Farmer seminar on efficiency

Farmer seminar on efficiency

David Sparks Ph.D.
David Sparks Ph.D.
A free seminar focused on precision agriculture and technologies to help farmers use water and fertilizer more efficiently is planned Feb. 24 at the Boise Public Library.It will run from noon to 5:40 p.m. in the library’s William F. Hayes Memorial Auditorium.

UI Extension cropping systems agronomist Olga Walsh organized the seminar to give growers updates on new ways to improve water and nutrient use efficiency to save money and make their operations more sustainable.

Walsh said that farmers have been quick to embrace some precision agricultural technologies like adding GPS and automatic-steering technology to their equipment. The next steps will be a more widespread use of technologies to improve water and fertilizer use efficiency. Hey, I have an idea. “The FAA is more inclined to approve using this technology in less densely populated areas and in areas that have less dense air traffic. Idaho fits that definition on both counts.”

Those are words from Advanced Aviation Solutions owner Steve Edgar who is building a drone company. We all know by now how efficient drones will be as they are applied to agriculture with their quick scanning of vast fields and identification of stress points. is, at least for now, a small company in Idaho that has received the FAA’s blessing for its drone services. That means they can operate professionally in an effort to help farmers scan and analyze their crops. And, when they do, imagine what that brings to the table. Farmer calls them up and asks them to fly over his 20,000 acre farm. They will be able to do that in a jiffy and provide said farmer with incredibly detailed data about the health of his crops. Here is company owner Steve Edgar:“As the cost of food production and the pressure to produce food sustainably increases – so does the interest and involvement of crop producers in precision agriculture and sustainable crop production practices,” Walsh said.

Some mint growers, for example, report that they have successfully cut water usage by half while maintaining or even improving yields, Walsh said. Similarly, farmers growing hops, seed crops and grapes have been among those who have explored or adopted precision ag.

Seminar speakers from Idaho, Montana and Oklahoma will explore topics ranging from an overview of ways precision agricultural technologies can improve water use efficiency to uses of unmanned aerial systems, which are better known as drones.

Other speakers will focus on precision irrigation in wine grapes, sensors and reference strips to promote efficiency, remote sensing methods for nutrient management and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service precision ag programs.

Walsh manages the Idaho Crops and Soils blog dedicated to sustainable and efficient crop production practices. The blog answers common grower questions and provides research updates and information about educational events. It is online at idcrops.blogspot.com.

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