Precision Ag Workshop Teaches Growers the Value of Data

In past blog posts, we have talked about universities putting an emphasis on precision ag education. The Alabama Precision Ag Extension team is another example of an educational institution working with precision ag. This summer, they held a Management Zones/AgGIS Workshop with the goal of educating Alabama farmers on the basics of generating and properly implementing variable-rate, map-based application of inputs.

Ag Leader offered support by providing both hardware and software for this workshop. During this workshop, twenty farmers from Alabama – selected based on their interest and willingness to implement variable-rate application practices – were allowed to select a precision ag software package to use to complete the exercises.  All participants were required to upload prescription maps and setup InSight displays to complete the workshop. The entire workshop was very hands-on by all participants, and also included guest speakers during lunch and dinner. 

John Fulton, Associate Professor and Extension Specialist at Auburn University, says, “Feedback from participants was excellent; it was better than we had anticipated.  Having them complete both the software aspect and using the InSight displays in simulation mode really helped them understand the overall process of variable-rate application.

Workshops such as this are great ways for growers to learn more about the value of their precision ag data. For more information about the Alabama Precision Ag Extension team, click here to visit their website or follow them on Twitter @AL_Prec_Ag or Facebook.