Multipurpose tractor helps farmers harvest potatoes without cuts

Bimini1002016-12-24T14:41:24-05:00

By :Laban Robert Potato farmers can now harvest their crops without injuries, which accelerate rotting and reduced selling lifespan, with the new cheap hand-pulled multipurpose tractor from the King-Bird machineries.The company’s Marketing Manager Caleb Michael said the tractor also known as the Power Tiller enables farmers deal with post-harvest losses arising from cut potatoes.“More than 20 per cent of potatoes go bad after harvests because of cuts, which allow for entry of destructive micro-organisms. The potato harvester component [...]

August 4, 2016 Uncategorized Comments OffRead more...

5 things to know about new drone rules

Bimini1002016-12-24T14:41:38-05:00

FAA publishes new rules that hit the 'sweet spot' for agriculture UAV use By: Willie Vogt This week the Federal Aviation Administration has released its new rules for the operation for unmanned aerial vehicles, and while you may be reading some grousing by some industries over this first pass on operation; for agriculture the rules are basically nothing but good news. We talked with Thomas Haun, executive vice president, PrecisionHawk, who offers some insight into those rules, and we picked up [...]

August 2, 2016 Uncategorized Comments OffRead more...

Three reasons why we can win the fight against poverty

Bimini1002016-12-24T14:42:37-05:00

  In this week's newsletter we wanted to share an inspiring video of Andrew Youn from One Acre Fund; he speaks about his experience on how he has  helped farmers achieving better income delivering 3 simple farm services that allow them to be a lot more productive, all this being environmentally and financially sustainable and without big investments. We hope you'll enjoy it.      

August 1, 2016 Uncategorized Comments OffRead more...

Tanzania to get mobile apps for soil testing

Bimini1002016-12-24T14:44:24-05:00

Kenya-based Capture Solutions has announced plans to extend its business to Tanzania by introducing various mobile phone applications, including the use of mobile phone applications that help farmers in improving their productivity levels The company is aiming to launch the app in Dar es Salaam in September 2016. The firm’s managing director, Lawrenzo Boncompagni said that some of its proposed services include kits for testing soil fertility and providing data on weights and measurements of farm products. “Wherever a farmer is located, [...]

July 29, 2016 Uncategorized Comments OffRead more...

3 Important Trends Impacting Agriculture Today

Bimini1002016-12-24T14:44:35-05:00

By:Greg Guse As a student of agriculture for nearly 40 years, I’ve seen lots of things come and go. Good times and bad times. Things like ethanol, biotechnology and genetic research that have literally changed the course of the industry. Very recently, I’ve noticed several trends occurring that will drastically impact agriculture for the next few years. These trends are: a generational shift among ag producers, accelerated impact of technology and data, and even greater global influence. A Generational Shift I was [...]

July 26, 2016 Uncategorized Comments OffRead more...

Tracking Expenses is Key to Financial Success

Bimini1002016-12-24T14:44:48-05:00

Creating and sticking to a budget can be difficult for families with a regular income, but it’s even trickier for farm families, since the business is tied so closely to the household. Income varies widely from month to month and year to year, and so do expenses. Even though many of those variations are seasonal, it’s impossible to predict what will happen. “Household expenses are usually small relative to business expenses,” says Janet Bechman of Purdue University’s Department of Consumer [...]

July 21, 2016 Uncategorized Comments OffRead more...

What Happens if You Pay Crop Insurance Late?

Bimini1002016-12-24T14:45:00-05:00

Former Successful Farming editor Loren Kruse once said, “The check for crop insurance is the hardest one to write.” It’s understandable because when you write and mail that check, it is often abundantly clear that there are no substantial crop loss and no indemnity payment to offset the premium. Some buyer’s regret comes with writing a check for something you don’t use, but write the check you must, if you want to continue to have crop insurance. Of course, your [...]

July 19, 2016 Uncategorized Comments OffRead more...

Data Aggregation – understanding what it means

Bimini1002016-12-24T14:45:12-05:00

Explaining how this important management tool can work for your farm. By: Willie Vogt In the past five years, one key word has made its way into the farm vocabulary - data. For some it's a four-letter word in the worst sense of the meaning, given that it's an item that needs a whole new kind of management. Yet there's one phrase that often comes along with data - data aggregation. And understanding what that means may help you better [...]

July 14, 2016 Uncategorized Comments OffRead more...

Robots are coming to agriculture

Bimini1002016-12-24T14:45:24-05:00

By Lux Research Even though cost continues to remain a barrier to adoption, robots are finding their way into agriculture, threatening to alter the landscape of farming across the world, according to Lux Research. “Currently robots often aren’t affordable – cost remains the most significant barrier to adoption,” said Sara Olson, Lux Research Analyst and lead author of the report titled, “Planting the Seeds of a Robot Revolution: How Autonomous Systems Are Integrating into Precision Agriculture.” “However, the costs of many systems [...]

July 12, 2016 Uncategorized Comments OffRead more...

App Helps Control Harvest Pain Point

Bimini1002016-12-24T14:45:36-05:00

By: Laurie Bedord Logistics during harvest can be a major pain point for many growers. “Specifically, managing grain truck fleets to ensure they get back and forth to the field in a reasonable time is a challenge, especially when elevators get busy,” says Julian Sanchez, Director, John Deere Technology Innovation Center. “Farmers tell us they are often asking themselves, “Where are my trucks? Is there at least one truck on the way back? What are wait times at nearby elevators?” To alleviate the [...]

July 8, 2016 Uncategorized Comments OffRead more...