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New Technology Comes to Farmers in Douglas County

Submitted by Mark Bareither, Resource Conservationist, Waterville

Auto-Steer, using GPS technology, is fast becoming the wave of the future in Douglas County. Two years ago only one producer was using the equipment. Today over 30 farmers have purchased and are using this new technology. Some are portable that can move from one tractor to another, others are plumbed directly into the steering column. Many more plan to purchase the system in the near future as the costs come down and reports of up to 10% savings in input costs are confirmed by those using auto-steer. Auto-Steer reduces overlap and eliminates skips in the field. Overlap varies from operation to operation, but averages 4-6 feet. Skips commonly occur on windy days when dust blowing toward the front of the tractor makes driving in a straight line impossible, or driver inattention.

"It’s the biggest thing that has come along in agriculture in Douglas County in years” said Randy Mittelstaedt, local grower. “I can do more work, more efficiently, with less input of fuel, seed, fertilizer, and chemicals, and that means lower costs. I figure I paid for the system after the first two years.” This is especially important in today’s’ farm economy of rapidly rising prices of producing wheat in a dryland wheat fallow system. There is also less operator fatigue. “I have more quality time with my family, I’m not as tired or exhausted when I get home in the evening,” he said.

You don’t have to worry about following a mark when you plant or a foam marker when you spray. This unit also allows continued operation regardless of the visibility conditions (day or night). While differences in the auto-steer units are available on the market, all use a GPS-based guidance system that is plumbed into the steering mechanism of the tractor.

After the first pass through a field, an on-board computer automatically calculates where each pass needs to be to match up perfectly with implement width. After turnaround, once the computer locks onto the next path, the auto-steer takes over the tractor’s steering. Anytime you take the steering wheel and turn it, you over-ride the auto-steer system and it once again becomes manual.
                                                                                               
Other technology being used in fallow areas that will one day be used by Douglas County farmers is Weed Seeker-Spot Spraying equipment. Weed Seeker sensors detect green weeds in fallow ground. They work by measuring infra-red reflection from chlorophyll in plants.

There is an individual sensor for each nozzle across the boom. When chlorophyll is detected, the spray nozzles switch on as the boom passes over the weed. As soon as the sensor no longer detects chlorophyll, the nozzle is switched off again, so herbicide is not applied to bare fallow ground.

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