New Holland Perfect Combine Initiative

Posted on November 8, 2013 by Chuck

For New Holland the Perfect Combine is an initiative celebrating the production of the 50,000th TC New Holland. It happened in the Plock Poland plant in October.

To celebrate the milestone the company is taking a look back through the history of the combine model with the use of a Facebook App.

When users access this app, they will be involved in a quiz, having to answer some questions about the product’s history as well as the world’s history. Questions will trigger the ability of users, who can prove their knowledge about every single detail of TC Combine’s history… definitely a challenge for real New Holland fans!

The initiative is shareable thanks to the creation of special digital postcards, different according to the question answered. Each user who answers all the questions will gain a special info graphic, delivered by the app, to share with friends.

Celebrate this important goal for with New Holland in a funny and easy-going way.

CHS Grain Trading App

Posted on October 25, 2013 by Chuck

CHS, Inc. just announced a new app for mobile grain trading. This sounds pretty handy. So you grain trading agnerds out there have another app tool for your device and speaking of devices, there are lots more new ones to choose from like the new iPads announced by Apple this week!

The free app allows easy access to CHS grain terminals, soybean processing plants and select service center bids. It enables producers to make, monitor and manage offers to sell corn, soybeans and wheat electronically. The app also provides market information with the ability to create and manage futures-only, basis-only and cash offers.

Offers through the CHS grain trading mobile app are monitored during futures market hours from 8:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. and from 7 p.m. to 7:45 a.m. Utilizing the CME Group electronic markets, the app also facilitates an automatic connection between grower-approved offers and CHS hedge orders. With patented e-Pit® services provided by Farmstech, the app can place a hedge order, receive confirmation of the fill, execute the cash purchase, and notify both buyer and seller in seconds.

The CHS Grain Trading mobile app is compatible with both Android™ and iPhone® devices. Download the free mobile app at the App Store™ or Google Play store. Follow the registration process to link to your CHS account and create a grain trading mobile account. Enhanced login and security features ensure information privacy.

Will We Farm with Glass?

Posted on October 14, 2013 by Chuck

Hello and welcome to the ZimmCast. In this week’s program we’re going to talk about Glass, as in Google Glass.

Will this new technology be coming to a farm near you? It has actually been used on farms as part of a Google Explorers project being conducted by Bruce Rasa, Inventive Branding. Bruce was one of a select few chosen my Google to receive and use Google Glass prior to the actual public launch of the product in 2014.

Google Glass (styled “GLΛSS”) is a wearable computer with an optical head-mounted display (OHMD) that is being developed by Google in the Project Glass research and development project, with a mission of producing a mass-market ubiquitous computer. Google Glass displays information in a smartphone-like hands-free format, that can communicate with the Internet via natural language voice commands.

Bruce spoke to a group of software developers during last week’s John Deere API Integrator Conference. He gave us a “what if” scenario for how you might use a device like this on the farm that included several videos with farmers who used Glass on their farm. He’s got some great ideas that I think you’ll enjoy by listening to this week’s program.

Listen to this week’s program here: Google Glass on the Farm

Thanks to our ZimmCast sponsors, GROWMARK, locally owned, globally strong and Monsanto, Roundup Ready Plus, for their support.

MyJohnDeere.com Changing the Skyscape

Posted on October 9, 2013 by Chuck

We were welcomed to the John Deere API Integrator Conference today in the beautiful World Food Prize building which will be very busy next week for the annual WFP event. To get a preview of what John Deere is doing here by bringing in representatives from 50 companies from 8 countries and 3 continents I spoke with Chuck Schleusner.

Chuck basically set the stage for how MyJohnDeere.com is “changing the skyscape.” I visited with him before we started. He says, “We’re here today to bring together the best minds in ag technology to participate in a platform we call MyJohnDeere with the goal to help improve the productivity of the farmer, specifically those who use John Deere machines. To do that we believe we need to partner with those who can create the plans, the insights that lead to executable instructions back on our equipment . . . We believe by being open with our platform and working with these parties we can do the best for the farmer, the ag industry and ultimately our goal of feeding the world.”

So during the day we’ve got breakout sessions on both technical and business tracks to learn in more detail how the MyJohnDeere system works and how companies can create a developer account where they can “play in the sandbox” to test new applications that integrate with the system and John Deere data.

John Deere announced today a new web portal for developers – Developer.Deere.com – where you can create an account and see their public API’s. They also announced MyJohnDeere Data API. More on these later.

You can listen to my interview with Chuck here: Interview with Chuck Schleusner

John Deere API Integrators Conference Photo Album

Opening up at MyJohnDeere.com

Posted on October 9, 2013 by Chuck

Hello from Des Moines and the John Deere API Integrators Conference. Doesn’t that sound exciting? Well, to an agnerd it is. Today I’ll be learning about how John Deere is working with software and app developers as they continue to develop their MyJohnDeere.com system that includes allowing companies to integrate their applications with the system.

So, during the day I’ll be visiting with both Deere representatives and some of the developers attending the conference and sharing with you when I can. This agnerd is looking forward to it!

Of course you can find photos from the event: John Deere API Integrators Conference Photo Album

FieldSync Your Data

Posted on September 27, 2013 by Chuck

Hello and welcome to the ZimmCast. In this week’s program we’re going to learn about FieldSync from Jen Cochran. We visited yesterday to talk about their mobile, cloud-based, technology and applications for agriculture.

FieldSync™ builds software solutions for businesses that want to “lower costs, improve efficiency, increase revenue, and gain valuable oversight and visibility to their operations.” One of the key ag industry segments they offer support to is livestock.

Tracking your livestock can be a tough job. FieldSync has the tools that you need to get the most out of your day and your operation. Entering critical data about your animals on a mobile device saves you time and money. Our customers are able to check in and check out livestock 50% faster. They’ve also tackled source verification, and are able to track treatments, pulls, and weight gains on an individual basis. Built in reports and alerts make it easy to react to critical and time sensitive situations.

Beyond livestock FieldSync also offers a lot to any farm operation including row crops with features like:

Keep accurate records of employee and contractor timecards and expenses
Agricultural equipment is the heart of success. Keep complete data on record showing equipment history, incidents, mileage/hours and maintenance
Use custom built forms (no tech staff required) to collect field and crop data such as treatments, field prep, planting, trials, production and post-production notes
Track details on farm and field assets such as tools and irrigation equipment, including location and chain-of-custody
Easily built reports based on your criteria

Listen to my conversation with Jen in this week’s ZimmCast to learn more about FieldSync here: FieldSync Your Data

Thanks to our ZimmCast sponsors, GROWMARK, locally owned, globally strong and Monsanto, Roundup Ready Plus, for their support.

Max Armstrong’s Tractor App Now Available

Posted on September 5, 2013 by Talia

Now vintage tractor enthusiasts and fans of nationally known farm broadcaster Max Armstrong can download a free smartphone and tablet app to listen to his twice-daily news updates, test their tractor trivia skills, enjoy stories of classic machines, and more.

The interactive “Max Armstrong’s Tractor App” is available for iPhone, iPad and Android phones and tablets. Download to hear Armstrong’s distinctive voice inviting you to the app version of his popular TV segment “Max’s Tractor Shed,” to play “Tractor Trivia” and “What Engine is This?” games, and tune in to his daily Midwest Digest reports on Farm Progress America Radio. You can also download ringtones featuring Armstrong’s voice.

Tablet App for ‘My American Farm’ Available

Posted on August 21, 2013 by Melissa

The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture has released a tablet app modeled after the popular agricultural game site, “My American Farm.” The app is now available for free download on iTunes and Google Play.

The app features five games from My American Farm—In My Barn; My Little Ag Me; Equipment Engineer; Farmer’s Market Challenge; and Ag Across America.

App users are rewarded with a virtual sticker after successfully completing each game. Stickers can be dragged and dropped onto a virtual passport, allowing users to track their progress.

New resources have also been developed to provide guidance for using the app in a traditional or non-traditional setting. A formal lesson plan for classroom instruction, as well as tips and tricks for suggested integration in a variety of settings will be available at www.myamericanfarm.org/games.

DPP Graindesk Mobile App

Posted on August 13, 2013 by Talia

With more growers relying on mobile technology for their daily farming operations, Farms Technology, L.L.C., a wholly owned subsidiary of DuPont Pioneer, has upgraded its Dynamic Pricing PlatformSM (DPPSM) Graindesk mobile app to reflect sellers’ changing needs for updated grain-market information.

The free DPP mobile app puts your preferred buyers’ bids at your fingertips, enabling you to make, monitor and manage offers to sell corn, soybeans and wheat 24 hours a day.

The DPP Graindesk mobile app also delivers updated market information with the ability to create and manage futures-only and cash offers. Through mobile messaging, buyers can communicate with sellers directly through the mobile platform.

DPP Graindesk offers are monitored with every tick of the futures market from 8:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. and from 7 p.m. to 7:45 a.m. Utilizing the CME Group electronic markets, the DPP Graindesk facilitates an automatic connection between grower-approved offers and buyers’ hedge orders. With patented e-Pit®services, DPP Graindesk can place a hedge order, receive confirmation of the fill, execute the cash purchase, and notify both buyer and seller in seconds. Before the DPP Graindesk and the upgraded DPP Graindesk mobile app, growers interested in selling grain contacted merchandisers to get a price or waited for a price notification via a scheduled text message.

The DPP Graindesk mobile app is compatible with both Android and iPhone devices. Download the free mobile app at the App Store or Google Play store.

Love Old Tractors? New App Celebrates Vintage Iron

Posted on August 8, 2013 by Talia

Now vintage tractor enthusiasts can test their tractor trivia skills, enjoy stories of classic machines and more, on the go, with a new free smartphone and tablet app from nationally known farm broadcaster Max Armstrong.

The interactive “Max Armstrong’s Tractor App” is available for iPhone, iPad and Android phones and tablets. Users will hear Armstrong’s distinctive voice inviting them to the app version of his popular TV segment “Max’s Tractor Shed,” to play “Tractor Trivia” and “What Engine is This?” games, and tune in to his daily Midwest Digest reports on Farm Progress America Radio. They can also download ringtones featuring Armstrong’s voice.

Armstrong, who owns a pair of restored vintage Farmall tractors, is excited to share his passion for iron old and new through the app. He has reported often on the technology agricultural producers use to help them farm more efficiently, to better market their crops and to care for our environment. Providing the free tractor app to growers adds a little levity to the mix.
Continue reading →

New Holland iBrochure App

Posted on August 1, 2013 by Chuck

Need to look up some information about New Holland products? It just got easier with this new android app.

Browse the NH iBrochure anywhere and anytime: videos, photo galleries and a wide variety of media contents that offer you an interactive experience and product info about agricultural tractors, combine harvesters, forage harvesters, groundcare, balers, telehandlers and front loaders. Enjoy!

Apps for Agriculture

Posted on July 22, 2013 by Chuck

Hello and welcome to the ZimmCast. In this week’s program I’m sharing a conversation with Brian Arnall, Oklahoma State University. Brian was one of the presenters at the 2013 InfoAg Conference on precision agriculture.

Brian’s presentation topic was “Ag Apps for Smart Phones and Tablets.” That certainly got my attention.

Brian is keeping a list of apps he finds that are focused on agriculture and it’s growing fast. When he was asked to do this presentation in January his list (narrowed by topics he’s concerned with) had about 20 apps on it. By last week’s conference he was at 50 and added 4 the morning of his presentation! I hope you’ll enjoy hearing some of his thoughts.

Listen to this week’s ZimmCast here: Apps for Ag

2013 InfoAg Conference Photo Album

Thanks to our ZimmCast sponsors, GROWMARK, locally owned, globally strong and Monsanto, Roundup Ready Plus, for their support.

InfoAg Conference App

Posted on July 12, 2013 by Chuck

In the lead up to the 2013 InfoAg Conference you might want to get the app so you’re ready. You can get the app for iOS right here or for Android right here. If you’re attending InfoAg I’d like you to have it before attending my session on Wednesday afternoon!

The conference will be held July 16-18 in Springfield, Illinois at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. This is all about precision agriculture for farmers, consultants and anyone in the crop production industry. We’re expecting the largest exhibit hall ever with 101 booths and 68 vendors. There will be 77 other presenters besides me so there’s a lot to learn at the event.

With the app you can build a personal conference program, view the full program and see other program options.

Find Farmers Markets With Market Mapper App

Posted on July 9, 2013 by Chuck

Looking for local farmers markets? Having trouble finding them? Michael Schade at Mobility Lab has you covered with his Market Mapper App. The image is of our local farmers market in downtown Pensacola, FL. Here’s how he describes it from his blog.

Do you wish you could discover local farmers markets as you visited new places? Here’s a web app that makes it easy: the Market Mapper application. It uses data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture of all farmers markets in the U.S.A.

The program uses your current location to display the closest farmers markets. You can also type a place in the “location” field. As you pan the map, hit “find markets” to look for more locations.

Hovering over a marker will display the name and address of the market. Most markets will also show a list of what they sell, as well as their schedule.

Developing the Application

I got the idea for the application at a recent DC Web API User Group meetup, where a speaker from the U.S. Department of Agriculture discussed their new farmers markets API. You can access the data on their own site at farmersmarkets.usda.gov.

Listening to Podcasts

Posted on July 5, 2013 by Chuck

Way back when ZimmComm New Media got into the new media business we started blogging and podcasting. Guess what. We are still blogging and podcasting. My weekly ZimmCast podcast is now on episode 402!

I remember when people looked at me like I was from another planet when I told them about blogs and podcasts. There were a lot of those, “That’ll never catch on” kind of comments. But they did catch on and are more important as communication channels than ever. I recently wrote about subscribing to RSS feeds with the demise of Google Reader. RSS is what drives the subscription mechanism for all kinds of things and that includes podcasts.

Most of you have a smart phone of some kind. If you aren’t using them to subscribe to podcasts then what are you waiting for? You don’t have to listen to the same songs out of your music library all the time. How about a little news and information? The ZimmCast is one of your options. This is the link you use to subscribe to.

So what apps work well for podcast listening? Let’s start with iOS for iPhones/iPads. The Podcast app is good but a new one I’m using is Instacast. That’s what you see in the screenshot. It is very easy to use, letting you find and subscribe to those podcasts you want. On your Android device you might try Pocket Cast or Podkicker.

Got questions about podcasting? Want to create one for your company or organization? Let me know how I can help.

iPad-Conrolled Drones at Landmark

Posted on July 5, 2013 by Chuck

Taking your iPad out in the field to fly a drone sounds like a lot of fun. It definitely is for an agnerd! This “fun” activity is becoming a business task more and more. The agronomists at Landmark Services Cooperative are getting in on the fun by using tablet-controlled drones for field scouting. One of the advantages this provides is quicker scouting times (up to 60% time savings) which means detecting problems faster. I talked with Dan Moehn, VP, Landmark Agronomy, about their use of this new technology. He says they just started using the drones at the beginning of this growing season. While controlling the drone from the tablet they fly to a height of about 100 feet depending on wind conditions which have a real impact on the small devices. The drone can be spun 360 degrees and captures photos and/or video of a lot of ground. Once landed he says they take an immediate look at what conditions look like.

“Whenever you see a field from a different perspective, you’re able to pick up new information,” he says. “If you’re standing at the end of a corn field, you have one perspective but, when you get in the air, you can see a much larger view of the field and can quickly spot areas that need attention.”

Agronomists traditionally scout fields by walking the length of the acreage and looking for problems – a process that may allow for areas to be missed or additional time spent.

“We look at that footage and evaluate the field, looking for any problem spots,” Moehn says. “If we see an area of crop that has signs of a disease or nutrient deficiency, we can then walk to that area of the field and take a closer look.

“The more scouting we can do, the more probable it is that we’ll see problems before they become bigger than they need to be,” Moehn says. “Preventing problems in the field is especially beneficial in a market where every bushel counts.”

You can listen to my interview with Dan here: Interview with Dan Moehn

Hereford Events App

Posted on July 3, 2013 by Chuck

If you’re a Hereford fan then download the Hereford Events App and keep up-to-date with events like the upcoming Junior National Hereford Expo and the American Hereford Association Annual Meeting.

“With our new app, Hereford breeders and other enthusiasts will have access at their fingertips to the latest Hereford event information,” says Angie Stump Denton, AHA director of communications. “We’re excited about the opportunities this tool provides our communication team to share the Hereford message with members and others interested in Hereford events and activities.”

By downloading the Hereford events app users can:
• Receive exclusive alerts during events
• Download resources including show programs, bios, FAQs
• Access maps and directions to show facilities, hotel headquarters and more
• Submit event photos

The app is available on Google Play and Apple stores, search for “Hereford Events.”

You can find the app here.

iCropTrak Mobile Farm Management

Posted on July 2, 2013 by Chuck

Hello and welcome to the ZimmCast. In this week’s program we’re going to meet the new sponsor of the AgWired App, iCropTrak. We really appreciate their support and hope you’ll check out what they’re doing.

To learn all about it I spoke with Aaron Hutchinson, President and one of the founders of Cogent3D, Inc. The company has also pioneered other services like PrecisionEarth and GISRoam.

Aaron says that iCropTrak is “a mobile app that is teamed with a cloud system and what it allows you to do is to convert all your existing paper processes into digital ones so that you always have all of that relevant at your fingertips out in the field.” It is map centric meaning that when you move around in the system you can pinpoint things like a pivot with just a tap of your finger. He says that there is not a big learning curve to utilize iCropTrak on your iPad but that if needed they can provide training assistance and even help with creating customized templates. Aaron also shares some very interesting reasons for choosing the iOS platform (iPad) for their system.

There’s a lot more to learn about what iCropTrak can do for your operation and you can learn all about it in our conversation.

Listen to this week’s ZimmCast here: iCropTrak, Precisely Informed Farm Management

Thanks to our ZimmCast sponsors, GROWMARK, locally owned, globally strong and Monsanto, Roundup Ready Plus, for their support.

Purina Launches Cool Cow App

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Talia

The Cool Cow mobile app puts the tools dairy producers need to monitor and address heat stress at their fingertips. Research shows that cows can begin to show the effects of heat stress at a Temperature Humidity Index or THI of 68. Reproduction can be impacted at a THI of 55.[1]

Heat stress and an associated 10 percent to 35 percent milk production loss[2] may cost a dairy producer $1.60 to $5.60 per cow per day.[3] These losses can continue to mount when reductions in reproductive performance and increased days open are added into the equation.

The mobile app features an easy to use heat stress calculator for inputting the current temperature and humidity readings. The temperature and humidity is then translated into a THI reading that shows the severity of heat stress, ranging from mild to extreme risk; providing dairy producers insight on the current conditions inside their barn. In addition to the heat stress calculator, the mobile app offers tips on mitigating heat stress from management to nutrition.

The Cool Cow mobile app is available to download for Android phones at: http://bit.ly/AndriodCoolCow and for iPhones at: http://bit.ly/iPhoneCoolCow.

Smartphone Apps to Manage Herd Records

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Chuck

Who would have thought just a few years ago that seeing farmers in the field managing information with their phones would be common place? As this video clip from Certified Angus Beef shows, mobile devices are embraced by farmers and besides helping save them time they are also helping their consumer customers have more confidence in the food they produce.

Barb Downey operates a commercial and registered Angus herd in Kansas. An active mobile technology user, she shares her experience on how these tools can provide more convenient opportunities for beef producers to manage herd records. This video news is provided by Certified Angus Beef LLC and the American Angus Association. Visit www.CABpartners.com or www.angus.org for more information.