Is Technology Taking Root on Your Farm

Are you taking full advantage of the agriculture technology options available through your local cooperative? As we reflect on the past growing season, a key takeaway is how increasing the use of technology has helped growers create efficiencies in their operations and helped solidify productive relationships with their cooperatives.
 
Here is how working with a cooperative that proactively uses ag technology can provide you with strong agronomic support.
 
1. Greater efficiency.
Tools that provide quality data help cooperative teams collaborate more effectively, which creates efficiencies for you. For example, data from Iowa State University and Kansas State University extension departments contained in the ScoutPro application supplied detailed information on weed, disease and pest identification. This allows agronomists and their field staff to scout fields as a team, armed with the right information. Agronomists then have additional one-on-one time to assist growers like you with more complex or pressing issues.
 
2. Robust reporting.
Many tools generate solid reports that provide access to rich data and facilitate in-depth analysis with your agronomist.  The reports from ScoutPro, for example, other a one-stop shop of information, maps and pictures. They are also tangible validation of scouting efforts by your cooperative team.
 
3. Greater synergies between old and new.
Pairing in-season imagery with field-level scouting allows cooperative staff to locate zones based on what’s being seen in the field with biomass and growth, versus what they are seeing with the naked eye. Tying them together and establishing a correlation brings the state of a field to life.
 
Talk with your agronomist now about how increasing your use of ag technology can help take your operation to greater heights in 2017.