System senses soil environment

PONTIAC – Farmers struggled for years with closing systems on planters and now a new piece of technology from Precision Planting is solving those problems.

Jason Webster, commercial agronomist for the company, is excited about the data FurrowForce is bringing in.

“We are sensing the soil environment knowing how much pressure or tension we need on our closing system to make sure we are eliminating that side-wall compaction,” explained Webster.

FurrowForce has resulted in yield increases of up to 9.5 bushels per acre compared to traditional closing systems. Webster feels this was one of the last components growers needed to make that perfect planter pass.

This year was a busy one for the Precision Planting PTI research farm at Pontiac with thousands of growers from around the world visiting.

“It just goes to show you how these international companies are seeing what we are doing with technology and they want to see it in the field,” adds Webster.

The PTI research site allows producers to see agronomy trials in the field while also using the latest technology themselves. One area of the farm is referred to as the “sand box” where visitors are allowed to plant with the latest equipment to see if it is something they want on their operation.

Precision Planting’s Winter Conference is coming up Jan. 21-24 at Tremont with simulcasts offered at various locations around the country and in Canada.

“We make everybody kind of excited with showing them what’s coming on the horizon.”

For more information or to sign up for Winter Conference, visit www.precisionplanting.com.