P.S. I'm in Kansas (Kansas City, KS regional office)
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>>> <tabeles@tmn.com> 08/30/95 04:09pm >>>
Julie
First
i bleieve that there is enough commercial data which shows that the
precision fertilzer application works- there are enough programs out
which azre commercially available for mapping fields from the farm
computer and in the cab- well proven. Next with terragator and others
there is a lot of field data on the use of this equipment for precision
nitrogen and other application and integrating it in with the mapping
functions and even with the economics
I think that lyou might want to go to NAL and get the bibliography on
precision farming which is availabel to the general public and review the
literature as well as the commercial literature on all the pieces
What is really needed is a systems review and study of how such
equipment and information usageage from gps to computer placement of
futures contracts will impact the larger bio/physical and socio/economic
systems
For example, if gps etc gives larger farmers the uppoer hand on
economics and good management, and there are fewer and better managed
farms (but higher eyes to acres ratio with high quality crop and soils
consultants) can we expect to see better environmental protection than if
a lot of smaller farmers have to struggle with lesseer technology and
lower margins
If I remeber, you are in Nebraska and the diminishing aquafer. Maybe the
precison applications via gps might reduce the baoradcast via cetner
pivots and micro management might let the center pivots use variable and
controlable nozzles along the length and position in the field- lots of
alternatives. I don't think that flied testing is needed at this point as much
as some creative thinking on where all this will lead with respect to farm
size, equipment usage and costs and environmental impact- needs mor
information type thinking and less on the tractor testing because the
technology is well understood
IMHO
tom abeles tabeles@tmn.com