7/29/97

Contacts:
Keith Whigham and Robert Hartzler, Agronomy, 515/294-1923
Gary Munkvold, Plant Pathology, 515/294-6708
Susan Anderson, Agriculture Information, 515/294-0705

PRECISION AGRICULTURE IN THE SPOTLIGHT AT FIVE FIELD DAYS

AMES, Iowa -- There is increasing interest in the use of yield monitors coupled with satellites and computer software to help farmers get a better idea of what's going on in their fields. But many questions remain about whether the cost of this new technology is worth the benefits.

Answers to some of those questions may be answered at five Iowa State University field days. Three of the events will be held on private farms, while two others will be at Iowa State University Research and Demonstration Farms.

A three-year project funded by the Iowa Soybean Promotion Board began last year on the Ron Heck farm near Perry, with an ISU research team spending the summer collecting and analyzing data from 50 acres of corn and 50 acres of soybeans. The information gathered throughout the growing season was then matched with yield data after harvest, in an attempt to show how field and weather conditions impact yield.

This project expanded to two more places this year, including the Barry Kusel farm at Manning and the Don Keiper farm at Palo. A field day at each location will cover research being conducted there, plus other topics related to site-specific management and precision farming technologies.

A program begins promptly at 6 p.m., followed by a light meal. Dates and locations are:

Aug. 14 - Barry & Phyllis Kusel &emdash; held at the Zion Lutheran Church in Manning. From the Manning Community Center, go south on Center Street 0.4 miles. The field day will be held at the parking lot on the east side of the church.

Aug. 18 - Ron & Carole Heck &emdash; held at the Heck farm, 437 290th Street, Perry. Take Highway 169 south of Highway 30 five miles to E57. West on E57 two miles to F Avenue, south on F Avenue one mile to 290th Street, west on 290th 0.5 miles to the Heck farm.

Aug. 19 - Don & Barbara Keiper &emdash; held at the Keiper farm, 1926 Young Road, Palo. Take Highway 30 west of Cedar Rapids to Sisley Grove Road. North on Sisley Grove 2.5 miles to Ellis Road, east on Ellis 0.5 miles to Young Road, north on Young Road 0.2 miles to the Keiper farm.

"New Technologies for Integrated Crop Management" is the theme of a special field day Aug. 26 at the ISU Northeast Research and Demonstration Farm, one mile south and 1.5 miles west of Nashua. The initial work of a three-year demonstration project by ISU and Hawkeye Community College will be showcased.

The event begins at 1:30 p.m. and will include wagon tours with stops at four locations. Speakers will discuss integrated crop management, crop scouting using GPS/GIS technology, soil fertility and sampling procedures, and equipment options for precision farming.

On Sept. 11, the annual Agronomy Day event will be held, using the theme "Field Variability in Precision Agriculture." Field tours will focus on precision agriculture practices, weed management, environmental resources management and crop production research.

There will also be commercial displays and educational posters, plus optional tours to the North Central Regional Plant Introduction Station and the Field Extension Education Laboratory.

Agronomy Day '97 will be 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Agronomy-Agricultural Engineering Research Farm seven miles west of Ames on Highway 30. A lunch will be available for a nominal fee from the ISU Agronomy Club.

All events are free and open to the public. No pre-registration is needed.

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