Players are going to start dropping out of the race to be the dominant farm data platform sooner than later, says a cropping systems economist who focuses on farm data analytics at Kansas State University. Right now there are still dozens, maybe hundreds, of participants, with agronomy companies, equipment manufacturers, seed and chemical companies, tech... Read More
Category: Technology
While there are several aspects of farming that are part art, part science, the science part is becoming increasingly easier to measure, manage, and compare. While research has always been a driving force of agronomic decisions, we're just now starting to see how in-field information can shape decisions, on-the-go. That's made possible by company's such... Read More
Slow and inconsistent internet accessibility is a major problem in many rural areas. It's a competitive disadvantage for farmers, ranchers and rural businesses who generally have no choice but to settle for slower, more expensive internet than people living in urban areas. Traditional internet service providers, unless they're regulated or funded by government, see little... Read More
Kinze has traditionally relied on suppliers to provide electronic interface and monitors for its planters, but that all changes with the introduction of the company's new Blue Vantage monitoring system. Kinze launched the monitor as well as the new Blue Drive row unit electric drive last week at the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville,... Read More
Less than two years after unveiling an autonomous concept tractor, Case IH has announced it will begin testing autonomous technology in-field. The pilot program, according to Brad Lukac director, autonomous vehicles for CASE IH, is about trying to understand customer usability, and what value proposition such technologies offer, all while gaining valuable customer feedback. The... Read More
Anyone who has tried to follow directions on a maintenance or repair call via telephone knows how frustrating it can be. Machines are complicated, and, in times of stress, verbal communication isn't always easy. Amazone's new SmartService 4.0 is looking to change the way we train and interact with service specialists, as we find out... Read More
A medical imaging technology developed at the University of Manitoba for breast cancer detection has been adapted for a new application: monitoring grain in storage. The GrainViz system uses a series of electromagnetic antennas mounted around the inside of a grain bin, which generate a real-time 3D image of the contents of the bin. "You... Read More
Drones are likely packed away for winter, but now is the time to take them out to perform battery maintenance. The chemistry inside lithium polymer (LiPo) batteries used to power most drones breaks down when kept at full or low charge levels for extended periods of time, reducing battery life and capacity. A battery that... Read More
Ontario will set a new corn yield record in 2017 with the crop expected to hit an average of 180 bu/ac or better. Where is all that yield coming from? Corn physiologist Dr. Thijs Tollenaar has poured over the data and identified three key factors driving corn yield improvement. A long-time University of Guelph professor... Read More
Recent advances in the availability and quality of satellite imagery is providing powerful in-season management insights for corn growers. Many growers feel it's no longer necessary to fly their own drone to capture aerial images of their fields. They can simply rely on a growing number of agronomic services to scout their crop using drone... Read More