Precision technology showing up in all facets of agriculture

<p>Know soil moisture while you’re making a pass with the Great Plains Turbo-Max or other Veris Technologies tool just before planting using the Veris iScan+ set of sensors. It attaches to parts in contact with the soil and senses soil moisture with capacitance sensing — the same technology used in irrigation probes. It also detects soil temperature using a thermopile sensor. You can also get actual readings on soil organic matter and a derived reading for cation exchange capacity. Contact Veris Technologies, Salina, Kan., at 785-825-1978 or visit <em><a href="http://www.veristech.com" target="_blank">veristech.com</a>.</em></p>

<p>Connect a mixed fleet of Agco machinery with its Fuse smart farming division’s Connect application. Personalized by brand — Challenger, Connect, Fendt or MF — Agco Connect allows customers to watch the status of their fleet. Remote accessibility gives dealers the ability to assist with remote diagnostics. A one-year subscription is $400 for high-horsepower specifications, and $150 for the mid-horsepower range. Contact Agco, Duluth, Ga., at 877-525-4384 or visit <a href="http://www.agcocorp.com" target="_blank">agcocorp.com</a><em>.</em></p>

<p>In under one minute, receive 2-cm accuracy from GPS 7500 receivers with TerraStar-X from Ag Leader, without needing a base station. The 12-month subscription delivers instant and continuous updates on the positioning of an operation’s fleet with the help of satellites — though at first, it’s only being offered in the U.S. Midwest. A license to the AgFiniti signal is required. For more information, contact Ag Leader, Ames, Iowa, at 515-735-7000 or visit <a href="http://www.agleader.com" target="_blank">agleader.com</a><em>.</em></p>

<p>SMS Advanced software customers with AgReliant now have the option to purchase a field-trial tool for $1,000 per year. The tool automates certain tasks when collecting data from field trials on prescription and variety performance. Plots are automatically randomized, and boundaries between trials can be easily changed through the SMS desktop application. After harvest, plots can be analyzed separately. Contact Ag Leader, Ames, Iowa, at 515-735-7000 or visit <a href="http://www.agleader.com" target="_blank">agleader.com</a><em>.</em></p>

<p>Have your sprayer automatically move between rows of planted crop without feelers by giving it a Raven visual guidance system. The sensor kit detects rows of 3- to 4-inch-tall crops until they reach 90% canopy closure. The system holds a calibration profile for row width and falls back to guidance lines automatically in the event of washouts. Contact Raven, Sioux Falls, S.D., at 605-336-2750 or visit <a href="http://www.ravenprecision.com" target="_blank">ravenprecision.com</a><em>.</em></p>

<p>CIT Trucks is a full-line, commercial truck dealership group representing Kenworth Truck Co., Volvo Trucks North America, Mack Trucks and Isuzu Commercial Trucks of America. Featured at the show was VADA (Volvo Active Driver Assist with Bendix Wingman Fusion), a collision avoidance system, on Volvo trucks. A radar in the bumper detects anything in front of the truck when it’s in motion. There is a camera in the top center of the cab that verifies what the radar sees. Even if the driver is not pressing on the pedal, the truck will brake to a stop. Contact CIT Trucks at 800-322-5017 or visit <a href="http://cittrucks.com" target="_blank">cittrucks.com</a><em>.</em></p>

<p>Cardinal Detecto Scales has a new remote display, the SB600, with double-row LED, high-visibility readout. The 6-inch display has full color RGB graphics on the LED readout, providing a full spectrum of color as opposed to just the standard red LEDs. The 1,280 high-intensity LEDs allow for pictures and a lot more fill-level control, so graphics can be displayed — as opposed to numbers only. Contact Cardinal Detecto at 800-441-4237 or visit <a href="http://cardinalscale.com" target="_blank">cardinalscale.com</a>.</p>

<p>Cloudlynk 55 works with Digi-Star 560, and together, they make up the Topcon HD Yield hardware kit. It works with any cart, transforming it into a “Smart Cart.” The system compiles both sets of data into Topcon Agriculture Platform (TAP) and merges them. There are multiple connectivity options, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or cellular. The CL 55 is the data collection hub. A subscription fee to TAP is required. Contact Topcon Agriculture, Livermore, Calif., at 925-245-8610 or visit <a href="http://topconagriculture.com" target="_blank">topconagriculture.com</a><em>.</em></p>

<p>Growers who have almonds, potatoes or sugarbeets can now also benefit from yield data and yield analysis. Topcon has leveraged sensor technology from Digi-Star load cells, and it created the ability to take either a hopper or a conveyor that is moving material, convert it into mass flow or volume metric measurement, and then paint a yield map. The YM-2, or YieldTrakk, yield system is the ultimate in field variability measurement. Contact Topcon Agriculture, Livermore, Calif., at 925-245-8610 or visit <a href="http://topconagriculture.com" target="_blank">topconagriculture.com</a><em>.</em></p>

<p>Topcon offers a new HiPer VR mobile base station to provide the latest GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) tracking technology and RTK capability in a compact design. The system leverages the new TAP Cloudlynk connectivity devices for RTK corrections via cellular or radio transmissions. It’s available in the 900- and 400-megahertz range, UHF signal. It can be used for land-leveling and survey applications. Contact Topcon Livermore, Calif., at 925-245-8610 or visit <a href="http://topconagriculture.com" target="_blank">topconagriculture.com</a><em>.</em></p>

<p>This fixed-wing UAV isn’t new —but it can provide more information, since Sentera introduced an app that allows you to count tassels midway through the season from an image produced by cameras onboard the UAV. Spokespersons say this new capability allows you to come closer to estimating an actual harvest population if you’re interested in making better yield estimates. The company already introduced early-season stand count capability for corn in 2019. Contact Sentera, based in Minneapolis, for pricing information at 844-736-8372 or visit <a href="http://sentera.com" target="_blank">sentera.com</a><em>.</em></p>

<p>Davis Instruments provides weather stations to collect weather data in your fields. Now the company provides Wi-Fi so you can stream your sensor data live to any smart device within your local area network, including your smartphone. The innovation is called WeatherLink Live. Here, Kaylan Pollard, ag sales manager, stands next to a weather station, holding the device that makes seamless transfer possible. Data is first sent to the WeatherLink Cloud and then to your device. Contact Davis, Hayward, Cal., at 800- 678-3669 or visit <a href="http://davisinstruments.com" target="_blank">davisinstruments.com</a><em>.</em></p>

<p>Mike Thurow of Spectrum Technologies (shown here) suggests using the company’s new WatchDog wireless rain stations to set up a network in your fields. Send data to the cloud. Using SpecConnect, receive near-real-time data from multiple stations hourly. Add soil moisture sensors for 2-inch-depth readings in spring and 6-inch-depth info in summer. Note data on the map from 10 units that recorded rain before the Farm Progress Show over a 9-mile area. Each wireless weather station lists for $545. A one-year SpecConnect subscription is $48. Contact Spectrum Technologies Inc., Aurora, Ill., at 800-248-8873 or visit <a href="http://specmeters.com" target="_blank">specmeters.com</a><em>.</em></p>