Producers can learn about the latest trends in precision agriculture from local and national experts at the Precision Ag Summit set for Jan. 16-17, 2017, at the North Dakota Farmers Union Conference Center in Jamestown, North Dakota.
Participants also will see demonstrations of new agricultural tools designed to lower production costs and create a more efficient environment for farm production.
The NDSU Extension Service, North Dakota Farmers Union, Red River Valley Research Corridor and Dakota Precision Ag Center are coordinating the event.
"The Precision Ag Summit will have leading agricultural experts present on the state of precision agriculture for crop production, current trends, technology applications and opportunities for successful implementation," said John Nowatzki, NDSU Extension ag machine systems specialist and one of the event's organizers.
The schedule on Jan. 16 includes:
• Keynote speaker Raj Khosla, professor of precision agriculture at Colorado State University, will discuss digital agronomy and data analytics for precision crop management.
• Terry Griffin, assistant professor of agricultural economics at Kansas State University, will speak on the profitability of precision agriculture technologies.
• David Schimmelpfennig, U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service, will speak about the cost savings of using precision agriculture technologies.
In the afternoon, concurrent sessions will be held on various topics, including variable-rate irrigation, the impacts of tile drainage on water quality, unmanned aircraft systems applications for crop management, and precision agriculture equipment options.
Speakers and topics on Jan. 17 include:
• Mark Jeschke, Pioneer agronomy research manager, and Joel Ransom, NDSU Extension agronomist, will address strategies for multi-hybrid planting.
• Griffin and Nicholas Morrow, Agrian Inc. product manager will speak on issues of concern to farmers, including data ownership, privacy and water quality.
• Evan Sieling, CHS regional YieldPoint specialist, and Jeremy Bittner, Climate Corp. climate business manager will discuss precision scouting, data capture and crop yield analysis.
Also, Wade Bott, USDA state soil scientist, will demonstrate the USDA's Web Soil Survey for land management decisions.
Registration rates are: full summit, $100; Jan. 16 or Jan. 17 only, $60; students, $50. Prices include breakfast and lunch.
Advance registration is available online. On-site registrations also are welcome throughout the event.
For more information, contact Nowatzki at 701-231-8213 or john.nowatzki@ndsu.edu.
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