If you’re considering variable rate technology on your farm, Pam Haege-man has some friendly advice.
Don’t be intimidated by variable rate consultants because you know more about your farm than they do.
“I know too many guys who are too timid and just leave everything to the experts,” said Haegeman, a precision farming specialist with the Manitoba Zero Till Research Association.
“You’re not giving your farm over to them, you’re working with them.”
Haegeman shared this advice Feb. 18 during a presentation at the Manitoba-North Dakota Zero Tillage Farmers Association workshop in Brandon.
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Joining Haegeman in the presentation was Dan Hacault, a producer from Swan Lake, Man., who agreed with the need for a balance between grower knowledge and consultant expertise.
“The consultant you get might only have some near infrared images, or some true colour images, and he’s trying to sell you a package,” said Hacault, who plans to grow 2,000 acres of canola and wheat this year on his farm.
“But if you’re not sitting down with him and going over those maps, he’s just going to take that limited amount of data and create a prescription map from that …. The consultants now, and I don’t know if that’s including soil testing, they can charge up to $10 per acre. So, even on a 1,000 acre farm that’s $10,000.”
However, Hacault is not a critic of variable rate technology. He adopted the practice in 2005 and has seen definite benefits on his farm.
“Sixty bushel per acre canola is priceless,” said Hacault, who noted most producers can afford the equipment needed for precision agriculture, including GPS, yield monitors, flow controls and software.
More of Manitoba’s producers, at least zero till growers, have recognized the benefits of variable rate, said Lindsay Coulthard, farm and extension manager for the Manitoba Zero Till Research Association.
“With the zero tillers, there is an encouraging move toward the variable rate fertilizer,” said Coulthard. “Once they get the equipment in place, the benefits are there.”
Hacault, who described his computer skills as basic, was able to integrate his knowledge with a consultants’ expertise to come up with a variable rate plan for his farm.
Using a GPS and separating a field into zones based on soil types, he created a makeshift prescription map. The expert helped him build on that knowledge and use software to produce a more comprehensive map of input needs.
“When you start layering data, some of the data manipulation gets very complex,” said Hacault.
“If you (hire) a consultant or agrologist that’s familiar with that software, it becomes easier.”
For growers who haven’t installed variable rate technology but are curious, Haegeman suggested starting with variable application of one product, like nitrogen.
But before a producer runs out to the nearest dealer with a credit card, it’s a good idea to acquire more knowledge.
“Go to a workshop or talk to a consultant. There’s a lot of good consultants out there right now,” she said.
“A first workshop would be a good idea … because it does explain why having good GPS is important and explain all the different information you can gather about your field.”
