Variable Rate Planting Prescriptions

Tim Hammerich

News Reporter

Yesterday, we shared how Indiana farmer Jake Smoker has improved his nitrogen management through the help of his agronomist and the Granular Agronomy platform. Today his agronomist, Cassie Misch, adds how they’re taking a similar approach to variable rate planting prescriptions.

Misch… “One of the things we do with the Granular Agronomy platform is provide a prescription for every hybrid on every field. So let's say Jake is planting 10 corn hybrids across his operation, he would have a prescription for all of those on every field. So let's say we have a plan for what to plant and the plan changes. He's already got a prescription for it without having to wait between fields and go, 'oh, I forgot I'm changing the hybrid there'. I need a new prescription.”

Farmer Jake Smoker said having these prescriptions at his fingertips is a lifesaver.

Smoker… “I roll into the field. Everybody's mad. It's middle of planting and it's just rained for the last seven days, so it's just go time. And you go, what variety do I have loaded in? We'll shoot that field is not dry, but I got this one. Hey, it'll go on that field, but I wasn't planning on it. Go call up on the monitor. Here's the script for it. Away you roll. To have all those scripts already preloaded, that to me is a lifesaver.”

This is one example of how the right technology in the right hands can really improve an operation.