Precision Planting’s Winter Conference Showcases Latest Farming Technology

There were sessions on fertility, pest management, and selecting seeds

FARGO, N.D. — About 400 farmers from across the Midwest and Canada gathered at Precision Planting’s Winter Conference.

One farmer, Jason Siegert, reflects on all the changes in the field.

“What we’ve seen in my lifetime— I mean to go out with a planter that used to be 12 rows and manually set everything and you’re steering it and watching every little detail, stopping at the end of the field, spinning it, making sure all the seeds come out,” he said.

He’s been using Precision Planting technology for the past 10 years.

“We’re really trying to help them maximize their potential and address the mechanical issues that they’re seeing today,” Matt Grove, region manager for Precision Planting, said.

“Now everything’s electronic on the screens. We know what seeds are coming out, we know what depth we’re at, we know how much moisture’s in the soil, we know how much residue’s in the soil,” Siegert said.

The conference highlights the latest developments in the world of agronomy. There were sessions on fertility, pest management, and selecting seeds.

“As we look at the agronomic benefits, there’s things we can’t control, weather, markets, different things like this, but if we can help add tools to the toolbox, they can utilize among all the other processes they have today,” Grove said.

Farmers say they never imagined technology would come this far, and they say the new equipment makes their jobs a lot easier.

“I couldn’t hardly believe it. I used to go out and we’d plant 2,500 acres and it took us 21 or 22 days to plant it, now we go out and plant 5,000 acres and we’re done in 9 days,” Siegert said.

“We really want to make sure the agronomic and economic benefit are in conjunction and have a true impact to their operation,” Grove said.

“It’s crazy how efficient they’ve made it for us, less manpower, but now with manpower, you have to have people who are capable of running all this equipment,” Siegert said.

He encourages younger people to attend conferences like this and keep up with the latest developments.

“It’s really going well.  I didn’t know where this technology is all going to go. It’s shocked me in my lifetime,” Siegert said.

The conference will continue Jan. 17.