Ag Leader’s 4th annual Educator’s Training will be held on Aug. 6-8 at Ag Leader Academy. The program is designed for institutions that are teaching precision ag practices to their students either in the classroom or in the field with the purpose of educating institutions on Ag Leader’s various services and products, as well as to provide hands on demonstrations of Ag Leader’s product lineup.

Tyler Anderson, Ag Leader software support specialist, says Ag Leader is helping to cultivate the next generation of precision ag specialists in the job field, whether it’s back home on their own farms, at Ag Leader or as a precision farming dealer.

Anderson also says, “These ‘educating the educator’ sessions help students understand where precision ag might fit into their future.” Here’s what people can look forward to.

Please contact Tyler Anderson or Adam Walters at 515-232-5363 or education@agleader.com if you are interested in attending, need more information regarding the training, or are interested in learning about Ag Leader’s Educational Solutions program.

Become a fan of Ag Leader on Facebook today, and get the latest precision ag videos on the YouTube channel. For more information about Ag Leader products and services, or to visit the blog site, go to www.agleader.com.

The planting of the U.S. corn crop was 91% complete as of Sunday, June 2, below the five-year average of 95% for that time of year, according to a recent report by the USDA. The soybean crop was 57% planted, behind the average of 74% for that time of year. And there were 8.55 million acres of corn still unplanted.

So what does that mean for farmers across the Midwest? Either plant in soggy ground, replant in muddy fields or collect crop insurance.

Ag Leader’s Mike Olson, sales manager, says in tough seasons like this, using precision ag technology can really be a benefit.

Olson also notes that because of the rainy season, there is de-nitrification in the ground. That’s when OptRX crop sensors can help read the crop vigor to help growers apply Nitrogen when they side-dress. And, the Hydraulic Down Force system was invaluable this season to maintain proper planting depth.

Growers can still implement crop sensor technology during the 2013 growing season, save their crop and benefit from the technology when it comes to increased yields. Olson says trials have shown a $25 per acre increase in profit by using more Nitrogen.

Become a fan of Ag Leader on Facebook today, and get the latest precision ag videos on the YouTube channel. For more information about Ag Leader products and services, or to visit the blog site, go to www.agleader.com.

It’s that time of year again and as the crop insurance reporting deadline nears, farmers may find that using precision ag data can simplify the process. During planting season, growers are encouraged to use their Integra display from Ag Leader to record accurate planting data and then import this information into SMS software.

Once in SMS, reports can be created that include important insurance field details such as acres, dates and crops planted. With SMS, that planting information can be directly exported to a crop insurance provider. The insurance provider can then import this data directly into their reporting system, often times pre-populating some of the required reports. Using SMS for crop insurance reporting is simple and saves time.

Listen to more as Ag Leader’s Luke James, Software Sales Manager, explains.
Listen to James explain

Or you can watch more here.

Become a fan of Ag Leader on Facebook today, and get the latest precision ag videos on the YouTube channel. For more information about Ag Leader products and services, or to visit the blog site, go to www.agleader.com.

Growers using a smartphone, tablet or laptop will now have an optimized experience when visiting agleader.com, thanks to the launch of Ag Leader’s new responsive website.

“Responsive web design is an approach that businesses are implementing to provide users with the best possible viewing experience, no matter what device they are using,” explains Jake Smith, web developer for Ag Leader Technology.

According to the 2012 Media Channel Study sponsored by the Agri Council, 52% of all US farmers and ranchers access digital ag resources weekly; websites and e-newsletters were sited as most common.

Ag Leader’s goal is to provide every grower who visits agleader.com with improved readability and simplified navigation.

Responsive web designs rely on media queries in order to determine the resolution of the device it is being served on. Images are then scaled to fit on the screen correctly.

Become a fan of Ag Leader on Facebook today, and get the latest precision ag videos on the YouTube channel. For more information about Ag Leader products and services, or to visit the blog site, go to www.agleader.com.

Ag Leader offers a variety of SMS™ training sessions to help answer grower and dealer questions about the software.

Today, we caught up with Jessica Ahrens, Ag Leader training specialist, and asked her:
• What’s new this year?
• How do these training sessions set Ag Leader apart from other precision ag companies?
• Why is attending a training important each year?
• And most importantly, when do they start and how do growers and dealers get signed up?

Remember to visit sms.agleader.com for more information.

Become a fan of Ag Leader on Facebook today, and get the latest precision ag videos on the YouTube channel. For more information about Ag Leader products and services, or to visit the blog site, go to www.agleader.com.

Have you seen Joe Neighbor in town at the local precision ag dealer, asking questions, smiling and nodding his head, followed by a hand-shake … then a month or so later, in the cab of his tractor multi-tasking on different screens while talking on his smart phone? Did you wonder how he knew what questions to ask regarding what was best for his operation and better yet, how he ever got started?

Well, Ag Leader Technology has been in the precision ag field for more than 20 years and would like to address a few of these common adoption hurdles.

Obstacle #1: COST
Up front, precision ag might feel like a large chunk of change. There’s the investment cost of the equipment, the time involved for you to learn how to use the equipment, and the time it will take to see your return on investment.

Time is of the essence, especially during busy planting and harvest seasons. Talk to your Ag Leader dealer today about what’s right for you. They offer the complete package of precision farming tools, allowing you to get started with technology based on your comfort level and your needs.

They also have a leasing program that might be right for you.

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Here is the next in our series as we introduce you to a few of dedicated precision ag equipment dealers in a series called “Getting to Know Ag Leader”.

We caught up with Keith Byerly of Advanced Cropping Systems by CVA in Nebraska.

1. From an agronomy standpoint, what do you consider to be the biggest issues facing growers today?

In our part of the world, it still comes down to water. We haven’t had much relief from the drought yet, and are facing water restrictions on irrigation if the drought continues into another growing season. That all being said, we are seeing the market explode when it comes to technologies for soil moisture management and VR Irrigation. To that extent, I think that growers are again going to be faced with a decision that cannot be made too quickly on who to partner with for a provider of this information. From a service provider standpoint, there are so many people out there with a “Me Too Attitude” offering data and prescription services to match the capabilities of the hardware they are selling. We firmly believe the “One Size Fits All” mentality does not work with it comes to working with growers and their data. Just like any other aspect of a growers operation, they need to make sure they find a Precision Ag service provider that understands the whole picture of what they are doing, and customizes programs around them.

2. Tell us about how growers in your area are using precision agriculture.

VR Fertilizer is the standard now, not the option. We are seeing the second generation of VR Seeding come about now as well. What I mean by that is that there were quite a few early adopters who went out and did VR seeding just because they could. They based it on soils maps and called it good. The results were less than great, and they abandoned the technology. Now they are coming back to it again, and this time they are looking for that right service provider to help them design a program. Section control of planters and sprayers was slower to be adapted in this area because we are fortunate enough to farm rectangular and square shaped field for the most part, but they are now the rule rather than the exception. RTK adaptation is really coming on strong now as well, with private CORS networks outpacing radio based systems. And of course automated steering continues to take over the cabs of these machines. We see more systems going into tractors that are more than 20 years old than I could have ever imagined.
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Brokaw Supply Company, a single-store business in Fort Dodge, Iowa, sells and supports six different brands of precision equipment including Ag Leader Technology as one of their premier lines, and services a customer base that stretches into Minnesota and Wisconsin.

The dealership has been named Precision Farming Dealer’s 2013 Most Valuable Dealership. They boast 36 employees (4 precision ag specialists); 90 percent of their 2012 precision ag revenue was from hardware and their 2012 precision technician service billed 900 hours.

Brokaw’s General Manager Craig Harthoorn says the dealership had to break into the precision ag world.

He also says they are a “niche marketer”.

One way Brokaw is making the most of its independence and showing customers that its willing to find the best technology solution for their respective farm is through the development of its precision kits.

The company started putting together the kits — priced-out lists of precision parts for farm equipment — in 2009 to give customers a better understanding of what they were buying, and to provide salespeople with a handy tool.

Continue reading →

We recently caught up with Adam Walters, Ag Leader software support specialist, at the National Farm Machinery Show and he gave us a quick “tour” of SMS Software, its capabilities and how it helps growers make better management decisions.

Walters also gave us a top-level overview of Intellislope, a new functionality available through the Ag Leader Integra display which provides tile plow control for installing field drainage tile.

And if you’re heading out to Commodity Classic in Kissimmee, Fla., Feb. 28 – March 2, be sure to look up Ag Leader experts who will be on hand to talk about the latest in precision technology equipment, enhancements, future products, and much more.

Become a fan of Ag Leader on Facebook today, and get the latest precision ag videos on the YouTube channel. For more information about Ag Leader products and services, or to visit the blog site, go to www.agleader.com.

Precision agriculture is growing in popularity each year. And for one Ag Leader customer, Don Batie, keeping up with the latest and challenging himself to increase productivity and efficiency by using precision farming tools has been on his “to do” list for the past five years. Don’s farm is located northeast of Lexington, Neb., and consists of irrigated corn, soybean and alfalfa.

Many new technologies can be used that are especially helpful during the planting season. For the 2013 planting season, Don is using Ag Leader’s SeedCommand, GeoSteer and DirectCommand.

In a new series, we are catching up with Don pre- and post-planting, and then again this fall pre- and post-harvest. He is sharing his story of his expectations from his precision ag equipment, as well as the results he sees at the end of the growing season.

The reason for Don’s change to precision farming was for operator comfort, to improve yields and decrease input costs. “Driving a tractor for 10-12 hours a day would leave me exhausted,” Don says. SMS software from Ag Leader is also used to develop seeding and fertilizer rates as well as for data collection. Listen here as Don explains more about why he chose to adopt precision technology on his farm.

During the off-season, drainage tile is also installed via GPS. Don says that “it is simple to do now with technology. Two people can install 8,000-10,000 feet of tile per day with Intellislope.” Ag Leader systems allow for multitasking while in the field. “It enables us to do more than just concentrate on one thing.”

New technologies are emerging every day. “People are amazed at how farmers have progressed and changed to maximize their return.” And while some folks may believe that farming should go back to what it used to be (meaning horse-drawn plows! can you imagine?) and only organic food should be grown, Don explains his take on “old farming” versus modern farming practices and what that means to you the consumer.

Every farmer is different and every farm has its priorities. Technology may or may not be one of them but for Don Batie it is. He plans to get out in the field, weather permitting, around mid-April to plant. Check back with our PrecisionPays column in May when we touch base with him to see how things went!

Become a fan of Ag Leader on Facebook today, and get the latest precision ag videos on the YouTube channel. For more information about Ag Leader products and services, or to visit the blog site, go to www.agleader.com.