Yield Data

App Delivers Yield Predictions Via Remote Sensing and Artificial Intelligence

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 22:25:14 GMT

With at least 95% accuracy at key estimate timings in late July and early August, Growmark’s myFS agronomy platform gives its retail advisors and farmers new insights. Brendan Bachman, FS Agronomy Director, explains how the tool works and what it means for the future.

“We started the pursuit of what is now the MyFS Agronomy tool back in 2018, and really the mindset was as farmers continued to get better at collecting data it was very much real reality in the fact that we were data-rich and insight-poor. What we’ve tried to do is solve that problem,” Bachman says.

He explains the myFS Agronomy platform aims to be hub for all the data a field generates through the growing season, adding in weather, and additional insights. With technology, he says there’s been a learning curve of what works well, and what doesn’t achieve the quality expected, but in the past seven years, his team has achieved a view of a field via data that factors in the agronomic inputs and outcomes.

“We’re able to do now is really kind of synthesize a crop year in almost real time, utilize remote sensing and different modeling aspects to make some better decisions in season, but ultimately help that farmer really analyze how well their crop performed throughout,” he says. “For example, in a 2025 cropping season to make those appropriate changes going forward into ‘26.”

(Growmark)

The latest agronomic insights being delivered are in-season yield estimates, which are in partnership using Intelinair technology. The company says in late July/early August the application has achieved results with yields of at least 95% accuracy. This past year, FS agronomy teams had 4.9 million acres of farmland monitored through remote sensing (airplanes, drones, and satellites), to generate corn yield estimate data.

Bachman shares how the FS team is bringing this tech to farmers in the latest episode of The Scoop Podcast.

Tips And Tech Tools To Take The Sting Out Of Harvesting A Highly Variable Corn Crop

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 18:19:16 GMT

Are you harvesting high-moisture corn this fall, and did that same corn experience significant foliar disease pressure? If the variable conditions crop scouts noted on Farm Journal’s Pro Farmer Crop Tour hold true for most of the Corn Belt , then the answer to both of those questions is likely “yes” — and that means you will need to adjust your harvest workflow.

Here are some tips and technologies to help get this crop off as efficiently and stress-free as possible, and then keep it in good condition until you’re ready to sell it:

Plan For Success
The first shift you need to consider is the sequence in which you harvest your fields. If you have a field that was inundated with higher disease pressure than others, and the crop is still standing, you want to prioritize that one over fields where the visual symptoms of disease pressure are not as widespread.

Related: Maximize Soybean Yields — Harvesting This Week Could Be Key

“It’s just [a matter of] expediting the process and getting that infected field harvested quicker than what you had anticipated, which a lot of times comes with higher moisture corn,” says Tyler Kilfoil, digital bin manager, AGI.

Calibrate Yield Monitors

Yield monitor by Darrell Smith

(Darrell Smith)

Farm Journal Field Agronomist Ken Ferrie is worried some farmers might “get into depressed mode” and skip over yield monitor calibrations this fall. Even if yields appear to be below your expectations, Ferrie says these yield maps will be valuable in the years to come. So, get that yield monitor calibrated.

“Even if the yield [data] is depressing, get a good spatial calibration on that yield monitor for both beans and corn,” Ferrie says. “So, when we sit back and the combine is in the shed, we can go through all this data, and it’ll help us make some decisions.”

This year’s data could be particularly useful because it has been such a difficult year, agronomically speaking.

“There’ll be things that show up [in the data] that you don’t see every year, and those yield maps are going to be key,” he says. “That’s the data we need. [It’s] going to help you make decisions not only next year, but for years after.”

Combine Automation Can Help

Two men with a tablet in front of a John Deere vehicle.

(Premier Crop Systems)

Once you have a game plan for attacking your fall harvest and your yield monitor is set, there are new tools within some combines that can help manage variability from field to field.

If you’re running a new John Deere combine (model year 2025 and up), consider using Predictive Ground Speed Automation (PGSA) and Harvest Settings Automation this fall, says John Deere combine specialist Tim Ford.

Related: 5 Yield-Saving Combine Adjustments For Touch-And-Go Fall Harvest

PGSA is a sensing technology that serves as another set of eyes for the combine operator, scanning the crop continuously 28' ahead of the corn head. It reads crop height, biomass and can even detect downed crops. It will speed up where it sees lighter biomass and slow down and take its time in higher biomass.

Harvest Settings Automation works in a similar fashion. The operator sets acceptable levels of grain loss in the combine controller, and then sensors within the machine will read the crop ahead and adjust things like header height and speed to make sure the combine harvests within your set parameters.

“These two systems act as a teammate. We’re not taking the operator out of the cab. We’re using sensors, data and technology to take a heavy burden off the operator and put it on the automation,” Ford says.

Bin Ready? Set It And Forget It

Grain Bin By Lori Hays

(File Photo )

Once the crop is off, AGI’s Kilfoil says the next decision is figuring out what to do with it.

“If it was high moisture when you picked it, that involves getting it down to a proper storage [moisture] level, maybe even running it through an eco-dryer to pull the moisture out of the corn,” he says. “From there, the final landing place is in the bin.”

Once you have this highly variable crop dried down and nestled in the bin, you need visibility into how the grain itself takes to storage conditions, all while keeping a close eye on weather conditions outside the bin, too. That’s where a grain bin monitoring system with automation can pay off — freeing up your time and attention while the system does the checking for you. And it’s just safer than manually checking bins.

“Grain bin monitoring technology is your eyes inside your bank account,” Kilfoil says. “For guys who aren’t typically used to shelling higher moisture corn and storing higher moisture corn, a product like AGI’s Bin Manager lets you sleep in peace at night. It gives you eyes inside the bin, and it’s going to fully automate your system and help with that [storage] process and decision making.”

Your next read: How Pro Farmer 2025 Crop Estimates Compare and Contrast With USDA Expectations

2025 Farm Journal Corn and Soybean College: Making A Stand

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 22:38:21 GMT

A record-breaking harvest of corn or soybeans is built on the foundation of a good stand. That concept is the focus for the 2025 Farm Journal Corn and Soybean College.

Farm Journal Field Agronomist Ken Ferrie and team will be addressing some of the key agronomic practices and tools farmers use to accomplish high yields during the two-day event – slated for July 22 through July 23 – near Heyworth, Ill.

“We’re going to focus on what the elements of a good stand are in corn and soybeans and how you can achieve them through agronomic decisions and the tools you use,” Ferrie says.

The program includes a variety of both in-the-field sessions as well as inside, classroom sessions.

Planter Selection For Your Farm

One of the key topics being addressed this year for corn growers is the planter and how to select one that’s a good fit for your specific farm.

“There are so many different systems out there today, and when it comes to making planter purchases, add-on purchases and such, you have to think through the whole process and how they will work for you,” Ferrie says.

Farm Journal Field Agronomist Missy Bauer will also be on hand to help farmers identify the impact of planting practices on corn and soybean stands.

“Missy will be talking to us about how to identify a good stand and also what contributes to a poor stand,” Ferrie notes. “We’re going to talk about hybrid characteristics and different aspects of the rooting structure of corn. We’ll then blend that information all in with farmers’ tillage practices, including strip-till, no-till, and also cover crops.”

Success With Early-Planted Soybeans

On the soybean side of the two-day program, Ferrie and team will be addressing early-planted soybeans and how to build a systems approach to growing them – from variety selection and planting preparation through harvest.

“We want to talk about row spacing, population, soybean characteristics, when can we stress plants and when to not stress plants,” Ferrie says. “We want to help farmers adopt a systems approach to early soybeans versus just planting them early and then trying to treat them like you would normal beans.”

In addition to these topics, the in-field and classroom sessions at the event will address:

Science behind spray nozzles: selecting the right nozzles for the job and making sure they perform well in the field.

Establishing corn ear count: examining the differences in rooting depth and stand establishment across a variety of tillage practices.

Closing systems: analyzing a variety of systems in different agronomic conditions to demonstrate how such systems impact stand establishment.

Put everything together, corn edition: evaluating everything from hybrid characteristics, leaf orientation, ear flex and how plant height affects light interpretation to ear development and plant stress in conventional corn and short corn.

Put everything together, soybean edition: looking at planting date, variety characteristics, tillage system, plant nutrition, row spacing and population all play a hand in bean stand establishment, overall light interception and yield.

The two-day event brings together presenters, farmers, and industry personnel that are passionate about raising the bar in farming, Ferrie says. “This is an unsponsored event making more time for our agronomists to spend with attendees, getting their questions answered, and more time to spend in the field,” he says.

Day 1 of the Farm Journal Corn and Soybean College starts at 8 a.m., Tuesday, July 22, and runs through happy hour/dinner.

Day 2 starts at 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 23, and sessions will go through lunch.

“We will finish the second day with a Q & A following lunch. Our agronomists will be available to answer questions until your questions run out, so be sure to come with your list,” Ferrie says.

Price: $625 (includes access to one-day virtual event in January 2026).

Get the complete agenda details and register here .

Research to Results: Salin 247 Robot Advances Iowa Corn Strip Cropping Knowledge

Fri, 25 Apr 2025 18:58:14 GMT

A former Corteva Agriscience research scientist and the CEO and founder of Salin 247, an ag tech startup focused on autonomous planting and spraying equipment for corn and soybeans, have joined forces in Iowa to advance research on strip cropping corn and cover crops.

Using Salin 247’s four row, autonomous planting robot, Bob Gunzenhauser is planting strip crop test plots in a field near Corydon to evaluate the practice and collect data on its potential to boost corn yields.

The concept is rather interesting, especially if you’re farming corn and raising livestock: corn is planted in strips at two different seeding rates with cover crops interseeded in opposite strips, and then the plan is to push fertility via in-season nitrogen application at V4-V6 with drop nozzles.

In a real world scenario, a farmer could harvest the corn and leave the cover crops and corn stalks behind to graze livestock on. Soil health would be one ancillary benefit, as would reduced compaction via the lightweight, battery-powered robotic planter.

Here are some videos of the Salin 247 robotic planter Gunzenhauser shared:

Small plots with varying seeding rates and shut offs for alleyways built in thru the prescription, cruising along at 2 MPH. @ptx_trimble pic.twitter.com/emAgf7T0WE
— Bob Gunzenhauser (@BobGunzy) April 16, 2025

Salin247 autonomous running a test plot outside of Corydon, IA today. Including corn/cover strips and Nitrogen x Seeding Rate small plots. @jasonmauck1 @zebulousprime @PfanstielJunior pic.twitter.com/MdWLY4eR9w
— Bob Gunzenhauser (@BobGunzy) April 16, 2025

Gunzenhauser says the trial will also variable rate apply zero to 240 lb. of nitrogen per acre and three different seeding rates to demonstrate the Salin 247 autonomous planting technology and how it can enable small plot research. The data will also be used to build economic, optimum nitrogen rate response data for south-central Iowa farmers, he adds.

“Mainly I think Bob is doing this to get the data and to show the value of strip cropping, which is increasing corn yield because of the sunlight effect,” says Dave Krog, CEO and founder, Salin 247. “There’s data out there that shows generally the outside two rows of a corn strip benefit from extra sunlight, but we want to advance this research.”

In 2023, Salin 247 commissioned a similar experiment on its own test plots, and the total average yield on the check rows came in at 235 bu. per acre. The corn strips ended up yielding just over 300 bu. per acre, and Krog says August was very dry that year, so theoretically the plot could have had higher yields if it were irrigated.

(@BobGunzy/X.com)

Gunzenhauser also invited some students from the local Mormon Trail high school ag program, he has a connection with the student’s teacher, to show them how applied research is conducted in field trials. He is also hoping to enlist their help in harvesting the small plots this fall.

While a small, robotic Salin 247 planter was showcased in planting this trial, Krog says his system has applications beyond small plot seed sowing.

“Strip cropping is just one example of something unique you can do with small, autonomous equipment,” he says. “Our platform, we’ve built a small, autonomous toolbar. We can take the planter off and put a liquid or dry system on, we have a cultivator for the organic guys, and we’re working with Yetter on a strip-till pressure study.”

Gunzenhauser and Krog will lean on the local cooperative to deliver some mid-season sprays for the plots, and then return in the fall with the high school students to harvest the plots and calculate the yields. He says he plans to keep us updated on the results.

Your Next Read: Elevate Your Corn Planting Game Instantly With 7 Proven Tips

John Deere Challenge: Watch a New York Tech Journalist Farm 20 Acres of Corn for $20 Profit

Fri, 18 Apr 2025 12:18:56 GMT

You might recall this viral stunt from when it was announced last spring: John Deere and tech influencer David Cogen (@TheUnlockr) joined forces to set the New York-based journalist up as a row crop farmer for an entire growing season. Using 20 acres of prime Iowa farmland, Cogen’s mission was to find out if he could accomplish what farmers must achieve to put food on America’s dinner tables: turn planted crops into cold, hard cash.

Unlike most farmers, though, Cogen was basically given every cheat code in the game: He had guidance from John Deere experts throughout the crop journey, all of the latest John Deere equipment with all the tech bells-and-whistles any farmer could dream for —not to mention a blank check for seed, crop inputs, fuel and labor.

Cogen began by ordering up soil tests and custom fertilizer applications. Then he flew back to Iowa to complete the spring tillage pass and seed the field. Next came another trip to spray weeds post-emergence with Deere’s See & Spray smart application system before returning in the fall to harvest the finished grain and haul it down to the local ethanol processing plant.

Along the way Cogen learned a handful of lessons any seasoned farmer already knows all too well:

The weather never seems to do what you want it to do, when you want it to do it. That’s farming.
You have to eradicate weeds or they will rob your yields and destroy your profits.
Variation is the enemy, it’s all about consistent production and harvesting at the precise moisture level and timing.
A dry late-summer and early-fall is a factor you can’t control but it can cost you real dollars on your final yield. The corn will dry down too fast in the field if you don’t get it off on time, so in this case, water is truly money when it comes to corn and soybean farming.

In the end, Cogen’s field averaged 209 bushels per acre and produced just over 3,000 total bushels of corn, which equates to over 200,000 lb.

His total expenses for the year (land costs, seed, fertilizer and “other”) totaled $16,456, while his total revenues for the 19.24 total acres of corn harvested was $16,478.

Don’t adjust your monitor. Yes, you read that right.

The New York tech editor farmed all year long and only brought home $22 in total profit. It just goes to show, turning a profit on only 20 acres is incredibly hard to do. Small acre farmers deserve just as much respect as the big boys.

“Honestly, I hope that like myself, that this has opened your eyes into what it actually takes to farm,” Cogen says at the end of the video. “Just all of the work that goes into it and you can have a new appreciation for farming and for farmers.

Your Next Read: Farmer Finds A Silver Bullet For High Corn Yields

Eyes In the Sky: Be Aware of Data Collected About Your Farm

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 15:30:00 GMT

There has been a lot of discussion about data ownership, data sharing and data value for on-farm information such as application rates, planting dates, yield and harvest dates. It’s a working assumption that as you enter into any kind of data collection and data sharing agreement, you read the fine print, scroll and sign the usage agreement.

Farmers themselves generate more than 10 MB of data per acre between the planting, application and harvest passes they make in the field.

That does not include additional scouting, soil sampling or other data-driven missions in the field conducted by the farmer or a designated consultant.

But what if you were told some of the data from your land and your farming practices is being collected without your consent. And furthermore, your consent wasn’t required.

“Many farmers are not completely cognizant that imagery is being collected by multiple sources that are freely available such as Sentinel from European Space Agency,” says Terry Griffin, professor in the department of agricultural economics at Kansas State University and sole proprietor of Griffin Consulting LLC.

Since 2017, the free-to-use 30' resolution images from Sentinel-2 L2A have captured satellite images every five days or so.

Using the NDVI values and how they change between flights, those images can be used to detect crop type, planting date, harvest date and more.

And because they are captured from public air space, your consent isn’t needed.

NO CONTROL

Todd Janzen, an attorney with Janzen Schroeder Agricultural Law LLC, says farmers creating the field level data still expect to have control of its sharing and usage.

“There’s still a big expectation of privacy in the data farmers generate themselves,” he says. “But for data that is available publicly, there’s no court that would say there’s an expectation of privacy in that data.”

For example, Janzen cites the Open Fields doctrine stating anything visible in an open field that can be seen by the public comes with no expectation of privacy.

Griffin says the two data sources — those generated by and shared with permission from the farmer and the publicly available images — are being used together to refine models and algorithms for all kinds of land management applications.

“The big one everyone sees as the target is yield modeling. We aren’t there yet, but there are a lot of people working on it,” he says. “There are others such as carbon emitted or stored, water usage or runoff, and more.”

Griffin uses the satellite data as a lookback tool in consulting work.

“It’s a magic eye in the sky that you can rewind and playback,” Griffin says. “I have consulted on herbicide drift cases, and by the time it gets to me, it’s two years old. So, using the Sentinel images, I can go back as needed and look up images at specific times.”

Griffin says planting and harvest dates can be determined within a few days. He can also assess other management practices such as irrigation, cover crops and tillage.

Using the Sentinel satellite data, the 30' resolution is available for free, and more detailed 3' and 1' resolution imagery are available with a paid subscription.

“What none of us know is how detailed the military satellites are or what kind of resolution can they reach,” Janzen says. “But regardless of whether it’s with a satellite, airplane or drone, if someone wants to collect the data they can do it from the public air space.”

With the technology already in place, the applications for the images will continue to development.

“Farmers need to know the satellites are watching,” Griffin says. “You are more vulnerable than you realize, and this data can be used against people. When it comes to this data, the farmer and landowner aren’t the customers — they’re the product.”

Griffin also points to farmers who have already acknowledged they are being watched from above out in the back 40.

“A lot of farmers find themselves on Google Earth when they are harvesting or planting, and then they screenshot that, and it becomes their social media profile pic,” he says. “But there are applications for this data beyond that for sure.”

Yamaha Ag Q&A: When Can Growers Buy Farm Robots? North America Rollout Explained

Sat, 15 Mar 2025 12:59:00 GMT

Yamaha is a Japanese legacy automotive and motor sports giant known the world over, but many aren’t aware that the company also has a long and storied history in ag tech.

Yamaha’s R-Max gas-powered spray helicopter launched in Japan in the 1990s, making it one of the first unmanned aerial application vehicles on the market for applying crop protection products to growing crops. FAZER-R was its next iteration of spray drones, and the company says it has over 2,800 units of both R-MAX and FAZER remote controlled spray helicopters deployed today with farmers around the world.

In late January, the manufacturer announced the launch of Yamaha Agriculture , a new U.S.-based company that will focus on delivering autonomous equipment and AI-powered digital solutions. The company came together as a single business unit as a result of strategic acquisitions of robotics and AI focused startups Robotics Plus and The Yield.

We recently connected with Nolan Paul, who was named CEO of the relatively-new ag tech division, to learn more about the venture as it gets a footing established on the West Coast. Previously Paul was Head of R&D Strategy and Emerging Technology for Driscoll’s, the global market leader in production of fresh berries.

Farm Journal (FJ): How long of a timeline do you anticipate until commercialized robotics solutions are available for growers to purchase?

Nolan Paul (NP): Robotics Plus’ Prospr vehicles are already deployed with customers and distributors in the U.S., Australia and New Zealand.

FJ: What type of specific use cases do you envision bringing to market that will leverage advanced data analytics and AI?

NP: A multitude of use cases with time to market based on the degree of technical difficulty. We already offer weather-driven predictions to customers in the form of yield forecasts and harvest and spray timing. The next set of use cases will be variable rate spray applications based on real-time sensing on the vehicle (e.g., spray volumes based on canopy density).

(Yamaha Agriculture)

FJ: How do you envision Yamaha’s robotic solutions being marketed/sold to growers?

NP: Robotics Plus already has distributor partners in the U.S. and Australia/New Zealand. However, it’s important for Yamaha to maintain direct relationships with growers, especially our larger customers, to optimize customer success and develop our product roadmap. Regarding our monetization approach, we believe growers should purchase our hardware solutions the same way they prefer to purchase the rest of their machinery. Some prefer to buy outright. Others prefer a financing or lease option. We remain open to alternative monetization options if it makes life easier for the grower.

FJ: Where will the new division Yamaha Agriculture be based? How many employees will make up the division?

NP: Yamaha Agriculture is a U.S.-incorporated business with subsidiaries in Australia and New Zealand. Our headquarters is in the Bay Area as it provides easy access to Tokyo, Sydney and Auckland. We also have local offices in Napa, Calif., and Wenatchee, Wash., along with team members based up and down the West Coast. Currently, Yamaha Agriculture has approximately 175 employees.

FJ: Ag technologies that solve a specific problem for the farmer seem to be the solutions that are adopted by American farmers. Are there any specific issues that your technology will be able to solve for growers?

NP: Currently spraying and weed control with our Prospr vehicle. However, it’s a modular platform, so the product roadmap includes several implements such as mowing and under-row cultivation. Our goal isn’t to develop implements from scratch. We are partnering with implement companies to integrate their tools on Prospr.

Separately, we also offer yield predictions and crop recommendations through our acquisition of The Yield. These two capabilities lay the foundation for increased closed-loop opportunities (actionable insights) with a focus on reducing block-level variability.

FJ: Do you have any concerns with the new U.S. administration’s trade policies considering Yamaha Agriculture is targeting the U.S. as a primary market for your technology?

NP: Yamaha sells a lot of products in the United States, ranging from motorcycles to outboard motors, ATVs and golf cars. As a result, we will take guidance from our broader organization and implement a strategy that is most effective for Yamaha Agriculture and our customers.

Your Next Read: What Technologies Are Farms Using and Why?

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.

RELATED: How Blackjack Strategy Inspires One Smart Farm

(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.

Your Next Read: Montana Farmer Cuts Chem Spend With Retrofit Smart Spray Tech

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.

Your Next Read — Ferrie: Four Sure Ways To Make NH3 Applications More Effective

Tech News: Purdue Researchers Use AI to Predict Corn Yields, Solix Robot Enjoys Successful Debut and more

Wed, 09 Oct 2024 20:01:00 GMT

University researchers analyze data, predict corn yields with AI

Purdue University geomatics PhD candidate Claudia Aviles Toledo, working with her faculty advisors and co-authors Melba Crawford and Mitch Tuinstra, demonstrated the capability of a recurrent neural network to predict corn yields from several remote sensing technologies and environmental and genetic data.

“This is one of the first AI models to add plant genetics to the story of yield in multiyear large plot-scale experiments,” Tuinstra said. “Now, plant breeders can see how different traits react to varying conditions, which will help them select traits for future more resilient varieties. Growers can also use this to see which varieties might do best in their region.”

Read the full report over at Purdue.edu

Reinke launches E3 precision center pivot system

Reinke Manufacturing has unveiled E3, which the company says is the first precision series of center pivot systems.

The patented irrigation system offers accuracy and performance, ensuring consistent and efficient water management and distribution across diverse field conditions.

E3 is the first precision series of spans and end booms with uniform coupler spacing (in 30” and 60” intervals) to ensure a uniform water application rate the entire length of the system, exceeding previous water uniformity benchmarks.

E3 also includes a variety of new features:

Customizable system configurations using precision spans.
ReinLock, a new anti-racking truss system designed for superior strength.
Reinke V-ring seals on every pipe connection.
Unique single-leg tower design.
ESAC, a series of Electronic Swing Arm Corners designed to irrigate corners for full-field accuracy.

E3 will be available for sale in select markets during the 2025 growing season.

Solinftec details Solix robot progress, challenges

Solinftec has shared an update on the first commercial season of its Solix application robot.

For the 2024 growing season there were 50 robots in use on farms in Indiana and Illinois, monitoring more than 65 million plants. Solix reduced herbicide volumes up to 98% and increased potential yields of row crops by 10%.

Solix is tackling three challenges faced by its customers:

Chemical reduction: by reducing chemical usage, Solix brings a return on investment (ROI) and supports farmers in their efforts to optimize costs.
Labor: the autonomy of Solix Sprayer Robots addresses labor challenges that many customers encounter in the market, reducing reliance on labor.
Sustainability: Solix promotes sustainability by enabling farmers to produce more within the same area, effectively allowing them to achieve greater yields with fewer resources.

Looking ahead to 2025, Solinftec will be expanding its Solix platform into additional states in the U.S. heartland.

Topcon launches Value Line Steering solution

Topcon Agriculture is releasing its new Value Line Steering solution, which the company says is designed specifically for farmers using mid-range tractors on small to medium-sized farms.

The new offering represents a significant step in making autosteering technology accessible to a broader range of farmers.

The Value Line Steering solution is a technology package that includes a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver, electric steering wheel controller, touchscreen console, and Horizon Lite software. The system is compatible with front-wheel-steer tractors. Farmers also have the option to add local, satellite or RTK correction services for enhanced precision.

The Value Line Steering solution is available now through Topcon Agriculture’s global network of authorized dealers.

Technical Debt: Self Scout to Avoid Tech Pitfalls

Fri, 15 Mar 2024 18:28:10 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.

Just as any top NFL Draft prospect must run the 40-yard dash within a similar range to the other top prospects at their respective position from previous draft classes, there are boxes any ag tech new release should check off to ultimately prove useful and profitable.

“At the end of the day, you want your technology to make you money, save you money, or create new opportunities for you,’ Cubbage says. “Or, some technology may even save the day as far as having battery or generator backup, or even redundant internet (options). You want it to do something for you and you want it to return something to the bottom line.”

With that in mind, farmers should annually complete an accurate “self-scout,” (former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belicheck is noted as one of the NFL’s all-time great self-scouters) or unbiased self-evaluation, of their tech stack.

Taking a hard look at what your technology is doing for your farm – and what you absolutely need it to do going forward – can save you from spending capital on technology or machines that don’t return benefits to your bottom line.

That was one basic premise of The Scoop columnist and ag tech industry expert Steve Cubbage’s Top Producer Summit presentation, “What’s Your Farm’s Technical Debt?” .

Cubbage had a few salient points in how farmers should look at new technology before adopting.

Efficiency Matters: Automation is where production agriculture has historically seen the greatest leaps in productivity (think Eli Whitney’s cotton gin). Or a modern-day example would be the advent of auto-steer. Machine guidance is the fastest and easiest ROI a farmer can find.
Robotics and AI: Advances made across these two technology segments will “likely lead to leapfrog gains in productivity,” according to Cubbage.
Opportunities May Require New Tech: Carbon credit markets are just one example that fits here. There may be systems or implements you must upgrade to collect the right type of data to participate (ie get paid). Even though it costs money up front, these are the type of investments that can have a big impact when farm revenues go flat or into the red.

“Production ag is a costly business. You write six, sometimes seven figure checks for putting a crop in each year,” Cubbage said. “Reducing waste is important, but so is looking at technology that can increase your ROI and shrink costs at the same time. Anytime you find something like that, that’s a pretty good day and probably a pretty good investment.”

Autonomy In Ag Is Firing On All Cylinders Right Now, And It Looks Different Depending On Where You Live

8 Field Activity Data Types You Need to Collect Now

7 Ways to Make Data Pay

Smart Seed Selection Tool Pledges to Close Yield Gap

Fri, 15 Mar 2024 13:12:46 GMT

Yield Optimizer by AcreShield is the new kid on the block when it comes to seed selection tools.

It’s an intriguing concept: a digital platform that aggregates massive amounts of independent seed performance and soil data (other data layers play a part, as well) to drill down to a performance-ranked list of the top corn and soybean seed varieties for each user’s unique location.

What is AcreShield and Yield Optimizer?

AcreShield is not a crop insurance provider. Rather, farmers who use Yield Optimizer and select their varieties based on the performance data presented get additional yield protection coverage of 100% of their farms historical average. This is beyond the standard 85% that most risk management programs typically offer.

“Every row crop farmer out there can buy crop insurance up to 85%, but not from 85% to 100%. This is what we call the ‘Yield Gap’ where they can’t get any protection for that last, very important 15%,” AcreShield CEO Billy Rose explains.

Rose says Yield Optimizer is the only seed selection tool that provides a yield performance guarantee. The company, which is independent of any seed company or retail channel affiliation, is testing over 1,000 corn varieties in over 250 field trials across the Midwest this summer.

AcreShield provides market transparency due to independent testing that is conducted in real-world conditions. It’s being viewed by some seed companies as an independent testing source to validate their marketing claims. Plot trial managers even conduct some “secret shopping” to be able to test the latest varieties.

Users can claim cash payouts up to 7X if the seed they selected doesn’t exceed 100% of their historical yield average. All based on the farmers yield history and harvest performance, not the county.

“From a pricing viewpoint, we have good ($5 per acre), better ($8) and best ($15) with different features at each Yield Optimizer tier, and the performance payouts are 5:1 (good) or 7:1 (better and best),” Rose says. “We give a performance guarantee that if you don’t get over 100% of your yield history (APH), we’ll write you a check for up to seven times what you paid for the Yield Optimizer.”

Rose himself knows a phenomenon when he sees it. The ag entrepreneur grew up on a farm outside Dyersville, Iowa, right around the corner from the original Field of Dreams complex. AcreShield’s operations are headquartered in Des Moines, home of another cultural phenomenon: Iowa Hawkeyes sharpshooter and future WNBA #1 Overall Pick Caitlyn Clark.

“When I go back, I would like to be able to say we’re helping these farmers survive these really tough commodity prices right now,” he says. “When you think about a 200 APH corn field per acre, if you could find 40 bushels in extra yield per acre with smart seed intelligence, that’s a 20% improvement. Now you’re solving that yield gap problem with the confidence of a performance guarantee.”

Where does the data come from?

Yield Optimizer conducted three years of seed trials to build out its database. Again, it is completely independent of any of the big seed companies or ag retail network. Rose likes to tell farmers that AcreShield is the Consumer Reports for seed variety testing, with trusted and unbiased data.

“What we’re able to do is really put what we call the farmer first,” Rose adds. “We’d like to turn the pyramid upside down and say, let’s focus on our farming friends and their problems. It’s your farm, it’s your legacy. So, protect it with intelligent seed selection that comes with a guarantee.”

Watch: AcreShield CEO Billy Rose Explains the Yield Gap

Additional Smart Farming content:

8 Field Activity Data Types You Need to Collect Now

Gripp Garners Top Honor at Top Producer Summit 2024

6 Tech Tools and Trends To Watch In 2024

Put Your Data To Work: Layers Of Information Pave The Road To Higher Yield

Tue, 05 Mar 2024 21:01:19 GMT

Before yield monitors, farmers knew where to find the best- and worst-yielding areas of each field. After yield monitors came along, farmers knew the yield from pass to pass, but didn’t have a map of yield variation.

“Now, GPS lets us make maps, so we can study layers of data to discover what’s happening in every part of the field,” says Farm Journal Field Agronomist Ken Ferrie. “It’s like the difference between looking at an oil painting and a photograph. We can even see beneath the surface.”

Here are some tips to help you translate your data into higher yield and ROI:

1. Start with accurate yield maps.

“Only half of our new customers have good spatial yield maps,” Ferrie says. “The rest are accurate to scale tickets, but don’t give good details of the field. A good spatial map with accurate data points — not one that has been ‘krieged’ or interpolated to create zones — will talk to you. Once you see one, you’ll want to make one every year, and use years (layers) of data to improve yield and ROI.”

When combine operators know the importance of good maps, he says, they will create accurate ones.

2. Solve mysteries by adding layers of data.

Soil-type maps and topography maps (called LIDAR, for Light Detection and Ranging) are key information sources.

“GPS soil-type maps are free on the internet,” Ferrie says. “Laying one over an accurate, spatial yield map instantly adjusts your focus.

You can collect topography maps from equipment in the field or get them from the internet. While these maps are still somewhat coarsely focused, they can explain a lot of yield swings.”

Ferrie and his team have used LIDAR maps to fix many surface drainage issues. He says: “Sometimes you need to remove only 3" or 4" of soil to cut a ditch to a wet pocket, and you see the effect the next year.”

3. Let yield, soil and topography maps guide your soil test.

“Soil test zones should represent how a field yields,” Ferrie says. “When you collect samples, try not to mix low- and high-yielding areas or silt loams and sand loams.” This information can guide you into variable-rate fertilizer application, making you an effective steward while boosting your profits.

4. Decide what you can fix.

“Fertility is still a somewhat coarse adjustment, suitable for treating larger areas such as sand knobs and hilltops.” Ferrie says. “We can focus on very small zones, but if our applicator spreads a 90'- or 120'-swath and a zone is only 50' across, it’s too small to fix. But technology will soon provide the tools to do this.”

On the other hand, he says, you can vary plant population and hybrid or variety by row and by foot of row, to treat small areas such as sand lenses and gravel veins running at an angle across the field but only 50' wide. Then you can hit areas with lower population and defensive hybrids.

Some technology can map soil properties deeper than a standard soil test can read. “We can pinpoint subsoil features such as sand lenses and depth horizons that explain issues invisible to the eye but visible in a yield map,” Ferrie says.

5. What data do you need?

That depends on what you will use it for. “Aerial photos and NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) images can reveal differences in the crop throughout a field,” Ferrie says. “Some of the free satellite photos available on the internet are of low resolution, very coarse and cheap, while photos taken from a plane or drone are higher resolution, but also more expensive. Aerial images can be as high resolution as you want to pay for, so decide what quality you need, and ask what resolution your images will be — for example, 5 m x 5 m or 1’x1' — before you commit.”

Each image shows only one moment in time, Ferrie says. So you might want to take multiple images through the season to avoid missing something.

“Elevation data can be collected from a combine, and LIDAR topography maps, which are much higher resolution, are free from the internet. Both types of data can help us decide where to put drainage, although neither is accurate enough to guide a tile plow,” he says.

Soil data can be obtained with electroconductivity mapping, which involves running coulters through the soil, or by swath mapping, in which a sled is pulled over the surface. But don’t sacrifice accuracy by running a mapper at wide intervals and “krieging” the data to make a map, Ferrie warns. You also can outfit your planter to map soil temperature, conductivity, moisture at seed depth and organic matter as you plant.

6. How to use your data.

“Look for zones tied to perennial yield swings on your yield map,” Ferrie says. “Aerial images will reveal both perennial yield swings, which you may be able to fix, and annual issues such as spray drift or overlapping spray from a neighbor’s field, which you just need to know about.”

If high-resolution images show repeated yield drops that layers of ground data can’t identify, Ferrie suggests taking a closer look. Soil tests, tissue tests and parasite tests in those areas can help identify the problem.

”If it isn’t fixable, adjust your yield goal and variable rate your fertilizer, population and pesticides,” he says.

Your goal is to get repeatable data with good resolution, Ferrie says. Then, use it to plan changes. Problem areas too small to remedy now will become fixable as technology develops, if you have the right data.

SWAT Maps (Soil, Water and Topography)

Soil texture, organic matter and topsoil depth can impact yield and fertilizer response.
Water has the biggest influence on yield and fertilizer response.
Topography can influence soil moisture, erosion, organic matter levels, pH, and soil fertility levels.

Mark Your Calendar

Join Ken Ferrie and team for the 2023 Farm Journal Corn and Soybean College.
July 25 - 26
Heyworth, Ill.

Learn more.

Case IH AF11: What You Need To Know

Fri, 09 Feb 2024 15:08:23 GMT

Proclaiming 2024 the “Year of the Combine” Case IH hosted an exclusive preview in Orlando, Florida, to showcase its newest grain harvesting technology: the AF 11 combine.

The sleek, muscular model will be available for pre-order from Case IH dealers later this summer – albeit in a limited production run – before a full rollout for crop year 2025. Case IH says it is the largest harvester of its kind available in North America.

Customer driven product development – customers sought a similar look and feel to Case IH’s popular Steiger, Magnum, and Puma tractor lines – was a driving force along AF11’s development curve. Pricing details for the new machine will be available later this summer through the dealer network, according to Case IH executives.

As the farm consolidation trend continues (again, Case IH polled its customer base and they overwhelmingly believe it will), and equipment buyers prioritize performance metrics and tech integrations over pure paint color, Case IH is pushing all its chips to the center of the table.

“We’re reemerging as the leader in harvesting supremacy with this clean, simple and best-in-class design,” said Kurt Coffey, vice president – North America, also noting the machine’s dual rotor design and ability to harvest 8,000 bushels of corn per hour.

Coffey, a Central Illinois farm kid, spent this past summer entrenched alongside the design team as well as riding alongside test farmers in the U.S. and Western Canada.

“Harvesting corn at 7 mph – this thing just kept eating,” he added. “What you see here today in this AF11 combine represents real-world problem solving with a purposeful design. This isn’t a beauty pageant.”

Leo Bose, harvesting segment leader, says the release of AF11 represents a major career milestone, and for Case IH’s customers it portends the future of harvesting.

“We focused on three key areas: capacity, technology, and run time,” Bose said. “Our harvesting technology will help farmers save grain and harvest faster, with more quality grain going into that tank. And our farmers overwhelmingly told us: we have to have (more) run time.”

AF11: What You Need to Know

Class 10+: The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) benchmarks combines up to Class 10, with the top end of that classification topping out at 680 HP. Case IH is slugging AF11 as a “Class 10+” – a class that currently does not exist on the scale – because it puts out 775 HP of grain chopping power.
Higher capacity: Case IH test farmers who ran the AF11 this summer realized its larger grain tank (567 bushels) and wide configuration allows operations to potentially downsize their harvesting fleets while still covering the same amount of ground. Its 50-foot draper head or 16-row corn chopper – which eventually will be available in even wider configurations – also enable higher capacity and more harvesting per hour.
Tech and Automation: AFS Harvest Command comes fully integrated off the factory line, and a radar-controlled residue spreader at the rear ensures grain stubble is evenly distributed. Inside the spacious cab, dual mounted Pro 1200 displays provide operator visibility and data visualization. The new AFXL2 dual rotor represents a step forward for the company in what its calling a “dynamically optimized cleaning and separating system”, and automated grain leveling keeps harvested grain level when traversing uneven ground.
Runtime: Farmers will notice improvements here via AF11’s 6 bushel per second offload rate, unlocking more operating hours in an already time crunched process. Also of note is a new drivetrain configuration (horizontally mounted at the rear of the combine) that distributes weight and torque for more efficient drivetrain operation and fuel savings. And the entire power plant is set into the machine in a way that makes it easier for techs to access components for preventative maintenance or DIY service.

Saskatoon, Canada, canola and cereal grains farmer Jason LeBlanc ground tested the AF11 this summer on his 1,600-acre operation.

“It will help us cut down on hired labor, the capacity in this machine is something we’re really excited about,” he said. “The capacity, the grain unloading time, harvesting the same amount with less fuel burned per acre – it’s a massive deal for an operation like ours.”

Of course, there is more to know about this new machine than we can fit into this article, so head over to caseih.com/en-us/unitedstates/products/harvesting/af-series to explore further.

You can also catch the new combine in person as its unveiled to the greater public for the first time at the upcoming National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville, Kentucky .

Using Artificial Intelligence in decision making from farm to fork

Wed, 21 Sep 2022 03:50:43 GMT

Learn how automatic farm data collection, artificial intelligence (AI) and clear decision support in the field helps growers meet increasing consumer demands in this free webinar.

April 10, 2019
1 pm Central

Register Here!

Brought to you by IBM

IBM

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Pipelines and Farmers Battle Over Lifetime Loss

Wed, 27 Jan 2021 20:11:15 GMT

Soil is life, dirt is death, and the vast distance between takes a lifetime to cross. Mike Kelley is staring into the chasm and believes part of his farmland will suffer stunted yields for the rest of his life. He says the delicate soil balance, a rich, black elixir sweetened by nature’s alchemy, is lost to a pipeline.

Pipelines and agriculture are a contentious pair, with a growing number of farmers raising concerns over soil health, drainage issues, and responses from oil and gas companies.

Meet Mike Kelley, Illinois Farmer

Kelley grows corn and soybeans in Illinois on some of the most productive ground on the planet -- fine drummer soil that consistently churns out 200 bu. corn and 60 bu. soybeans.

In 2015, like it or not, Kelley knew the Enbridge Southern Access Extension Pipeline (SAX) was going to cross McLean County in the central part of the state. Many of his farming neighbors didn’t want the pipeline to come through, and some dug in their heels to eminent domain, but most acquiesced and took an Enbridge payment. “I understand the public benefit of going through private land and that can mean imposing on individual. I recognize that,” Kelley acknowledges.

However, he makes clear that principal and application are not necessarily bedfellows. The pipeline came through two farms leased by Kelley, on perpetually no tilled ground dating back several decades. Kelley, chairman of the McClean County Soil Board, believed his crop production would suffer a sustained degree of yield drag, but pinned his hopes for minimal loss on construction conditions. “I was about to deal with long-term effects no matter what, but I also knew the damage would at least be lighter if they came through dry soil,” Kelley explains.

With an extremely wet spring soaking central Illinois, Kelley grew increasingly anxious over the prospect of heavy machinery operating on spongy soil. His fears came full circle in June when, according to Kelley, bulldozers began pushing soil aside on ground that was literally too wet for farming field work.

In an emailed statement, Ryan Duffy, communications strategist for Enbridge, acknowledged Kelley raised concerns over wet conditions, but says crop production won’t be affected: “A third-party certified professional soil scientist and agronomist visited the pipeline construction area, evaluated the soils and concluded that the conditions did not degrade or otherwise compromise the soils for future crop productivity. As required by the Agricultural Impact Mitigation Agreement between IEPC and the Illinois Department of Agriculture, subsequent restoration was completed in 2016 and future crop productivity should not be impaired.” (Enbridge declined Farm Journal interview requests regarding Kelley’s claims.)

“There was actually water on top of the ground and they were rolling with dozers. It was so disappointing to see, knowing this was about the pipeline’s time and budget. Any reasonable person would have held off from starting dozer work,” Kelley contends. “I knew right then things were going bad from the start.”

Kelley argued with Enbridge personnel at the site, protesting the mix of machinery and wet ground: “Their own question-and-answer pamphlets said their work conditions would parallel ag work conditions, but I couldn’t have driven across the field in a four-wheel drive pickup or my sprayer without getting stuck.”

Down a 120’-wide right of way, bulldozers peeled off 16” of topsoil and piled it to the side. Enbridge next brought in excavators to dig a 6’-wide trench. After the 48” pipe was set and finished, the ground was filled in. To alleviate compaction issues due to equipment and semi-trailer traffic, Enbridge came in with deep rippers. However, deep ripping generally tears compacted soil into chunks. When soil particles are squeezed together and the air pushed away, steel doesn’t solve compaction.

Last, Enbridge came back with bulldozers to push the mounds of black topsoil back in place, followed by one last tillage treatment. “Their equipment operators did a good job attempting to keep the clay down and topsoil above, but there is only so much humanly possible. We now have wet spots and general roughness spread across 18 acres,” Kelley describes.

A cross-section of the affected ground shows a huge difference in subsoil structure, according to Kelley. “We ran new tile at some of the wet spots at a depth of 3’. This spring, that tile drew less than 10’ on either side. Get 10’ away and it started getting wet fast,” he says. Translation: Subsoil compaction from Enbridge construction is heavily affecting natural soil drainage, according to Kelley.

Yet, soil chemistry might be Kelley’s biggest long-term concern. Manipulation of wet soil is a breach of soil health 101, particularly on 20-plus years of no till ground. In 2016, Kelley’s corn dropped 30 bu. per acre on the pipeline-related acreage. “Enbridge paid for my crop damage, but the yield drag will go on and on. I’m 51 and plan to farm 20 more years or so, but I don’t think I’ll ever see that farm area return to its former production. The wet soil should have been left alone because that was the right thing to do.”

Meet Randy Dowdy, Georgia Farmer

Almost 900 highway miles to the southeast in Brooks County, Georgia, Randy Dowdy faces a permanent yield drag across 40-plus acres of record-producing farmland (171.7 bu. soybeans and 521 bu. corn). Dowdy signed an easement in 2015, giving Spectra Energy right of way across a mile of his land for the Sabal Trail natural gas pipeline. The project section on Dowdy’s land began after fall grain harvest and was slated for completion the first week of 2017, but when hard winter storms arrived the third week of January, construction remained ongoing and the ground was relatively unprotected. Dowdy lost over 40 acres of topsoil and decades of yield potential. (In addition, sediment deposition spilled across 100 acres of wetlands.)

Dowdy points the finger at Sabal Trail and a series of alleged regulatory violations. When Dowdy signed the Sabal Trail easement, the agreement included a stipulation: Sabal Trail would return all land to its pre-construction condition, both in fertility and deposition (topsoil segregated from subsoil). Dowdy says the topsoil disaster was a direct result of Sabal Trail negligence in following the Georgia Soil & Water Commission’s Green Book (Manual for Erosion and Sediment Control in Georgia) regulations. “Sediment barriers in concentrated flows of water; no straw covers; no safety sediment fences; and many more violations,” he contends.

On March 11, 2017, responding to an irrigation line leak in the right of way, Dowdy found evidence of jumbled soil deposition and says it is a clear violation of Sabal Trail’s Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) permit and Sabal’s written agreement with him at the purchase of the easement. According to Dowdy, an excavator revealed 2” of topsoil, 6” of hard clay, and 10” to 15” of various mixtures before digging into the expected bright orange Georgia clay. “How do other landowners know this hasn’t been done on their land?” Dowdy asks. “Farmers and landowners are just supposed to sign a release and the story is over?”

Dowdy believes he’s facing a lifetime of loss on the affected ground due to the negligence of Sabal Trail. By hauling in several thousand loads of replacement dirt, Dowdy has replaced the highest yielding soybean soil in agriculture history with a forced substitute. (Sabal Trail/Enbridge declined Farm Journal interview requests regarding Dowdy’s claims.)

“I want the truth out there so people know what happened. It’s one thing to rebuild terraces, haul in topsoil, bring in hay and straw, put down cover crops, and spread chicken litter,” he says. “It’s another thing to gain soil life from dead dirt.”

And yields? Dowdy says the affected ground produced just under 50% of non-right of way land. “The experts have said this will take not only my lifetime, but multiple lifetimes to fix. They said I could take it out of production and bring in cover crops for 20 to 50 years to rebuild. I’m not just talking about 40 acres, I’m talking about 40 of the best acres on my entire operation.”

Meet David Richter, Iowa Farmer

In 2016, when the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) arrived in northwest Iowa, it was slated to run across 13 miles of O’Brien County, including 2 miles of David Richter’s land. Rather than wade into an expensive court battle, Richter signed a pipeline contract. The DAPL right of way technically touched 45 acres of Richter’s ground, but in reality affected 320 acres of his operation.

The DAPL cut passed through the lower part of Richter’s property. “Right away, I asked them to move the line just a couple hundred yards north and onto more of a hill so my tile wouldn’t be affected, but it wasn’t happening,” he says.

During construction, Richter was assured his tile system would remain fully functional. Things changed when the crews cleaned up and left, according to Richter. By fall 2016, he could see wet spots forming close to the pipeline, but he hoped the ground would settle by spring. As winter snows melted, the wet spots progressed from warning signs to farming danger. Richter was less than two months from planting and was clueless as to the extent of damage under his pipeline ground. On March 1, with water backed up onto adjacent land beyond the right of way, a distressed Richter picked up the phone and called DAPL.

He says he went through days of phone calls, dealing with four farm agents before a crew of nine DAPL workers arrived in mid-April and began digging. At one of the wet spots, Richter took one look and immediately could see the drainage problem. In a 200’ stretch where the pipeline ran beneath a road, the tile had been covered in PVC pipe. “They assured me they’d drilled holes in the PVC, but they had no clue how many holes a piece of tile needs to drain properly,” Richter explains.

With planting dates bearing down, Richter didn’t know when DAPL would return to make the repairs. He hired a contractor to repair the drainage issues and sent DAPL two bills totaling $13,000. DAPL agreed to pay the smaller $3,000 bill, but refused to cover the larger $10,000 bill. (DAPL responded to FJ inquiries with a pdf stating Richter’s $10,000-bill was declined after he hired an unapproved, private contractor. DAPL declined to answer specific Farm Journal questions related to Richter’s claims.)

“I was disgusted. I had planting dates getting close and had called them repeatedly for help. It’s difficult to describe the incredible pain of the whole procedure. Even when I finally started planting, I had to switch from corn to beans three times waiting for fields to dry.”

When the repairs were finished, Richter says he was left with 100 acres of mud and a dip in his ground that was previously as flat as a table. (Richter suspects the dip in his land is from compacted clay.) Into July 2017, he was still dealing with water on top of his ground: “It’ll be terrible on yields. I’ve talked to so many people in this frustrating mess since I originally called March 1. They admit there’s a low spot out there but they won’t fix it. There’s basically a hole in my ground and I’m supposed to pay?”

Richter’s DAPL agreement stipulates coverage for 100% of yield loss the first year, 80% the second year, and 60% the third year. “I’m 58 years old and I won’t see normal yields for the rest of my life,” he says. “My kids will take over and maybe the land will yield normal then, but who can say?”

“In fall of last year, when I first saw standing water, my gut wished to hell this pipeline was never near my land. I told them right from the start not to come in low because that’s where the water runs. They might have wrecked my property value and crop yield for years to come. They paid for right of way, but the pipeline ruined 300 total acres. That wasn’t part of the deal,” he says.

Lessons from Loss?

Richter, Dowdy and Kelley share commonalities of uncertainty, extreme frustration and regret, and the four have warnings for fellow farmers and landowners.

“Pipelines promise the world and money. Sure, I love energy efficiency, but I’m a farmer and I don’t want this pipeline headache on my property. If you can keep a pipeline from coming through your property, then do it,” Richter says.

“If they need to get through your land, they’ll tickle your ear. But once the line is installed, they don’t come back to the table to fix problems. Even if you’ve got it in writing, you’ll still have to go to the legal system for enforcement and spend thousands of dollars,” Dowdy adds. “The only leverage you’ve got is prior to the pipeline.”

“You’ve got to get advice from somebody with soil experience, not dirt experience. Don’t let the company put time limits on corrective action and don’t sign off on anything,” Kelley concludes. “Remember, farmers look down and see soil, but the pipeline company just sees dirt.”

Corn Plant Sets World Record

Wed, 27 Jan 2021 20:10:55 GMT

Standing guard for an entire crop season, a red flag flew patiently above a corn canopy in all weathers, marking the location of a record-breaker. The Ohio State University (OSU) banner stood sentinel over a plant named Terra Byte which represented the most agricultural data gathered in farming history for a single corn plant across an entire growing season.

A world record for ag data collection in a corn field is a heavyweight headline-grabber, but far beyond the novelty, OSU researchers are using Terra to pick apart the strengths and weaknesses of precision agriculture data. Surrounded by 3.2 million other corn plants in a 100-acre field, Terra was a vehicle to examine methods of data collection, analysis, and actionable potential for U.S. growers.

Precision agriculture graduate student Trey Colley used a wealth of research technology and applied it to a field situation outside the box, selecting ground worked by farm manager Nate Douridas at the Molly Caren Agricultural Center, home to OSU’s Farm Science Review show site. “This project documented and opened up information about what was going on in our fields,” Douridas says.

Douridas planted three headland passes of 100-day corn around the field where Terra grew (114-day corn). Colley chose ground zero just inside the first pass of 114-day corn and planted the red OSU flag over Terra, accepting the risk of deer, weather or machinery mishap.

“Boiled down, if you can’t make actionable decisions with your precision ag technology, you need to reevaluate the types of tech used on your farm,” says OSU’s Trey Colley.

© Trey Colley, Ohio State University

Pre-season, planting, in-season and harvest, an immense amount of data was collected from Terra: 18.4 gigabytes; 28 megabytes per kernel. (Terra’s record is currently awaiting Guinness confirmation.) Theoretically, if the same rate of collection was applied across the entire 100 acres, the storage requirements would be staggering, according to Colley: “The total comes to 60 petabytes of data. To store that much data, you’d need 466,000 iPhones or about 360 million filing cabinets filled with paperwork.”

Kaylee Port , program manager for OSU Precision Agriculture, says Terra was an attempt to showcase various tools available to growers. “Hopefully our work with Terra will allow growers to do more with their data, integrate new data, and make better on-farm management and crop production decisions with that data.”

Climate FieldView , AirScout , Trimble Ag Software , MyJohnDeere , time lapse cameras, weather station, aerial imagery, application data, input measurements, soil sensors, and so much more, Terra’s data haul is intimidating in scope, but broken down into individual components, the tale-of-the-tape measurements reveal the hits and misses of farming. Colley and the OSU team are compiling an overall report and will measure the economics of each technology. “It’s pretty simple,” Colley explains. “We’re going to find out what made a difference for the grower and what didn’t across the whole field. We want to point to which technologies were economical.”

Douridas says the Terra project (and precision ag as a whole) relates to return on investment (ROI). “We farm by the inches and that requires tremendous data collection. It’s important to look at as much ag technology as possible and decide if there is ROI and where,” he explains.

At harvest, Terra was 16 kernels around and 34 kernels long. “Terra wasn’t the biggest one in the field, but we stuck with it and didn’t grab a bigger ear to trick anybody,” Colley laughs.

Terra gained a great deal of attention, but the record-breaking project was aimed squarely at field scale production, emphasizes Colley. “We just want to inform farmers of what we see and observe. All growers need a digital strategy so they don’t blindly adopt technology just because it’s cool.”

“Farmers don’t need pretty imagery to tell them where bad dirt or wet spots are in their fields because they already know,” Colley adds. “Boiled down, if you can’t make actionable decisions with your precision ag technology, you need to reevaluate the types of tech used on your farm.”

(For information on the technology used in the Terra Byte project and an overview of the entire season, see fabe.osu.edu/node/6355 )

Ag Data: Who is Driving the Bus?

Wed, 27 Jan 2021 20:10:31 GMT

Big data is more than a buzzword—farmers are harvesting data from machine telematics, yield monitors and input decisions, to name a few sources. There’s value in the data for the farmer to turn around and make decisions, and numerous companies are vying for the information as well.

“It seems like 100 companies are in contention, but that number will fall to 10, then to five and probably down to one,” predicts Terry Griffin , a cropping system economist and precision agriculture specialist at Kansas State University. If there’s one left standing, the monopoly will put farmers at a disadvantage for negotiation power.

Long-term data contracts should trigger an alarm bell, according to Griffin. “There are so many people walking through the door offering a data package, but just sit back and wait a year or two,” he says. “Once you share, your ability to exclude others is diminished. Maybe you’ll have no legal ownership of the data.”

Griffin advises growers to ask prospective data companies three questions. First: How many growers/farms/fields/acres are in the data community today? The question directly relates to the likely success of a given data company in the future and its ability to perform beneficial analyses.

“If you’re the first farm to join a data service then why join at all? If there are not large numbers of farms participating, then a given farm doesn’t have a good reason to join,” he asks.

Second: What analytics conducted on the community will benefit my farm? “If the company’s answer does not benefit the farm, then the farm does not have a clear reason to join,” Griffin explains. “If the answer seems to be benchmarking or database queries, then ask yourself: Is there value to me in participating?”

Third: What data quality control standards are being used? Big data analytics have loosened the requirements on precise measurements compared with experimental data at small plots from research stations, according to Griffin.

“Were varieties tagged correctly to the field? Were yield monitors calibrated and yield data cleaned for anomalies where the harvester was not able to make accurate measurements? If a farmer is considering submitting ‘junk’ data to the provider just to join, what keeps other farmers from submitting the same types of ‘junk’ data?” Griffin asks.

“Right now, some of these data companies don’t pass the sniff test, and if something just seems wrong, it probably is,” Terry Griffin says. “If you’re not sure, then hold and sit tight.”

© Chris Benentt

Bottom-line ownership continues to be the Gordian knot of ag data. Roger McEowen , Kansas Farm Bureau professor of agricultural law and taxation at the Washburn University School of Law, says ag data is a mix of real, personal and intellectual property: “The question is whether ag data ownership will be tied to the ownership of the land from which it derives. In addition, in many situations the landowner also owns the equipment used in production activities that give rise to ag data. The ag data is portable, like tangible personal property, and it is like intellectual property because it’s information.

“So, who owns it? Will ownership of the land and/or equipment be enough to determine ownership of the ag data? This is the basic ‘nut’ the legal system will have to crack,” says McEowen, who is also author of the Agricultural Law and Taxation blog .

“Right now, some of these data companies don’t pass the sniff test, and if something just seems wrong, it probably is,” Griffin adds. “If you’re not sure, then hold and sit tight.”

The Cyber Worm has Turned on Soil Health

Wed, 16 Dec 2020 01:29:53 GMT

If you’re like Taryn Bauerle, an associate professor with the School of Integrative Plant Science Horticulture at Cornell University, you’ve spent a lot of time wondering what’s going on beneath the ground—and more specifically, that very small space where the root meets the soil. In that small zone, magic—some even call it chemistry—happens, and that chemistry has soil feedback loops with the microbiota living in the soil. Understanding this may help improve breeding efforts and soil management that improve yield.

To boldly plumb the depths of the soil and uncover these secrets, Bauerle knew she needed help. When you’re trying to solve a seemingly impossible challenge on earth, sometimes you have to look to a person with his eyes to the stars. So Bauerle turned to Cornell’s faculty list and reached out to Robert Shepherd, an associate professor with the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.

Although they both work at Cornell, they’d never met. Her pitch to Shepherd: Help her shine a light into the black box of plant and soil interactions.

Shepherd’s response? “I was all in, right away,” he says.

The first challenge: create a device that could move within a matrix you can’t see and is difficult to access. The second challenge: figure out how to capture data in an environment that’s not friendly to wireless transmission.

“There are physical limitations. There are energetic limitations, communication limitations. It’s a really edge environment to be working in,” Shepherd says.

Even so, Shepherd was confident it was possible, and he looked to Mother Nature for inspiration.

“We know it will work because there are giant earthworms of the scale we’re talking about that can move underground. And we have assistance from an auger, which will give us an advantage over even biology,” he says.

The project is supported by a $2 million National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to conduct the soil research and a $750,000 NSF National Robotics Initiative grant to develop the soil-monitoring robots.

The plan is to develop 1’ to 2’ wormlike robots that both drill into the soil and can also mimic the peristaltic, or wave-like, movements worms make when they tunnel through the soil.

Initially, Bauerle expects the worms to cover small areas as little as a millimeter where the root meets the soil. Eventually she imagines the device could be used to traverse the length of a field, burrowing beneath a normal row of plants to gather data. One of the robot’s tests will be to travel an entire row of maize and collect data on soil density, compactness, temperature and humidity.

Sensors and testing may also include fiber optics to provide direct imaging of roots and reveal growth and angles. Fiber optics may also explore excitation and emission wavelengths of soil microorganisms and root chemistries, including carbon compounds exuded by plant roots.

Bauerle says there are many questions the robots may help answer—from how plants respond to changes in climate, including water availability, to how roots grow based on weather events such as droughts. Combining the in-ground data with information about above-ground characteristics may also help predict factors such as grain yield and stress tolerance.

“I think farmers have known for a long time the plant-soil interface is a very important one for growing crops and has a lot to do with plant productivity, and also with conservation and with soil properties,” Bauerle says. “Even though we’ve known that for so long, we haven’t been able to access it. So, understanding that subterranean system in a much better way can help with a lot of future questions about irrigation, fertigation, soil health—there’s a whole basket of opportunities there.”

Shepherd’s lab has provided initial prototypes and expects to have a digging robot that can do basic measurements like humidity and temperature in under a year.

“As with most people who are working within this arena, all of us are trying our best to help farmers and help food security,” Bauerle says.

Farmers Edge Increases Satellite Image Frequency

Wed, 18 Nov 2020 01:52:58 GMT

By partnering with Planet, an aerospace and data analytics company, Farmers Edge will offer satellite images more frequently—every one to three days. Planet says they have the highest number of available satellites, which means even with potential cloud cover farmers should still receive images frequently and at a high enough resolution to identify potential issues. Farmers Edge will combine the satellite images with analytics software to assist farmers during the growing season.

“What we’re finding is with higher resolution and frequency we can ID where there is insect damage in crops’ early stages, which could tell farmers if they need to replant,” says Wade Barnes, president and CEO of Farmers Edge. “We can also identify fertilizer stripping, which can be used to adjust fertilizer application later and save yield.”

Farmers Edge costs $2 to $4.50 per acre depending on the level of service. For more details, visit www.farmersedge.ca.

Calculate Soybean Populations with the Hula Hoop Method

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 04:11:28 GMT

While you might think of hula hoops as a game for children they’ve found a new use—helping farmers calculate soybean populations. With no need for a tape measure, this method could save time and help farmers make critical decisions such as replant.

“We’ve had about 30% replant in corn this year and are looking at about 5% replant so far in soybeans,” says Kyle Allen, Channel seedsman near Hawk Point, Mo. “Rain has caused crusting or washed away seeds, especially in no-till.”

Replant is a tricky decision and will depend on a farmer’s end yield goal. If a stand looks spotty, check to see what population is left and what that means for yield at the end of the season. Be sure to check several areas of the field, at least five, to find a field average.

Upon entry, throw the hula hoop into the field. This ensures the location is picked at random, and when done at least five times should show an adequate representation of what’s in the field. Count how many plants are in the hoop then multiply that by the hula hoop “factor” to determine average plants per acre. The factor represents how many hoops fit in one acre and can be found in field guides, such as Purdue’s.

Purdue provides factor information for various hula hoop diameters:

Diameter of Hoop	Factor
18”	24,662
21”	18,119
24”	13,872
27”	10,961
30”	8,878
33”	7,337
36”	6,165

For example, a 24” hula hoop with 13 plants means 13 x 13,872 and an average population of 180,336. Some field guides will also provide tables with the math already completed for these and additional hula hoop sizes.

Watch video demonstration:

Minnesota Crop Yields Enhanced by Climate Change

Sun, 15 Nov 2020 18:27:26 GMT

A University of Minnesota (U of M) study suggests climate change is actually enhancing corn and soybean yields in the state, according an article published by the Star Tribune .

Based on a model developed by Deepak Ray at the U of M’s Institute on the Environment, corn yields could be up by as much as 8% while soybean yields are up 2.8%.

The results shocked Ray, who thought the Upper Midwest would be a loser of yield. “It was totally a surprise,” he says.

Other areas of the U.S. aren’t so lucky. The Eastern corn belt have seen yields decline due to changing climate. Other areas of the world are even worse off, he says.

Soybean yields in Western Europe are down 22%, and corn yields are by 25% in Eastern and Northern Europe.

Global corn yields have remained stable, mostly due to improving conditions in South America. Global soybean yields are up 3.5%, thanks largely in part to increasing output in the Upper Midwest.