Category Archives: Technology

Alltech Symposium Press Conference

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A press conference was held following the morning session of the 2012 Alltech International Symposium. Panelists included Dr. Pearse Lyons, President/CEO of Alltech, Governor John Y. Brown Jr., Dr. Mark Lyons, Vice President of Corporate Affairs for Alltech, Dr. Karl Dawson, Alltech’s Chief Scientific Officer & Tim Gannon, Co-Founder Outback Steakhouse. Catch a recap of the question and answer session as these panelists share the importance of Alltech’s efforts to preserve the future of agribusiness and food production.

Listen to the complete Alltech International Symposium press conference here: Alltech Press Conference

2012 Alltech International Symposium Photo Album

GROWMARK Keeps IT Growing

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As a multi-state agricultural co-operative system with over 6000 employees and numerous brands, information technology (IT) is a vital aspect of GROWMARK‘s ability to communicate on a number of levels.

"growmark IT award"

GROWMARK was honored with the first CropLife America and AgGateway Information Technology Innovation Award for CropNAtion

That keeps GROWMARK Manager of Network Services Scott Bross busy keeping up with the latest on-line communications tools – from improved websites to blogs and all the various social networking platforms. Last year, Scott and his team launched the redesigned GROWMARK.com, with all new functionality. “We’re continuing to add new functionality as we go,” Scott said, noting that the Media Center was one of the most exciting to develop. “To be able to provide multi-media formats, to be able to do video and audio and bring in news releases in pdf and Spirit Magazine.”

The new design won GROWMARK first place in the Heartland region NAMA competition this year and GoFurtherWithFS.com won the Merit award in the same category. CropNAtion.com was selected by CropLife America (CLA) and AgGateway to receive the first annual CLA Information Technology Innovation Award. “It’s neat to be able bring these technologies together and then get recognition and positive feedback,” Scott said. “That’s really strong affirmation.”

CropNAtion has been a very ambitious project for GROWMARK to create a social media platform that serves as a 21st century “coffee shop” for today’s farmers. “It’s about what they want to talk about, not what someone else is putting in front of them to talk about,” he said.

Scott says they have new projects in the works, such as designing a new website platform for member cooperatives, but just staying on the cutting edge of communications technology keep them busy. “Technology and social media are moving so quickly these days that by the time you begin to evolve something there’s three other things out there,” he said. Tell us about it!

Listen to my interview with Scott here: Scott Bross Interview

Catching Up With Harry Siemens at NFMS

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It was an unexpected pleasure to see Harry Siemens and his lovely wife Judith at the National Farm Machinery Show last week. Harry was one of the very first contributors to AgWired with his “Siemens Says” column, starting way back in September of 2005.

He has been keeping plenty busy these days with a variety of freelance gigs sharing his Canadian commentary with audiences all over North America. “I’m in my 41st year as a farmers’ advocate in Manitoba, Canada,” he says. Among his many activities, Harry appears regularly with Max Armstrong and Orion Samuelson on RFD-TV’s ‘This Week in Agribusiness’ giving his unique Canadian perspective. He can also be heard regularly on the Linder Farm Network in Minnesota and that was how he happened to be at the NFMS this year, replacing Lynn Ketelson as the host of a bus tour for 49 Minnesotans.

Harry’s relationship with Max and Orion and Lynn goes back to 1978 when he took a trip to Minneapolis to meet the late farm broadcast legend Maynard Speece of WCCO to ask him what he could do to become a better broadcaster. “He says ‘Join the National Association of Farm Broadcasters of America,’” Harry recalls. “That fall I was at the meeting and for the next seven meetings.” And that was where he met Max and Orion and Lynn and “all the good people there.”

As a communicator, commentator and journalist, Harry has been quick to adopt new communications technology and the use of social media. He’s on Twitter and has his own blog “SiemensSays.com” where he posts regular news and commentary – like the video he did with fellow bus traveler Machinery Pete at NFMS. He says he also uses his iPhone to do interviews, take photos and shoot video.

Find out more about Harry in my interview with him from NFMS: Harry Siemens Interview

2012 National Farm Machinery Show Photo Album

Coverage of the National Farm Machinery Show is sponsored by Fastline AgRacer FMC New Holland

Make Learning Mobile With Float

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ZimmCast 335In this week’s program we’re going to use the M word, as in Mobile, as in Float Mobile Learning. I just had a conversation with Chad Udell, Managing Director, about mobile learning technology and what that means for today’s agribusiness customers.

Float Mobile’s parent company is the Iona Group. Chad says the company has a deep history working with agribusiness companies like GROWMARK, Pioneer and Bayer. He says, “There’s a great amount of demand in the marketplace to put the right information in the right people’s hands at the right time.” He says that when growers need information they’re often away from the computer and out in the field. Examples include working with clients to put mobile and updated information in the hands of sales staff at a farm show. Tablets like an iPad or Android device are very cost effective for this purpose. In fact, Chad says mobile application development is surprisingly affordable. He says these applications are simple and do one or two things very well. Float Mobile uses a S3D Process with their clients which means Strategy, Design, Develop, Deliver. He says they work quickly since the whole mobile device world is changing rapidly today.

To learn more about Float Mobile Learning listen in to this week’s program: Float Mobile Learning

Check out their 2012 predictions for the Mobile Landscape on their blog.

Thanks to our ZimmCast sponsor, GROWMARK, locally owned, globally strong, for their support.

The ZimmCast is the official weekly podcast of AgWired. Subscribe so you can listen when and where you want. Just go to our Subscribe page.

FS PARTNERS Pioneering QR Codes in the Field

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FS PARTNERS in Ontario is pioneering a new use for QR codes in the field so farmers can access updated information about test plots. In case you are not yet familiar with them, QR is short for Quick Response and they are those bar code looking things you can read with a smart phone that are starting to pop up every where these days.

Juli Paladino, FS PARTNERS retail energy administrator in Ontario, helped develop the use of this communications technology for Pursuit of Maximum Yield corn and soybean plots. “So, you’re at a Pursuit of Maximum Yield site, you’re going to scan it and it’s going to take you right to information on our field trials,” she explains. That information can include seed information, treatments, planting dates and even audio updates tailored specifically to that particular site.

As smartphones become more prevalent, people are becoming more familiar with using QR codes to get information, but Juli says they have actually been around for a while. “Originally they were developed in 1994 by Toyota in Japan to track parts,” she said. “It’s been a very commonplace technology in Japan and Asia.”

While consumers in the United States has been slower to adopt the use of QR codes, Juli says farmers are quicker to pick up on new technology. “Farmers are at a higher rate than the general public to be adopting mobile phone technology. They’ve got the smart phone and they’re ready to use it.”

FS PARTNERS used the QR codes at plots in Ontario this year and Juli expects to see more widespread use of the technology at the Pursuit of Maximum Yield plots in the Corn Belt next year. The Pursuit of Maximum Yield is an FS Green Plan Solutions on-farm discovery program geared toward increasing yield per acre to meet the demands of a growing world population.

Listen to or download my interview with July here: Juli Paladino Interview

Lightsquared Threat To GPS

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I spent a lot of my career in the broadcasting business and never saw the Federal Communications Commission take action like they have been on the proposal from a company called Lightsquared to utilize high-powered, close-proximity transmissions from a network of ground stations that would cause substantial interference with GPS signals.. It is unheard of for them to allow a company to move ahead on a major project like this without doing full testing first. However, that’s what they’ve done. Fortunately the whole thing is on hold at the moment pending public comment. I think we’d all like more high speed internet access in rural America but not at the expense of GPS. Think about how much has been invested in GPS systems!

At the InfoAg Conference our closing session was titled, “GPS Under Seige: Lightsquared and the Threat to High-End Global Positioning.” This presentation was conducted by Kevin Kobb, Topcon (right) and Doug Schmuland, NovAtel. I spoke with them after their presentation. Kevin and Doug told me it has caused the major GPS producers and distributors to come together to understand the threat and then present that to the public and then work toward a favorable conclusion to the situation. The potential exists for this proposal to affect just about every device relying on GPS satellites. They say that now is the time to act and make your voice heard before the proposal receives a final FCC decision. You can find a lot of information on the website, Coalition To Save Our GPS.

Listen to my interview with Kevin and Doug here: Interview with Kevin Kobb and Doug Schmuland

2011 InfoAg Conference Photo Album

Precision Conservation Technology

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We couldn’t have had better weather for a farm tour than today for the CTIC Indian Creek Watershed Project Field Day. Several bus loads of participants visited Livingston County, IL area farms to see and hear how they are implementing best management practices for things like nutrient management.

One of the people working on the project with CTIC and a presenter today is Harold Reetz. I visite with Harold prior to the start of today’s activities. I’ll see him again next week in Sprinfield, IL for the InfoAg Conference. Since that’s all about precision agriculture and since that is an integral part of the BMP’s being implemented on the tour stops here we decided to call it “precision conservation.”

Harold says the project purpose is to demonstrate different best management practices for nitrogen. It’s a relatively small watershed with mostly corn and soybean crops. So the goal is to come up with practices to improve nitrogen efficiency which will reduce the amount that will get into the ground water. Local farmers have volunteered in this first year of the project to implement suggested practices and it is their farms we visited. I’ll have interviews with each of them in coming days.

The project is receiving funding from a variety of sources that includes the Illinois EPA. It is really a proactive approach to voluntarily manage natural resources without the need to have new regulations. That sure seems like a potentially win win situation for all parties.

You can listen to my interview with Harold here: Harold Reetz Interview

Post Update: I’ve updated the link to my photo album below:

Here are some of my photos from today’s tour. I’ll have more after getting back to ZimmComm World Headquarters. The internet access here pretty well quit about half way through uploading. CTIC Indian Creek Watershed Project Field Tour Photos

AgWired coverage of the CTIC Indian Creek Watershed Field Tour is sponsored by

Farm Conservation Technology In Action

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Hello from Illinois and the Indian Creek Watershed Project Field Tour. This project and farm tour is being conducted by the Conservation Technology Information Center.

Farmers and corporate sponsors at the sites will focus on effective agricultural systems while they showcase products, practices and technology that can boost profitable farming and improve water quality.

Tour demonstrations will include nitrogen fertilizer split-application, slow release products, strip-till N application systems, and fertilizer use efficiency studies. These practices can improve both the farmer’s bottom line and water quality. Practices shown will emphasize the 4R cornerstones of nutrient management: use the Right source at the Right time, in the Right place at the Right rate. Producers can implement the four Rs and substantially reduce the amount of N fertilizer escaping fields, a clear financial loss, and detrimental to water quality.

During the day I’ll be conducting interviews with various farmers and stakeholders in this CTIC project. Most of these will be posted during coming days since we’ll be on a bus and out at farm locations. However, I’m pretty sure you’ll find some tweets throughout the day if you’re following along on Twitter.

AgWired coverage of the CTIC Indian Creek Watershed Field Tour is sponsored by

Proposal Could Cost Farm GPS Users

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A company that wants to create a new, integrated wireless broadband/satellite network is facing opposition from agricultural global positioning system (GPS) providers and users.

As we reported on Precision Pays, Virginia-based company LightSquared
has proposed to set up 40,000 wireless broad-band stations across the nation on a frequency that is right next to the one used by GPS. Opposition to the plan became organized in the form of the Coalition to Save Our GPS, which consists of a wide variety of industries and companies, including agricultural interests and technology providers such as New Holland, Deere, GROWMARK, Leica Geosystems and Trimble Navigation.

This week, the company announced a solution to the GPS interference issue by moving to a lower block of frequencies that is “largely free of interference issues with the exception of a limited number of high precision GPS receivers that are specifically designed to rely on LightSquared’s spectrum.”

Agricultural interests are concerned about that exception. A study released by the Coalition to Save Our GPS estimates that LightSquared’s plan could result in “direct economic costs of up to $96 billion to U.S. commercial GPS users and manufacturers.” Jim Kirkland, vice president and general counsel of Trimble, says the analysis “also highlights how LightSquared’s recently announced ‘solution’ to the interference problem, which LightSquared admits will not reduce interference for high precision GPS uses, is no solution at all. High precision GPS uses represent nearly $10 billion in historical investment by GPS users over the last five years and $30 billion in annual economic benefits.”

“The use of GPS technology is vital to thousands of people who make their living with agricultural and construction equipment. It is simply not acceptable to allow this new network to interfere with these important industries when all indications are that there is no practical solution to mitigate this interference,” said Ken Golden, director of global public relations at John Deere. “In agriculture, the loss of a stable GPS system could have an impact of anywhere from $14 to $30 billion each year. That could significantly erode the strong competitive global position of U.S. farmers in the world agricultural economy.”

Meanwhile, the 2012 agriculture appropriations bill recently passed by the House includes language specifically to register concerns about the LightSquared network and directs the USDA “to ensure the FCC is aware of these concerns.”

Raven OmniSeed System Introduced

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Raven Industries is already getting great response from growers with the new OmniSeed Advanced Air Seeder Control System they just introduced last week.

Raven’s Ryan Molitor says the system provides growers with more reliability, efficiency and control. “OmniSeed allows for variable rate technology, it’s a very scalable system with a lot of unique features on it that we think are going to be pretty popular in the air seeder market,” Ryan told me in an interview. The system consists of various components, including the Viper Pro Field Computer which Ryan says is the brains of the system, and Run Blockage powered by AgTron.

Ryan says the system is surprisingly simple to set up and easy to use. “And we have a vast dealer network throughout the world that is trained up and ready to service and support at point of sale and after,” he said.

Listen to my interview with Ryan here: Raven OmniSeed System

Raven Industries is a proud supporter of the Agwired app for iPhone and Droid. Don’t have it yet? Join the hundreds who do today and get Agwired, PrecisionPays, WorldDairyDiary and DomesticFuel news fast and easy on your smart phone! Click here.

NAMA App Arrives in Time for Conference

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This app just in … the NAMA App!

The National Agri-Marketing Association is thrilled to announce its all-new app, just in time for the 2011 Agri-Marketing Conference. The app is available for iPhone, iPod, iPad or Android smartphone and Blackberry is coming soon.

Download from iTunes here.

Download from the Android Market here.

2011 Agri-Marketing Conference Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the 2011 Agri-Marketing Conference is sponsored by

Smartphone Farming

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Smartphones. You know they’ve become part of farm life when you see educational sessions about them at a farm show. You also know that there are a lot choices. This is one gadget I get asked about and lectured on all the time. Probably more than any other device. So I thought I’d offer my two cents and hopefully start a debate. I think an upcoming ZimmPoll may address this too.

I’m an iPhone fan who wishes he could be an AT&T fan. This brings up a really important point. The device is important but so is the carrier you choose. AT&T is trying and I’ve had good support from them but they are weak in rural America. Verizon has much better coverage in these areas but doesn’t offer an iPhone, yet. That will change next month.

So what smart phone is best for the farm? Now there’s a loaded question. What do you want it to do? What local carrier options do you have? If you’ve got good AT&T then I’d suggest the iPhone. If not, and Verizon is better then I’d look at an Android phone. I just can’t really recommend a Blackberry although they’re great if all you want to do is make calls, text and email. Maybe this will change but for now I haven’t seen one that I would buy. Notice that I’m talking AT&T and Verizon. There are other carriers but either they burned their bridge with me (Sprint) or I don’t have much experience with them (Alltel, T-Mobile). Perhaps they are better where you are.

So let’s get back to phones. In the past, when you got a new phone you could pretty much pitch the old one away. Now, I’ve seen even first gen iPhone sell for good money. This device created a new standard and the rest are playing catch up. You can’t beat the apps and there are more of them than for any other device. So what else is there to choose from?

Let’s look at Android phones. Motorola makes several like the Droid X, Droid Pro and Droid 2 Global. HTC makes the Incredible. It seems like more apps are being made for this platform and it’s gaining traction. I’m considering getting one to replace my Verizon Mi-Fi since you can use some of them to create a mobile hotspot for other computers and still have a phone. Besides, I think it’s time to start trying out another platform just to see what it’s like. I asked followers on Twitter what their favorite android phone is and it looks like Droid versions came up big with the slogan tweeted, “Field tested, Farmer approved!”

But what about those new ones just around the corner? The iPhone 5? The HTC Thunderbolt? The Droid Bionic? I usually figure that if I need a tool and know it’s going to help my business then why wait? Of course, I’m also very impatient. Besides, today you can sell your phone and get something back to apply to the purchase of a new one. However, your personal financial situation will dictate what you can do. There are those pesky contract terms to deal with.

And what about 4G you might be saying. What about it? It’s coming but even when it does you’ve got to live in a major urban area to take advantage of it. Verizon will only be offering in selected major markets but promises nationwide coverage by 2013. AT&T is talking later this year. 4G will be great. I’ll upgrade when it happens.

So, to summarize, based on my personal experience, research and talking to users of many devices I would say go for an iPhone or Droid if you’re looking for a new smartphone. Just make sure you’ve got good local coverage! Your thoughts?

Smartphone Technology Education at AG CONNECT Expo

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AG CONNECT ExpoOne very well attended education session at AG CONNECT Expo was on “Smartphone Technology: Unleashing Agriculture.” The presenter was Neil Mylet, Loadout Technologies. He started his company right after graduating Purdue to develop intelligent smartphone technologies to allow phones to command and control and be part of industrial processes such as grain handling.

Neil was encouraged by the turnout at his session and he hopes they left better able to assess how they can better integrate mobile smartphone technology into their operation. He thinks mobile technology is still in a growth mode but will change how we communicate and work within the industry. The ag industry is no different than others that are being transformed by new technology. He says wifi is also essential on farms to take full advantage of these technologies. He also believes farmer adoption of smartphones is just a matter of time.

You can listen to my interview with Neil here: Interview With Neil Mylet

2011 AG CONNECT Expo Photo Album

Microsoft Cloud for USDA

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The future forecast for USDA is cloudy.

USDA announced last week that it is on the verge of going live with a commercial cloud service offering for its Enterprise Messaging Service (EMS) which includes email, web conferencing, document collaboration, and instant messaging. USDA is the first cabinet-level agency to move its e-mail and collaboration applications to the “cloud,” a rapidly growing form of computing involving flexible, scalable services delivered over the internet.

USDA awarded the contract to Dell earlier this year for Microsoft Online Services in an effort to streamline agency messaging, reduce costs and improve efficiencies that build on existing infrastructure and allow USDA to extend its on-premise software investments agreements to the cloud solution.

Over the past six months USDA has worked closely with Dell and Microsoft on a comprehensive set of plans and actions required to successfully migrate 120,000 plus users to the cloud solution. USDA expects to begin moving employees within the next four weeks and has granted Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) Authority to Operate (ATO) for the Microsoft cloud infrastructure, certifying that it provides a trustworthy foundation for operations.

Read more here.

Free iPhone App on Cyber Monday

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On Cyber Monday you iPhone people can get a freebie. Join the nearly 1,000 who already have the first agricultural news media app for the iPhone – the AgWired iPhone App. The app offers one-touch access to all the latest news and information in the agribusiness and agricultural marketing world posted on Agwired.com, including audio, photos and video, and connections to other ZimmComm news sites. The AgWired App features a news tab drop down menu to select ZimmComm News Network feeds as well as individual news on AgWired by category.

The app is available for iPhone users to download, free of charge, in the Apple iTunes store. You can find the AgWired App in the iTunes Store with this link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/agwired/id382820712?mt=8

NASS Using iPads in 2011 To Collect Data

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Straight from the USDA Blog we find out that the National Agricultural Statistics Service will begin using iPads to collect data in 2011. Now how cool is that? There are benefits as you’ll read in the post. It looks like they’re already employing them since in the photo you can see Don Phillips, NASS interviewer, using an iPad for data collection for the September Agricultural Survey.

The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), will take a technological leap forward in 2011 by using Apple’s new iPad as the data entry device to collect survey responses. This is an exciting step forward from the old pencil to paper method, still in use today. The iPad, coupled with NASS’s unique approach to computer assisted personal interviewing (CAPI), will revolutionize the NASS survey process and will open the door for future innovative opportunities.

To improve response rates and increase accuracy of survey results, NASS contracts field enumerators to make personal contact with selected survey participants. Historically, face to face interviews were conducted using paper questionnaires, but the diminishing cost of personal enumeration devices and the increased capabilities of broadband technology enabled NASS to explore data collection using iPads and personal Wi-Fi devices.

The iPad contributes significant benefits to the process. The size of the screen, the ability to select landscape or portrait mode and the fonts resizing option allow enumerators to control how much of a survey page they see at one time. The portability of the device is also an important asset. Producers are extremely busy and mobile and the iPad, weighing only 1.5 pounds, can be easily carried and used in corn fields, feedlots and back roads. The producer doesn’t even have to leave the tractor to answer the survey.

The iPad’s unique operating system allows NASS to maintain a high level of security on the device. Through the use of cloud computing technology, no data are stored on the device. If the device is broken, lost or stolen, data are not compromised.

Time For An International AgChat Foundation?

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The emcee for the Global Farmer to Farmer Roundtable conducted by Truth About Trade & Technology was Bob Thomson once again. He says the participating farmers were looking at what it’s going to take to thrive in the next several years. High on their list is modern technology. He says they realize that to feed the projected population equivalent of two more countries the size of China in the next forty years it will take very high productivity agriculture. The alternative will be massive destruction of forests and that will lead to a lot of undesirable results.

A real concern and frustration expressed, especially by European participants, was the extent that some activist organizations have dominated the debate and how little their governments are doing to help them. It’s hard to be competitive when you’re overburdened by regulations. Participants from countries like India said that biotechnology products will be critical for them. They weren’t so much interested in subsidies as being on a level playing field. A need to communicate their stories was also expressed. Of course, I hope they’ll look to social media and networking to help that. Maybe it’s time for an International AgChat Foundation!

You can listen to my interview with Bob here: Bob Thompson Interview

Thanks again to the National Corn Growers Association for making my participation possible.

TATT Global Farmer To Farmer Roundtable Photo Album

Testing and Conditioning Seeds

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I was fascinated to see the Iowa State University Seed Science Center which was a tour stop for the TATT Global Farmer to Farmer Roundtable. One of our hosts was Michael Stahr, Seed Laboratory Manager.

The first thing that really got my attention was their herbarium which contains over 6,000 vials of seeds that date back to when George Washington Carver was doing work there. These are used primarily to compare and identify seed samples. It is of course in a locked cabinet! Michael says they test seeds for a variety of things. In fact, they’re the largest public seed lab in the country doing over 40,000 tests/year. Besides testing they also do seed conditioning. They conduct workshops for seed company personnel to improve the quality of their seed.

You can listen to my interview with Michael here: Michael Stahr Interview

Thanks again to the National Corn Growers Association for making my participation possible.

TATT Global Farmer To Farmer Roundtable Photo Album

Simultaneous Livestock and Ethanol Production

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One of the places visited by the TATT Global Farmer to Farmer Roundtable was Couser Cattle Company. Our host was Bill Couser. Bill conducted a fascinating presentation about his marriage of row crop farming (corn/soybeans), livestock production and ethanol production! You can see a portion of his explanation in the video below. He used a long table to display all the products he produces starting with an ear of corn and winding up with ethanol (2.81 gal/bushel of corn) as well as by-products like DDGS and ultimately fine quality beef. I loved his description about the whole food vs. fuel debate, “It’s rubbish!”

Thank you to the National Corn Growers Association for making my participation in the program possible.

TATT Global Farmer To Farmer Roundtable Photo Album

TATT Roundtable Underway

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The TATT Global Farmer to Farmer Roundtable is now in session. This is a discussion which will take place this evening and continue tomorrow morning with a concluding lunch.

After introductions we’re now involved in a discussion about issues like the growing world population and challenges faces farmers who are trying to produce food to feed them all. I’m listening in and will be conducting some interviews with various participants to post in coming days. There are some very interesting farmers here from a variety of types of farms.

TATT Global Farmer To Farmer Roundtable Photo Album