Growers Perspective
Grower’s Perspective is GiSC’s blog reporting from the intersection of the county road and the information superhighway.
Nebraska – Where Data will Matter
When a trip is well thought out it usually ends well. It was just a couple of decades ago when everyone used a paper map to plan their travels. Google was not on anyone’s phone to view it all virtually, so most people did not do a lot of fact-checking. Having Good...
Yield Map Analysis-Best time?
Post Harvest Yield Analysis As harvest for many growers is winding down, the planning process for next year is just beginning. Which begs the question--when should an individual begin analyzing yield maps from the most recent harvest season? Our most recent...
Pro-Active Farmers Find Success
Generations of farmers have faced challenges before them by embracing new innovations, such as mechanical harvesters, crop genetics, and more recently auto-steer technology. Today’s farmer is obviously no different. Farming today is challenging with low commodity...
Cooperatives Returning Value to Their Members Since the Start
In 2017, Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue proclaimed October to be National Cooperative Month. Cooperatives touch everyone’s life in some aspect, since there are 2,106 agriculturally based coops in the nation, with more than 2 million member-owners. This is...
The Farming Dilemma: “You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know!”
I am a farmer and I understand the need for independence and the desire to let the world know that we are full of grit and perseverance. We can stand against the onslaught of hail, drought, disease, and insects. Every year brings a new set of problems and we must solve a riddle daily, what is the best use of the next 15 hours of daylight if we are to bring a harvest from the seeds we planted. Howard Buffet, in his book about food scarcity and world hunger, 40 Chances, made me contemplate the number of times I get to test my farming ability.
Why IBM-Innovative Tools Coming to Ag
By: Billy Tiller CEO/Founder GISC In the Fall of 1983 I started my sophomore year at Texas Tech University, majoring in accounting. I saw my first computer and it was a Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) Rainbow 100. I did not know anything about DEC except that it...
How To Find Independence To Trust Your Ag Data
By: Billy Tiller Founder/CEO GISC How often is the question asked, “Is it possible to get unbiased information in the world of agriculture today?” Many digital decision-making tools are owned by Big Ag, so the answer seems to be–NO. If the source is not Big Ag, then...
The End of Agronomy in a High Tech World
By: Ken Cassman, Chief Agronomy Officer, Main Street Data What is agronomy? Agronomy is an applied ecological science that seeks to optimize production of food, feed, fiber, and bioenergy through use of crop and soil management practices that are profitable, protect...
Not Everything Invented In Digital Ag Can Be Useful
By: Billy Tiller Founder/CEO GISC I am borrowing this often-said phrase from others because it is true: “Ag is a small room, but I would not want to paint it.” I proceed with caution here, even though a part of me sometimes would like to hit “reset” and start over...
Precision Agriculture Perspective of Big Data Quality
By: Ron LeMay CEO Main Street Data Pardon my bluntness but it is time for the debate regarding the need for “precision agriculture” to end. Farmers cannot afford not to adopt precision agriculture and the world needs the productivity increase it can produce. The...