When at odds with Mother Nature, bet your chips on a sure thing

This is not the growing year any of us wanted to see. Fields are dry, brown and some growers are already considering insurance relief and calling it a year. This is not a time to panic, but rather a time to focus cashing in on the facts.

If you look at precipitation totals for the year, they are below average. The Corn Belt saw stretches of over 100 degree temperatures with barely 0.10” of rain. But as you can see in the map below, you can’t say it isn’t raining. It’s just not raining where many need it most.

Courtesy: NOAA

This map provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows the amount of precipitation 14 days prior to July 18. Much of the Upper Midwest saw at least 1.5” and the South experienced as much as 6” in some places.

A lot can happen in a few weeks’ span. It was at the end of May when Illinois farmers were reporting “80% of their corn was in good to excellent condition,” in a Peoria Journal Star article [link]. There is still plenty of time for rain to make a difference. In the hardest hit areas, this is especially true for the soybean crop. When that time comes, growers will then have to turn their attention and watch for three perils before harvest: fungus, bugs and weeds. Perils all too familiar to applicators.

The combination of extreme heat and minimal rain has increased certain insect populations, making conditions ideal for eggs to hatch. Spider mites, podworms and others are out in droves during this unusual season. Then when a little rain does come, fungus begins to develop. Finally, weeds in the field absorb any moisture that falls away from the stressed crop. The best line of defense in saving yields and protecting your investment from the terrible trifecta of fungus, insects and weeds is a self-propelled sprayer.

Looking at the NOAA map above, a typical Corn Belt farmer, for example, would be relying on corn and/or soybean harvests along with crop insurance as generated income this year. Projected corn yields in June dropped 12% from May, which seems like a significant downturn. In general, a 12% drop is pretty common as seen in the chart below. This yield decline is packing a larger than usual punch to growers because we haven’t experienced a significant drop in yield in more than 10 years. The positive side to this story is that the past years have put the grower in a favorable financial position.

Courtesy: USDA

Soybean prices through the middle part of July, however, are dancing around $16.00/bushel with experts predicting the price to hold until after harvest. That is if any rain falls. One soybean agronomist was recently quoted as saying that from water deficit stress during the reproductive growth stage, the soybean plant is vulnerable to “reduced pod numbers, reduced seed per pod and small seed." [link]

Adding crop insurance into the mix, it’s clear a farmer’s net income this year will have to be spent wisely. Risks exist every year. When playing the odds with Mother Nature accompanied with declining income, it’s assuring to not only have a low risk financial investment sitting on the farm, but also a machine that increases yield potential for seasons to come.

Already identifying the importance of owning a self-propelled sprayer, the clear choice among all competitors is the Apache sprayer. Whether it’s an off year or not, cost of ownership and return on investment are two critical points of concern when purchasing any farm equipment. The Apache leads the way on both fronts.

When you compare the Apache to competitors, there are numerous factors giving the Apache the lowest cost of ownership in the industry:

     - Service costs are lower
     - Replacement parts cost thousands of dollars less
     - More efficient fuel economy
     - Factory-installed state of the art precision options
     - An industry best 5-year warranty saves money on parts and labor
     - Purchase price is $25,000 to $75,000 less than comparable hydrostat sprayers

In addition, the Apache offers the highest resale value in the industry. Based on a statistical analysis by a Indiana University school of business professor, a five year old Apache has an average resale value of 72% of its original purchase price.

That’s making a sound financial decision based on consistency in an inconsistent world. 

Weed control tips for dry conditions

Extreme and severe drought conditions continue to spread across much of the United States, increasing the potential for ineffective weed resistance for growers.

We all know weeds grow more rapidly in soils where it has recently rained, especially for the usual suspects of weeds we see every summer. When this occurs, get back into your fields and scout how much growth has taken place a few days after it rains. This will determine if your application rate should be altered.

Dry soils can cause headaches for growers when it comes to postemergence weed control. The part of the plant above ground toughens and thickens in these adverse conditions. This change greatly reduces the amount of herbicide the plant can absorb, offering little weed control.

While no absolute solution exists, there are things you can do to increase the likelihood you applied postemergence herbicide is absorbed. The simplest advice we can offer is to slow down when spraying. With dry soil conditions, you generate more dust driving through your field. This dust kicked up lands on the crops and keeps what you're spraying from getting to the plant. Running your sprayer at a lower speed will reduce the amount of dust and help the postemergence herbicides attach to your crops.

In addition, using a full rate when applying postemergence herbicides in dry conditions will help. Always read the labels of your postemergence herbicides, but typically applying the full recommended rate will support weed control for adverse conditions.

Conditions now aren't nearly as bad as previous droughts of record proportion, however long-term forecasts call for continued high temperatures and little to no precipitation. At least 19 states have already seen temperatures reach 100 degrees, and we're not even into July yet.

Equipment Technologies opens the ET Ag Center

The ribbon is cut officially opening the ET Ag Center.

Equipment Technologies, home of the award-winning Apache sprayer and the largest independently owned manufacturer of agriculture self-propelled sprayers in North America, expands its operation by opening the ET Ag Center adding 56 new jobs by 2015.

“Equipment Technologies has seen a growing trend of growers searching for knowledge and thought leadership when it comes to precision farming and application in general. The ET Ag Center is built to share our application knowledge and train the next generation of precision growers,” said Equipment Technologies CEO Matt Hays.

In the fall of 2011, Equipment Technologies split into two divisions: one to focus on its award-winning Apache line of self-propelled sprayers, and the other to focus on parts distribution, service and training. The ET Ag Center is the logistics, service and knowledge backbone of SpraySmarter.com, ET’s e-commerce, online sprayer parts sales website. SpraySmarter.com also has a parts sales counter inside the ET Ag Center for local customers to pick up and purchase sprayer parts.

The ET Ag Center is also responsible for wholesaling both Apache sprayer parts and other best-in-class precision and application sprayer products to retailers throughout the United States, Canada, Ukraine, and Australia.

The ET Ag Center will lead the way in training and instruction, with a focus on sharing precision agriculture education to the grower. Included in the ET Ag Center are multiple precision agriculture classrooms for spraying clinics, commercial applicator license renewal classes and simulated precision training utilizing field computers from the top two manufacturers in precision agriculture, Raven and Trimble. Having all of these offerings under one roof will uniquely benefit growers from around the world as they seek to expand their application-focused education and hands-on training. 

“From a training standpoint, we have grown leaps and bounds with the creation of the ET Ag Center. We are increasing the number of training and service events with the added classrooms and resources to better educate the grower,” said ET’s director of parts and service Kevin Covey. “From a parts standpoint, we can better serve the local applicator with the addition of an in-house SpraySmarter.com sales counter. Online orders can also be ship within 24 hours with a brand new logistical infrastructure, thanks in part to the additional space.”

Throughout the planning of the ET Ag Center, the emphasis was on research and development of the Apache, ET’s award-winning self-propelled sprayer. Included in the construction are a test track and proving grounds located behind the ET Ag Center with the sole focus of product development for the Apache sprayer. The track encompasses a 45-foot high hill with varying grades ranging from 10% to 40% and multiple terraces, representing different topographical land conditions Apache customers maneuver over.

“This testing track and proving grounds are significant for our continued success,” said ET’s director of engineering Chad Ringer. “ET truly prides itself on listening to our customers. We can now experiment and implement the ideas of our customers, fine tune a quality product, and let our customers enjoy the additional benefits.”

Aligning with ET’s dedication to continuous improvement and constant innovation for the Apache is sales and service training support. These training efforts will cater to our over 200 Apache customers residing in Indiana and nearly 3,000 more around the world.

Equipment Technologies, employing 97 Indiana residents with 52 living in Morgan County, was able to proceed with this necessary expansion from state, county and city government support. The Indiana Economic Development Corporation provided $550,000 in performance-based tax credits and $25,000 in training grants based on Equipment Technologies’ job creation strategy. The Mooresville Town Council provided infrastructure assistance abatement to property tax per the request of the Morgan County Economic Development Corporation.

"It's great to know local government saw the need for our growth and responded the way they did. Equipment Technologies is grateful to have the support from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, Morgan County Economic Development Corporation and the Mooresville Town Council for this expansion of our research and training facilities,” said ET’s materials manager Jeff Goodman. “Throughout construction of the ET Ag Center, Equipment Technologies solely focused on using as many local vendors, contractors and subcontractors as possible.”

Equipment Technologies is the largest independently-owned manufacturer of self-propelled sprayers in North America. Operating from its 168,000 square foot complex in Mooresville, Ind., the company distributes its sprayers and sprayer parts throughout North America, Ukraine and Australia through a network of independent dealers.

The ET Ag Center is located at 455 Merriman Road, approximately 0.5 miles south of ET’s manufacturing facility in Mooresville, Indiana.

Practice Sprayer Safety

We've noticed in the news recently a growing number of incidents involving sprayers. Some of which have taken place in a field, others have taken place on the roadways.

It's important to be cautious when operating large farm machinery, including your sprayer. Below we've listed some general tips to ensure you practice sprayer safety:

• Know your sprayer and operate it properly
• Review your safety precautions in your owner's manual
• Never operate your sprayer after consuming alcohol
• Wear your seat belt in the cab of the sprayer when in use
• Be sure to unfold your sprayer booms away from power lines
• Be aware of where power lines cross or border your field
• Always turn your hazard lights on when driving on roadways
• Have a slow-moving vehicle (SMV) sign displayed on the back of the sprayer
• Look before pulling out on to a roadway or backing up in reverse
• Turn off the sprayer before leaving it unattended

To learn more safety tips avoiding risks on the farm, visit the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety.

Three critical tips when applying postemergence corn herbicide

In some parts of the Corn Belt, the plant is already towering to two feet tall. This has much of the crop in the northern region far enough along to be in V3 growth stage. As early as corn is growing, farmers need to remember these three strategic tips to remember when applying their postemergence corn herbicide.

Size is significant

All postemergence corn herbicide labels spell out the usage at different growth stages of the crop, typically by the height of the crop or by leaf stage. Aaron Hager, Associate Professor of Weed Science at the University of Illinois, recommends following the most restrictive usage instructions to avoid crop injury.

"Corn plant height is commonly used on many herbicide labels, but height is not always an accurate indicator of a plant's true physiological maturity. Determining plant height may seem relatively straightforward, but using different benchmarks for measurement can lead to different plant heights," said Hager. "Generally, height of a corn plant is determined by measuring from the soil surface to the arch of the uppermost leaf that is at least 50% emerged from the whorl (a circle of three or more leaves at the same joint of the stem). Be sure to measure several plants in a given field and average the numbers. plant height is obviously influenced by many factors, including genetics and the growing environment. Adverse environmental conditions, such as cool air or soil temperatures, hail, and others, can greatly retard plant height and result in corn plants that are physiologically older than their height suggests."

Hager says farmers should accurately count leaves on the crop and determine the crop's height before applying. To count leaves, start with the short first leaf and end with the leaf at least half emerged from the whorl. Remember that some leaves may have been lost from hail or frost.

Critical timing creates better yields

Applying postemergence herbicide at the proper stage of growth, as we stated above, can make or break a corn crop's full yield potential. The longer weeds sit in the field among the crop, the greater the risk of a reduced yield. Weeds sitting in a field are more likely to absorb moisture necessary to the crop's development. In addition, the weed's root can damage the corn's root, causing the plant to become "floppy" and inadequate to continue proper growth.

"Weed scientists generally suggest an interval, based on either weed size (in inches) or days after crop/weed emergence, during which postemergence herbicides should be applied to avoid crop yield loss through weed interference," says Hager. "A sommon recommendation is to remove weeds in corn before they exceed about two inches tall."

Smaller weeds are easier to control than larger ones. In addition, Hager states it's been proven that herbicide absorption is more effective in younger weeds than older ones.

Apply when conditions are right

Mother Nature plays such a vital role with everyday duties around the farm. The same can be said about applying postemergence herbicides to corn.

"High air temperatures and relative humidity levels favor rapid absorption of postemergence herbicides, and environmental-induced crop stress can enhance injury from herbicides. Cool air temperatures and wet soil are examples of environmental conditions that can induce crop stress. Crops under stress often cannot metabolize herbicide rapidly enough to preclude injury symptoms," says Hager.

Tips to minimize spray drift

Courtesy of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Univ. of California

Although spray drift is something that will be a constant when it comes to liquid application, it is a problem well within the realm of making more efficient applications. Controlling spray drift not only saves the environment, but can save your pocketbook from retaining precious herbicide.

"Spray drift needs to be minimized to avoid any crop injury and adverse effects on areas outside the spray target area," said Dallas Peterson, Department of Agronomy professor at Kansas State University. "Minimizing spray drift is not only important from and economic and legal standpoint, but also from a public relations standpoint."

Here are some simple tips to keep in mind before heading out into the field:

Wind Speed

"There is no absolute right answer to the question regarding when is it too windy to spray. Labels will provide maximum wind speeds that can't be exceeded to remain in compliance with the label. However, it still may be too windy to safely spray at lower wind speeds if a highly susceptible crops is downwind of the application," said Peterson. "In that situation, the only safe time to spray is when the weed is in the opposite direction. Common sense has to be a major factor in determining when and where it is safe to spray to avoid herbicide drift problems."

Spray Pressure and Spray Speed

The smaller the droplet, the greater odds of creating drift. In addition, smaller droplets are created by higher spray pressures. Pressure shouldn't exceed 40 psi.

"The appropriate spray pressure is critical to produce a good spray pattern and droplet size," said Peterson. Increasing spray pressure reduces spray droplet size and increases the number of fine spray droplet particles that are most susceptible to spray drift. The appropriate spray pressure to optimize performance and minimize drift will depend on the type of spray tip being utilized."

Booms and Nozzles

Position the booms as close to the crop canopy to ensure application reaches the ground. Nozzle tips and pressure is determined by the individual herbicide. Read the label of each chemical to learn proper resistance specifications.

"Spray nozzle selection can have a big impact on the potential for spray drift because of the effect on spray droplet size and spectrum," said Peterson.

Droplet Size

Small microns, 100 to 200 for example, will create a greater risk of spray drift. Larger droplets won't be a susceptible to drift.

"Smaller spray droplets are more susceptible to movement by wind, especially the very fine droplets that can stay suspended longer and moved longer distances," said Peterson.

Prepare for severe weather in the field

Courtesy: Georgia Farm Bureau

Severe weather can pop up in the field with minimal warning, leaving little time to prepare. High winds, severe thunderstorms and tornados are all things farmers need to keep a watchful eye to the sky for while working in their field.

“Thunderstorms can form quite rapidly, within several minutes. Tornados usually come about after strong storms have formed and organized into "supercells". This organizational process can occur over tens of minutes but can sometimes take up to an hour or more,” said Greg Carbin, Warning Coordination Meteorologist for the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center.

While the central plains of America are nicknamed “Tornado Alley”, these deadly twisters are not limited to any one region. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the United States average over 1,200 tornados each year. A distant second on the list is Canada, averaging 100 tornados per year. Tornados most commonly form from April to July; however they can occur at any time of year with the right conditions.

“If shelter is unavailable, persons should attempt to move away from the storm. Know where the storms are in relation to your position and be prepared to leave any open area without adequate shelter in the event a tornado is spotted,” said Carbin.

If you find yourself in an open field, stop the machine you’re operating and get out. Lie in a low area or ditch away from the machine. Cover your head and neck with your arms to protect from flying debris. Do not try to outrun a tornado in your machine. A tornado’s speed and direction are deceptive, shifting constantly. Know which buildings near your field can offer the best protection, such as a building with a basement or a sturdy interior space in a barn. It’s important to stay away from the outside walls of the shelter you seek.

While thunderstorms are less destructive, NOAA reports an average of 54 people die in the United States from a lightning strike. Carbin says farmers should watch for increasingly warm, humid and cloudy conditions when anticipating a thunderstorm.

“If lightning is observed, head for better shelter. Lightning will not pose much of threat if you can remain in a vehicle,” said Carbin.

In an open field, find a low spot away from trees, fences, and poles. Make sure the place is not subject to flooding. If you are in the woods, take shelter under shorter trees. If you have no shelter, make yourself the smallest target by squatting low to the ground on the balls of your feet. Minimize contact with the ground, and place your hands on your knees with your head between them when your skin tingles or your hair stands on end. If you are in a tractor or other vehicle during an electrical storm, stay put. Vehicles often provide better protection than lying exposed in open fields.

Have a plan when severe weather is possible. Check weather reports before planning work activities. Make sure you have a way of receiving weather information while you work, especially at remote locations. You can download weather apps for a smart phone or use a weather radio band inside your machine.

“If tornados are expected, then the plan should include more than a vehicle for shelter. Seek a sturdy building and stay away from windows,” said Carbin.