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FARMERS DISCUSS
PRECISION AG
STRATEGY
Precision Farmer Panel explores precision agriculture
techniques implemented on their operations
RYAN RIDLEY
FARMS.COM
Attendees of the 2020 Farms.com Virtual Precision
Agriculture Conference & Ag Technology Showcase
tuned in to the Precision Farmer Panel – a farmer
favorite – at the end of the three day event on
November 19.
The expert panel featured four farmers who are
implementing precision ag techniques on their
operations and shared their experiences with
conference attendees:
Clinton Monchuk – Monchuk Farms
Grain and layer operation in Saskatchewan
as well as cattle ranch in Oklahoma
Justin Hiebert – Hiebert Farms Ltd.
Farm corn, soybeans, wheat and some
asparagus in Long Point, Ontario
Mark Brock – Shepherd Creek Farms Ltd.
Grain and oilseed operation and produce
lambs for the Ontario red meat market in
Hensall, Ontario
Beau Jacobson
Jacobson Farms and President of Premium
Ag Solutions in the United States
Monchuk Farms
The session kicked-off with Clinton Monchuk who says
the top priority at Monchuk Farms is to improve soil
health.
“From our soil, everything else happens. Our aim
is to always improve the soil,” said Monchuk. “My
background is economics, so I always feel that you
can’t manage what you don’t measure.”
Soil profiling is something that is continuously done at
Monchuk Farms.
“This little bit of better soil profiling every year on each
piece of land, we find gives us a better edge in terms
of being able to adapt to where we need to go,” added
Monchuk.
Using a mid-row banding system for its planter,
Monchuk Farms directly injects NH3 into the furrows
which lowers the loss of nitrogen. The farm is also
using precision openers for seed and seed placed
fertilizer, as well as a Trimble 2050 display system.
“We use a Trimble 2050 which allows us to have our
variable rate in there, as well as our sectional control.
Working through the numbers, it saves us roughly
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PHOTO: Ridofranz/iStock/Getty Images Plus
