This buyer’s guide appears in the November 2020 issue of Potato Grower.
Agriculture is changing. That’s no secret. For well over a century, this industry has been at the bleeding edge of technological advancements, and the rate of advancement just seems to keep increasing. Here, you’ll find several products that will give you a deeper look at your farm, your crops, and your practices and give you a leg up.
Ceres Imaging
(888) 704-9398
High-resolution Multispectral Imagery
Ceres Imaging helps potato growers increase profits by improving the way they irrigate. Ceres’s team of experienced analysts, agronomists and scientists seamlessly transforms aerial imagery into actionable insights that help growers reduce cost and improve yields to build more profitable, sustainable operations. Potato growers choose Ceres Imaging when they need more than imagery. By using imagery and insights from Ceres, growers can more easily and accurately:
- Detect issues. Unlike traditional imagery that reveals irrigation issues only after the damage is done, Ceres pinpoints clogs, leaks and pressure failures before the issue impacts a crop.
- Measure. It’s hard to improve irrigation strategy without the right feedback. Ceres analytics tools help growers quantify and track their progress—so they can validate key decisions and know whether they’re making the right investments in their farms.
- Improve. Effective irrigation goes beyond consistent monitoring and prompt repairs. The Ceres team helps growers fine-tune farm-level strategy to meet management goals and deliver lasting improvements.
FMC Corporation
Arc Farm Intelligence Platform
FMC Corporation’s Arc Farm Intelligence is an exclusive precision agriculture platform that enables growers and advisors to more accurately predict pest pressure before it becomes a problem. Arc Farm Intelligence is the first mobile platform to use predictive modeling based on real-time data to help ensure the right crop protection products are applied precisely where and when they are needed.
The innovative platform offers a full suite of features, including customized alerts through a mobile app to indicate when action is needed in a field, two-way communication with FMC agronomists, reliable data and high-quality graphics, including graphs and heat maps. Arc Farm intelligence has been engineered with open APIs and can easily be plugged into growers’ existing digital ecosystems.
Other FMC precision agriculture solutions include 3RIVE 3D application technology, a revolutionary at-plant crop protection delivery system that helps growers efficiently cover more ground in less time with fewer refills; and PrecisionPac solutions, an innovative dispensing system that minimizes waste with custom herbicide blends specific to each grower’s field size and weed spectrum.
Reinke Manufacturing
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(402) 365-7251
SAC VRI
The Swing Arm Corner Variable Rate Irrigation (SAC VRI) from Reinke provides precision irrigation throughout the swing arm corner for excellent coverage and uniformity. The GPS-based SAC VRI optimizes water application efficiency by using field prescriptions to apply the precise amount of water needed in each section. With SAC VRI, adding that prescription is simple, saving growers valuable time. SAC VRI is available with the Reinke’s RPM Preferred touchscreen and the RPM Annex, and works with new swing arm corners or as a retrofit on existing corners.
Irrigation Scheduling
A partnership between Reinke Manufacturing and CropX brings together farming operations with agronomic information that will improve yields and maximize profitability. With more than 80 years of combined experience in research, design and manufacturing, Reinke and CropX want to empower growers with the world’s finest irrigation scheduling.
CropX specializes in on-farm irrigation and soil sensing technology that helps growers make informed decisions about their fields. The data the CropX field sensors provide will create enhanced irrigation prescriptions that can be used with Reinke’s center pivots. Reinke’s ReinCloud, an enhanced, web-based application, provides growers with the ability to remotely operate irrigation while managing CropX data through an easy-to-use, integrated platform.
FarmSense
Smart Pest Monitoring System
FarmSense’s award-winning smart pest monitoring system helps farmers adopt the latest in artificial intelligence and analytics to improve insect monitoring and crop management.
FarmSense’s FlightSensor uses novel optical sensor technology to automate the process of real-time insect classification and counting, providing immediate access for farmers to make mission-critical decisions on crop and pest control.
The smart system started as an academic collaboration, but co-founders Eamonn Keogh and Shailendra Singh quickly identified the benefits of real-world application.
The FarmSense monitoring system can help farmers lower pesticide and insecticide use by optimizing their application in both space and time. Data is sent to the FarmSense cloud wirelessly. The sensor comes in a variety of sizes, and the algorithm can be adjusted depending on what insects a farmer needs to monitor.
Sentera
Sentera PHX System
Sentera’s PHX is a highly reliable, easy-to-use, hand-launchable fixed-wing drone that gives operators the ability to view live HD video and capture a wide array of analytic data, including stand count, weed detection and plant health using the newest variants of the Sentera Double 4K sensor payload.
Leveraging a new long-range omnidirectional communication link, the PHX has a reach of 2-plus miles and is ideal for experienced pilots. The PHX is hot-swappable, accepting several different sensor types, including ultra-precise RTK GPS Double 4K sensor payloads.
MicaSense, Inc.
Altum
The Altum drone sensor integrates a radiometric thermal camera with five high-resolution narrow bands, producing advanced thermal, multispectral, and high-resolution imagery in one flight for advanced analytics.
RedEdge-MX
RedEdge-MX is a rugged, built-to-last, professional multispectral sensor. It captures the spectral bands required for basic crop health indexes and additional bands needed for advanced analytics.
RedEdge-MX Dual Camera Imaging System
Integrating two five-band cameras, the RedEdge-MX and the new RedEdge-MX blue, this solution enables some of the most advanced remote sensing and vegetation research applications on the market.
ServiTech, Inc.
Bridge Field Intelligence Platform
ServiTech’s groundbreaking ServiTech Bridge Field Intelligence platform has been updated to include key new features for growers and ag retailers.
Bridge uses both in-field sensors and analytics to give growers vital information on dryland and irrigated acres, and other key analytics right in the palms of their hands—from in the field or across the globe. ServiTech Bridge allows for its unmatched offerings to be customizable and serves as a single point for critical data.
Based on an annual subscription platform, Bridge offers flexibility and customization with the option to take advantage of specialized packages that combine crop consulting, fertility management and soil moisture recommendations. These features allow growers to leverage the core of ServiTech’s business including agronomy, laboratory and technology services. Every subscription includes satellite imagery, interpolated local weather conditions, and crop growth modeling with GDU calculator.
ServiTech Bridge provides vital information to maximize yield, and allows growers to customize the platform based the needs of an operation, making it highly scalable and intuitive for one or multiple fields. Optional features that leverage in-field sensors include soil moisture management, wireless rain gauge, full featured weather station and a pivot status monitor.