Precision Ag
Precision agricultural practices continue to be more widely adopted each year by western New York farmers in order to increase yields, reduce fertilizer, chemical, and labor costs, and protect the environment. Many practices are part of precision agriculture. Soil sampling based on small grids (0.5-5 acres), soil types, or soil management zones allows farmers to vary their rates of lime and fertilizer applications along with seeding rates of corn and soybeans to capture more yield on the productive areas and conserve resources on less productive sections of their fields. Traditional probe sampling, electrical conductivity, and on-the-go sensors are used for precision soil sampling. Auto-guidance systems greatly improve the efficiency of chemical applications, fertilizer applications, and seeding patterns by reducing overlaps, eliminating gaps, and reducing operator fatigue. Yield monitors allow farmers to further refine their management by accurately recording the yield variations across management zones in each field. Satellite imagery, aerial photography, tool-bar mounted cameras and sensors, and agricultural drones (UAVs) provide additional tools to map and monitor soil variation and crop progression. The NWNY Dairy, Livestock, and Field Crops Team continues to support the adoption of precision agricultural practices through educational programming in partnership with the Wyoming County Dairy Institute, work with industry representatives, and on-farm research of new technologies. Throughout northwestern New York precision agricultural services and equipment are provided by, but not limited to, Growmark FS, Monroe Tractor, Agrinetix LLC, Fingerlakes Agronomics Inc, BCA Ag Technologies, Oxbo, and Western New York Crop Management Association.
Mike Stanyard, Team Leader, Field Crops
John Hanchar, Farm Business Management
Auto Section Control (ASC) is a precision agriculture technology designed to reduce double planting and other crop input usage in headlands. See the presentation by Erick Haas and John Hanchar at the 2017 Operations Managers Conference for benefits and costs, including results from partial budgeting and capital investment analysis.
John Hanchar, Farm Business Management
Two benefits attributed to auto steer mentioned frequently by producers and their advisors are reduced stress and reduced fatigue. Combine these benefits with expected favorable economic and financial impacts, and auto steer has the potential to be a beneficial change in practice for farmers, one that farmers will likely want to evaluate for their business.
Mike Stanyard, Team Leader, Field Crops
Survey and report by Kevin Kreher (kmk279@cornell.edu)
This work was commissioned by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County and the NWNY Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Team to determine how many growers are using technology, gauge how it is working for them, and discover how Cornell Cooperative Extension might help farmers working with these technologies. More than 60 people were interviewed for this report, encompassing the perspectives of growers, consultants, industry experts, dealers, and equipment manufacturers. The growers portion of this survey represented almost 140 thousand acres of cropland in the region.
Mike Stanyard, Team Leader, Field Crops
Tune in as the NWNY Teams' Extension agronomists put on their GoPro cameras and head to the field.
Bill Verbeten, Field Crops
Considering varying your corn or soybean populations? Curious about multiple hybrid planters and planting two corn or soybean varieties in the same field? Maybe you're trying to decide between a planter with hydraulic or air bag down force pressure? If so check out this AgFocus Newsletter article from April of 2015.
Bill Verbeten, Field Crops
On Sunday February 15th, 2015 the FAA released it's proposed rules for commercial unmanned aerial systems (UAS), commonly called drones, for public comment for 60 days. A summary can be found in the PDF below.
Bill Verbeten, Field Crops
Have a question about using an unmanned aerial system (UAS) on your farm? Not sure what is and isn't legal for drone use on your land? Check out this PDF for more information.
Bill Verbeten, Field Crops
Farmers and agronomists are constantly looking for better tools to improve crop production, and corn nitrogen is no exception. In an effort to account for the spatial variability within every field and the temporal variability of nitrogen due to weather farmers are beginning to use two new tools, GreenSeeker and Adapt-N, on a small scale in northwestern NY. While these tools have great potential to improve corn nitrogen management it is important to understand what they require to work well and the situations where their use may not be warranted until more experience is gained with them. Download the PDF for the full article that appeared in the June 2014 Ag Focus Newsletter.
Bill Verbeten, Field Crops
An expanded version of the February 2014 Ag Focus Article, Variable Rate Fertility Management.
Bill Verbeten, Field Crops
Interested in the Adapt N tool? Check out the videos, PDFs, and manual below.
Bill Verbeten, Field Crops
Interested in creating soil management zones with soil conductivity on your farm? Download this PDF.
Crop Alert
Mike Stanyard, Team Leader, Field Crops
Northwest New York Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops
Last Modified: July 27, 2018
Timely observations, information, and control strategies for managing pests, fertility, and current conditions on northwestern NY farms.
Benefits and Costs of Entry Level Precision Agriculture Technologies
John Hanchar, Farm Business Management
Northwest New York Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops
Last Modified: February 16, 2017
Auto Section Control (ASC) is a precision agriculture technology designed to reduce double planting and other crop input usage in headlands. See the presentation by Erick Haas and John Hanchar at the 2017 Operations Managers Conference for benefits and costs, including results from partial budgeting and capital investment analysis.
Entry Point Precision Ag Technology: Benefits & Costs for Decision Making
John Hanchar, Farm Business Management
Northwest New York Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops
Last Modified: March 15, 2016
Two benefits attributed to auto steer mentioned frequently by producers and their advisors are reduced stress and reduced fatigue. Combine these benefits with expected favorable economic and financial impacts, and auto steer has the potential to be a beneficial change in practice for farmers, one that farmers will likely want to evaluate for their business.
Precision Agriculture Adoption and Trends in Western New York
Mike Stanyard, Team Leader, Field Crops
Northwest New York Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops
Last Modified: October 21, 2015
Survey and report by Kevin Kreher (kmk279@cornell.edu)
This work was commissioned by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County and the NWNY Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Team to determine how many growers are using technology, gauge how it is working for them, and discover how Cornell Cooperative Extension might help farmers working with these technologies. More than 60 people were interviewed for this report, encompassing the perspectives of growers, consultants, industry experts, dealers, and equipment manufacturers. The growers portion of this survey represented almost 140 thousand acres of cropland in the region.
Crop Cam
Mike Stanyard, Team Leader, Field Crops
Northwest New York Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops
Last Modified: September 9, 2015
Tune in as the NWNY Teams' Extension agronomists put on their GoPro cameras and head to the field.
Crop Cam 9-01-15 White Mold in Soybeans, Mike Stanyard in Ontario County.
Crop Cam 6-17-15 Scouting Soybean Aphids Mike Stanyard in Ontario County.
Crop Cam 6-05-15 Scouting Black Cutworm in Field Corn Mike Stanyard in Orleans County.
Crop Cam 5-29-15 Identifying Flowering Stage of Wheat Mike Stanyard in Monroe County.
Crop Cam 5-15-15 Alfalfa Weevil Larvae Scouting Mike Stanyard in Ontario County.
Crop Cam 5-14-15 Winter Triticale Forage Harvest Mike Stanyard in Wayne County.
Crop Cam 4-27-15:Comparing two winter malting barley fields. Bill Verbeten in Niagara County.
Crop Cam 4-6-15: Estimating wheat tiller counts per square yard. Mike Stanyard in Ontario County.
Crop Cam 3-20-15:Evaluating winter malting barley. Bill Verbeten in Niagara County.
Varying Corn & Soybean Populations, Varieties, & Down Force
Bill Verbeten, Field Crops
Northwest New York Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops
Last Modified: March 18, 2015
Considering varying your corn or soybean populations? Curious about multiple hybrid planters and planting two corn or soybean varieties in the same field? Maybe you're trying to decide between a planter with hydraulic or air bag down force pressure? If so check out this AgFocus Newsletter article from April of 2015.
Proposed FAA Drone Rules Released
Bill Verbeten, Field Crops
Northwest New York Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops
Last Modified: February 24, 2015
On Sunday February 15th, 2015 the FAA released it's proposed rules for commercial unmanned aerial systems (UAS), commonly called drones, for public comment for 60 days. A summary can be found in the PDF below.
FAQs about Farm Drones
Bill Verbeten, Field Crops
Northwest New York Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops
Last Modified: December 22, 2014
Have a question about using an unmanned aerial system (UAS) on your farm? Not sure what is and isn't legal for drone use on your land? Check out this PDF for more information.
New Technology for Corn Nitrogen Needs
Bill Verbeten, Field Crops
Northwest New York Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops
Last Modified: June 20, 2014
Farmers and agronomists are constantly looking for better tools to improve crop production, and corn nitrogen is no exception. In an effort to account for the spatial variability within every field and the temporal variability of nitrogen due to weather farmers are beginning to use two new tools, GreenSeeker and Adapt-N, on a small scale in northwestern NY. While these tools have great potential to improve corn nitrogen management it is important to understand what they require to work well and the situations where their use may not be warranted until more experience is gained with them. Download the PDF for the full article that appeared in the June 2014 Ag Focus Newsletter.
Variable Rate Fertility Management
Bill Verbeten, Field Crops
Northwest New York Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops
Last Modified: April 24, 2014
An expanded version of the February 2014 Ag Focus Article, Variable Rate Fertility Management.
Adapt N Training Resources
Bill Verbeten, Field Crops
Northwest New York Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops
Last Modified: April 15, 2014
Interested in the Adapt N tool? Check out the videos, PDFs, and manual below.
Mapping Management Zones with Soil Conductivity
Bill Verbeten, Field Crops
Northwest New York Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops
Last Modified: February 4, 2014
Interested in creating soil management zones with soil conductivity on your farm? Download this PDF.
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Upcoming Events
NY Corn & Soybean Growers - 2021 Summer Crop Tour
August 5, 2021
Canandaigua, NY
The Annual Summer Crop Tour will resume in person on August 5th, 2021 at Catalpa Farms in Canandaigua, NY. They are excited to welcome Rob Sharkey, better known to his many followers as The Shark Farmer, as the keynote speaker this year!
American Farmland Trust - Women for the Land Learning Circle - Conservation Action
August 9, 2021
Perry, NY
Women for the Land Learning Circle - Conservation Action, followed by a bus tour at Table Rock Farm in Castile, NY
Open to all women involved in agriculture in New York, AFT invites you to join us for a peer-to-peer Learning Circle and Farm Tour this August. Our focus is Conservation in Action. Attendees will meet at an immersive photograph exhibit featuring western New York female farmers. We will hear about how conservation is put into action from a certified crop consultant who specializes in on-farm conservation planning. Then we will board a bus and head over to an award-winning family-run dairy, Table Rock Farm, that is at the forefront of agricultural innovation, to see it all in person. Meghan Hauser, a co-owner of the farm, will lead us through the efforts she and her team have implemented to make their 100+ year old farm an environmentally and economically thriving operation. After the tour, we will reflect on the experience and discuss action steps we can take to achieve our own conservation goals.
FACILITATORS:
Stephanie Castle, American Farmland Trust
Joan Petzen, Cornell Cooperative Extension Northwest New York Dairy and Livestock Team
Lorie Ames, Western New York Crop Management Association
JoBeth Bellanca, USDA-NRCS
Meghan Hauser, Table Rock Farm
2021 Aurora Farm Field Day
August 12, 2021
Aurora, NY
The 2021 Cornell Field Crops annual field day will be held August 12th highlighting the latest field crops research across CALS and providing an opportunity for in-person exchange of ideas and experiences. This year's program offers a wide variety of content from no-till planting into rolled cover crops to the use of unoccupied robotic vehicles to monitor plant growth and health.
Announcements
The NWNY Team is Hiring!
The NWNT Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Team is currently looking for a Field Crops Specialist.As the Field Crops Specialist, you will provide commercial crop growers, producers, consultants, and industry representatives with the knowledge and educational resources necessary to assess production and management practices. You will focus on developing an education and applied research program in the areas of forage production management, soil health/nutrient management and advancing the principles, applications and implementation of precision agriculture technologies for growers. Other responsibilities include:
- Providing producers and industry with a framework to analyze production and management alternatives and maximize profit opportunities based on emerging best-management practices.
- Analyzing and evaluating major program efforts with the input of all program partners and making recommendations for enhancing these efforts.
- Participating in regional, statewide, and national workgroups.
- Initiating and conducting field demonstrations and in-depth applied research projects appropriate to the needs of commercial crop production.
- Individually and collaboratively exploring and pursuing new and additional funding sources to enhance and extend program opportunities.
- Planning and implementing educational programs utilizing a variety of methods, including direct teaching through group experiences, social media, newsletters, electronic technology, use of the internet, and distance learning.
- Preparing quarterly reports and yearly impact statements on program progress and accomplishments.
This position is full-time and will be located in Mount Morris, New York. This is a three-year appointment with possible extension depending on funding and performance. Applications must be submitted by July 31, 2021.
For full position description and how to apply, visit: https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/18630
*NEW* The NWNY Team Blog!
Our goal for this blog is to share with farmers and allied industry professionals, technical and applicable resources regarding all aspects of dairy farming, livestock and small farms, field crops and soils, and topics related to farm business management and precision agriculture.The blog will feature Crop Alerts, Dairy Alerts, Bilingual (Spanish) Resources, Upcoming Events and more from our team members. This blog is free for everyone to use, explore and enjoy. When new material is published, subscribers will receive an email notification.
We hope you enjoy this new platform, and are looking forward to engaging with you in the future!