John Deere Introduces New Tractor Display
The John Deere 4640 Universal Display is part of the latest John Deere Generation 4 Operating System. This translates into better data collection, increased application functionality and greater choice for monitoring and managing many tractor-driven field operations.
Farmers can use the most common John Deere applications — including AutoTrac, documentation and Section Control — in a portable display with the latest internal components, design and user interface. Set-up and start-up time has been reduced, and display navigation has been improved.
To learn more, see your John Deere dealer or visit JohnDeere.com/ag.
Cotton Research & Promotion Program Evaluation Results
The 1996 Farm Bill requires the Cotton Research & Promotion Program to conduct an independent, third-party evaluation of the program’s effectiveness every five years.
The most recently executed evaluation found strong, positive returns to cotton producers and importers as a result of the program:
- Farmer revenues up $175 million annually, on average, or 3.2 percent.
- Annual farm program costs reduced $168.4 million, on average.
- Return on investment for cotton farmers and government is 7 to 1.
- Program generates a benefit-cost ratio of 3.6 for producers.
- On average, importer after-tax profits increased by $732.9 million.
- Importer benefit-cost ratio is 14.0 over the life of the program.
- Increase in importer sales revenue as a percentage of historical retail revenue is 12 percent.
“We believe this is a very positive report and a strong objective measure of the returns generated by the program,” says Janet Ydavoy, current Cotton Board chairman and cotton importer. To view the full report, visit www.cottonboard.org and look under the “About” tab.
Flowmeters On Loan
Delta Plastics reminds growers that portable flowmeters are available free of charge at several locations throughout the Delta. Some are available for checkout, and some come with professional assistance.
“The biggest bottle neck for completing Pipe Planner plans and saving water is having an accurate measurement of water discharge from your well,” says Matt Lindsey, director of irrigation resources at Delta Plastics.
Flowmeters enable growers with irrigated crop land to determine flow rates from their wells, risers and re-lifts. Flow is the first step in completing a Pipe Planner hole design.
If you have already started irrigating, it is not too late to utilize a flowmeter. Once you have your irrigation set up for this year and have all of the kinks worked out, you can grab a flowmeter and check your flows. This information will help in preparing a Pipe Planner cost-saving irrigation plan in 2018.
Determining discharge from their wells enables farmers to save 25 percent or more on irrigation water usage for their flood- or furrow- irrigated fields by using Pipe Planner. The online program provided by Delta Plastics is free. It prescribes hole sizes for your irrigation polytube (www.pipeplanner.com).
“I am always looking for ways to reduce costs on my farm,” says Fred Black, a Desha County, Ark., farmer who took advantage of a free flowmeter and assistance from NRCS’ Colton Rutherford. “I’ve heard good things about Pipe Planner. This was just the help I needed to get started.”
Information on how to request assistance or check out a flowmeter is available at www.deltaplastics.com.
Hydro-Tech Offers User-Friendly Irrigation Technology
Proper irrigation timing is critical to crop development, can increase plant growth and boost yields. During the irrigation season, conflicting on-farm demands can limit your ability to effectively manage an irrigation schedule. That problem can now be solved by simplifying how you control and monitor your irrigation pumps across multiple fields and farms.
Before starting Hydro-Tech Precision Irrigation, Eric Dirks was in charge of irrigation on a large farming operation and often needed to start or stop pump engines when he was miles away. The waste of water, labor and fuel was obvious. Dirks started designing a wireless control prototype he eventually showed to a few farmers. They were impressed and Hydro-Tech Precision Irrigation was started in 2014.
From wireless irrigation well pump engine control to soil moisture sensor monitoring systems that provide real-time moisture level data, Hydro-Tech precision technologies are designed to be user-friendly and compatible with any cell phone or computer-based device. By simply logging on to the Web through your password-protected device, an easy-to-read dashboard allows you to schedule pump engine start/stop times, monitor each engine’s fuel level (regardless of fuel type), battery strength, engine temperature, oil pressure and RPMs.
GPS chips on each soil sensor can be monitored via Google maps and pre-set to any desired soil moisture level. A movable “end-of-row” sensor detects when water reaches the end of your field and automatically sends you a text alert through the wireless-based system anchored by their in-field weather station units.
Call 662-483-1508 and let the Hydro-Tech team show you through a live demo login how the Hydro-Tech Precision Irrigation System can make you a more efficient farmer. Go to http://hydrotech-solutions.com to watch the short video that provides a comprehensive overview of Hydro-Tech farming solutions.