarket tanks and plumbing.”

ExactRate Tanks provide up to 1,000 gal. of liquid fertilizer carrying on the tractor with an additional 600 gal. mounted on the planter. Setup on 8RX tractors paired with 1775NT planters, transport speed is up to 20 mph and in-field the tractor.

A second technology example is the new John Deere Central Tire Inflation System (CTIS), which optimizes tire pressure to be higher for over the road transport and then lower during in-field operations.

“This will allow customers to easily make tire pressure adjustments that just weren’t practical before,” Jardon says. “And this will help minimize the soil compaction.”

Seeding Tool Enhancements

For model year 2022, John Deere will offer three enhancements to its air seeding lineup. RelativeFlow Blockage Detection will have wider availability across all widths and all products. In-cab TruSet downforce provides adjustments to ensure proper seed depth. And Pro Series Quick-Change blades will provide a 45% improvement per blade for changeovers.

The company has also announced a new model naming system highlighting series, opener style and width.

All-Season Machines For All Field Conditions

Marketing manager Joel Basinger says sprayers need to be able to not only delivery high capacity and high accuracy but also be ready to head to the field when field conditions are prime. For model year 2022, John Deere is introducing new 400 series, 600 series and Hagie STS sprayers.

“We have a complete offering for all sprayer customers,” Basinger says.

The Hagie STS models have been redesigned from the ground up. The new chassis, styling, and suspension are highlights of the major changes. The cab, which features hands-free entry, has been carried over from the x9 combine with some sprayer specific changes.

With the new design, the sprayers offer the Hagie trademarks of 52/48 weight split; up to 76” clearance, and the front-facing hybrid boom, along with optional all-wheel-steer, nutrient toolbar, and Montag cover crop attachment.

“These sprayers are powered by John Deere Powertech 9.0 L engines, and are 300 hp and 400 hp—the highest horsepower for a row crop sprayer in North America,” Basinger says.

The three models are STS12 with 1200 gal; STS16 with 1600 gal; and STS20 with 2000 gal. The 2000 gallon machine is the largest capacity sprayer John Deere offers.

The STS models feature the Gen 4 CommandCenter, StarFire 6000 receiver, AutoTrac and JDLink. ExactApply is also now available on the STS models.

Also in the new lineup are the refreshed 400 and 600 Series which aim to increase the productivity with reliability. The medium chassis 400 series spans four models: 408R with 800 gal; 410R with 1000 gal; 412R with 1200 gal; and 400R with dry spinner.

The large chassis 600 series includes three models: 612R with 1200 gal; 616R with 1600 gal; and 600R with dry spinner.

Carbon fiber booms are optional, and Exactly Apply with boom recirculation is available on steel booms.

First Product In The See & Spray Portfolio

Since its acquisition of Blue River Technologies in 2017, John Deere has made it publicly known of its intent to develop plant-by-plant application solutions. Now, the company is introducing the first product in its See & Spray lineup---See & Spray Select, which is the result of a development partnership with University of Southern Queensland in Australia.

See & Spray Select is a factory installed option available on the new 400 and 600 Series sprayers.

“We are launching our first product in the See & Spray lineup, and this will be a journey,” Basinger says. “We’ve been waiting on be able to introduce this first product, and there will be lots of things to talk about in the next two, three, and four years.”

In this initial production introduction, John Deere is focusing See & Spray Select to be used in rotations that include chemical fallow acres—and in the North American markets that means primarily in the western plains and pacific northwest.

“This system today doesn’t distinguish weed from crop, it doesn’t distinguish different greens,” Basinger says.

The technology detects a growing plant and selectively sprays a targeted application at 12 mph. The See & Spray system captures field images with 36 cameras across a 120’ boom (27 cameras on a 90’ boom), and collects application as-applied maps and data.

If the owner wants, they can switch over from See & Spray to broadcast spraying with a switch in the cab. Basinger says this makes John Deere stand out as the only OEM spraying manufacturer to offer a factory-installed spot spray and broadcast solution in one machine.

Per research across 75,000 acres, See & Spray Select can provide an average reduction of non-residual, pre-emerge herbicides by 77%, which could allow farmers to reallocate those previous input expenses to other areas of their operation and the system will allow growers to use more complex tank mixes than were available in the past.

“We used to farm on a field, then it went to zones, and then rows, and our goal is to be managing plant-by-plant,” Basinger says. “We want to use sensing technologies to identify weeds and potentially diseases. There is a lot that artificial intelligence will open up.”

John Deere says it’s working with multiple development partners in this space, including the team at Blue River Technologies.

From tractors to See & Spray technology, John Deere’s launch demonstrates the company’s commitment to deliver technology to customers that can improve the way they farm.

What Farmers Need to Know: Case IH Field Cultivators

Wed, 21 Sep 2022 02:45:13 GMT

Pam Fretwell talks with Chris Lursen, Case IH tillage marketing manager about some of the new options for the Case IH Tiger-Mate 255 Field cultivator and the Ture-Tandem 335 VT in the upcoming year.

Variable Rate Technology

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2. Leverage Friends, Neighbors And Industry Expertise.

3. Select The Right Chemistry.

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