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

2012 Alltech International Symposium Photo Album

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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’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.

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

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?

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

TATT Global Farmer To Farmer Roundtable Photo Album

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

The E85 FuelFinder allows iPhone and iPad users all over the country to map out E85 (85% ethanol, 15% gasoline) stations most accessible to them, no matter their current location or destination. With the database embedded in the iPhone itself, this application is useful, even if the user is in a no-service zone. In addition, users have the ability to add a station as a “favorite” for quick and easy accessibility, view or update the price per gallon of E85 fuel at specific locations, access driving directions through Google maps, and directly contact a specific station via telephone. The cost of the application is $1.99, which you can download here, and is also available on the App Store.

“With these applications, ethanol-fuels are readily available at the fingertips of America’s consumers,” said RFA Director of Market Development, Robert White. “Improving the access and availability of E85 is an important step in educating and increasing awareness to drivers of the alternative fuel options they have available to them.”

Built as a mobile platform for PureSense subscribers, the PureSense app brings the reporting power growers have come to expect from Irrigation Manager to the iPhone, allowing the grower to be more informed, efficient and mobile than ever before.

Growers can access timely, accurate data for each monitored irrigation set. With a single tap in the Charts feature, growers can view powerful PureSense charts used to support important irrigation decisions. The Alerts feature enables the viewing and analyzing of all recent moisture or weather related alerts, including frost, heat and wind alerts.

The app is available through iTunes and is only available to growers with a PureSense login. The Irrigation Manager app can be found here. For more information visit PureSense.com or call 888.882.7873.

You can find the full release here (Word Doc) and listen to my interview with Gajus below.

If you’d like to learn more about gadgets and how they can be used to make you more productive on the job then consider scheduling me for a presentation. I’ll be doing just this in coming weeks for the Cooperative Communicators Association Institute, Association for Communicating Excellence Annual Mtg. and American Farm Bureau Federation Public Relations Conference. I can conduct a show and tell while providing live examples of how these gadgets can be used to enhance your communications efforts. I think I’ll call it Gadget Goodness.

Features:

* Stereo X/Y mic configuration captures perfect stereo images
* Same frequency and SPL handling as popular Zoom H2
* Records Broadcast WAV (BWF) at 96kHz/48kHz/44.1kHz at 16-bit or 24-bit
* Records MP3 from 48 to 320kbps for maximum recording time
* Hi-Speed USB 2.0 port
* Built-in reference speaker
* Includes 2GB microSD card and one AA battery
* One AA size battery allows 10 hours operation
* Accommodates up to 32GB microSDHC memory cards
* Track marker function
* Low cut filter
* Built-in tripod mount
* 1/8″ external mic input
* Stereo 1/8″ line output
* Auto record level
* Optional accessory package (APH-1) includes windscreen, AC adapter (USB type), USB cable, adjustable tripod stand, padded-shell case and mic clip adapter

Questions I would like some feedback on include:

How important is technology to your job?
Does your company organization provide sufficient technology support? Do you have a gadget budget?
What type of gadgets are you most interested in learning more about: computers, netbooks, tablets, cameras, audio recorders, video recorders, software, methods of internet access, memory cards/readers, cloud services for web apps/data storage, hard drives, archive solutions. Feel free to mention specific brands or items.
How do you currently use gadgets in your job?
Do you need training? What method of training would be most useful?
What gadgets do you currently own and use in your job?
What gadgets do you want the most?

And speaking of gadgets. Here’s an ad for one of my most recent ones that I use a lot.

One of the reasons they want one is because of their functionality that includes apps. There’s an app for almost everything you can think of. A new one I just got info on is the FoodEssentials Scanner. These folks have a number of apps available. I thought this one looked pretty interesting.

For the first time, consumers can easily access additive, allergen, ingredient and nutrient properties of any food product in-store by scanning food label barcodes with an innovative iPhone application from FoodEssentials.

The FoodEssentials Food Label Database is at the core of the application. ¨Presently the database contains 160,000 commercially available products and over 30,000 ingredients¨ said Dheeraj Patri, co-founder and COO. ¨In addition, we’re dedicated to collecting product data for scans that return no results, so that the more it is used the better it’ll get¨.

The TATT mobile app allows you to stay on top of the latest biotech, trade and agriculture news on the go. Perfect for farmers working in the field.

In addition to all the features found in FRS NoteTaking and Harvest, FRS for Laptop features a full screen display showing both spatial and tabular data views during the data collection process.

The Leica mojo3D may be pre-ordered now, and will begin shipping March 29. For more information about the Leica mojo3D and other ag guidance solutions from Leica Geosystems visit www.AgGuidance.com.

I interviewed Harlan and you can learn all about the new features and benefits of the new mojo3D in our discussion. He also talks about the mojoMINI which he’s holding in his hands in the photo.

You can listen to my interview with Harlan below.

Commodity Classic Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the 2010 Commodity Classic
is sponsored by: and