Episodes
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Brett McArtor joins the show to talk about how he using SWAT MAPS in his role as senior research associate at Corteva Agriscience. Since graduating from Iowa State, Brett has remained focused on working directly with farmers to perform trials and research projects on their operations. His work has always involved farmer-led science to determine how new products fit into management systems and how they affect the bottom line.
“What does variability within a field mean? I mean, every field has variability, but to what degree is that variability? And is it yield limiting? Is it something that we need to make a decision on? And that's where that boots on the ground part comes in, where we're, we use that SWAT data to go back out, identify what's actually going on in that field.” - Brett McArtor
Brett dives into why and how a company like Corteva Agriscience is using precision ag technology, and why SWAT MAPS in particular.
00:00 How Brett thinks about field variability
00:32 Assessing the degree and relevance of variables in a field
00:36 Impact on yield and decision making
00:40 Field analysis with SWAT data
Learn more at SWATMAPS.com
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Paul Sullivan (Twitter/X) joins the show to talk about the challenges he and his farmers are dealing with in his area of Eastern Ontario. We discuss some really interesting population trials that he’s doing, fertility issues coming off years of high fertilizer prices, and what difference SWAT MAPS has made for him and his farmer customers.
“When we look at yield, yield is a component of kernel number times kernel weight, and that gives us basically yield per acre. So with the definition of the SWAT MAPS we feel those yield components, we can kind of connect the genetics with the water supplying capacity in addition to the management of the farm.” - Paul Sullivan
Paul is a certified crop consultant and agronomist in Eastern Ontario. He has operated his agronomy services firm, PT Sullivan Agro, since 1997, and started using SWAT MAPS in recent years. His area of the province, which is just outside of Ottawa, is mostly corn, soybeans and wheat. Paul’s work focuses on developing crop plans around nutrient management, pH, pesticides, and some genetic recommendations as well.
Before starting the business, Paul spent eight years as a soil and crop advisor with the ministry of agriculture and food covering three counties with the provincial extension group there. So he has a long history of working directly with farmers to solve agronomic problems.
00:00 Welcome to SWAT Agronomy Podcast
00:26 Introduction to Today's Episode
00:55 Meet Paul Sullivan
02:23 Paul's Agronomy Journey
02:49 Early Challenges and Solutions
04:48 Soil and Fertility Issues
06:18 Managing Crop Residue
08:28 Adopting SWAT MAPS
14:47 Population Trials and Hybrid Management
21:03 Impact of SWAT Maps on Business
23:20 Conclusion and Farewell
Learn more at SWATMAPS.com
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Episodes manquant?
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In this episode of the SWAT Agronomy podcast, Derek Rude, VP of Research and Development at Croptimistic Technology, discusses the evolution of precision ag technologies like SWAT MAPS and SWAT CAM. The conversation touches upon the development of precision agriculture tools, advancements in soil mapping, challenges in scaling SWAT MAPS, the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning models, and the introduction of SWAT CAM for crop and weed imaging. Derek highlights the importance of data integration, higher resolution soil sampling, and future improvements using AI and autonomous technologies to enhance efficiency and agronomic decision-making.
“The real value is tying that data back to the SWAT zones. Because we know all of these critical properties: the soil properties, the water properties of these SWAT zones. So now we can really better explain what the SWAT CAM data is telling us, because we have that foundation, that SWAT foundation. So we can go take some pictures of some fields and show some variability. That's cool. But until we tie it back to the SWAT foundation, it doesn't have that big value that it does now.” - Derek Rude
00:00 Welcome to the SWAT Agronomy podcast
00:33 Introduction to Today's Episode
01:49 Meet Derek Rude: Background and Experience
02:37 Challenges and Innovations in SWAT Technology
03:24 The Evolution of SWAT BOX
04:21 SWAT BOX Features and Advancements
07:24 Integrating AI and Machine Learning
10:48 SWAT CAM: Crop and Weed Imaging
12:07 Future Directions and Challenges
18:12 Adoption and Feedback on SWAT CAM
22:19 Autonomous Soil Sampling and Ground Truthing
28:56 Final Thoughts and Contact Information
Learn more at SWATMAPS.com
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We have a really special episode for you as we sit down with Les Henry. Retired in 1996, Les is a professor emeritus at the University of Saskatchewan, a private consultant, and farmer. He is a renowned soils expert and in 2010 he released a lighthearted book about his passion for soils titled “Henry’s Handbook of Soil and Water”. He has taught and mentored many farmers, agronomists and ag professionals over the years, and his impact on the industry cannot be overstated.
In today’s episode, Les reflects on his career milestones including conducting soil surveys, helping farmers solve problems like soil salinity, teaching and research he has done both in Canada and abroad, his 48 years of writing, his views on farmer-led research and extension and much much more.
“At the end of the meeting, a farmer got up and said, 'you told us what we already knew in language we couldn't understand and took all day to do it. And he was right! So on the way home, I said to my department head, we have to do something different here. That was something I'll remember forever.” - Les Henry
1:56 Henry’s background and how he started his career
3:06 Working on soil surveys and getting started in teaching
4:12 The importance of listening to farmers
6:30 Henry’s work on salinity
12:24 The five years Les spent on soil surveys
13:44 Work in soil fertility
15:44 What’s different from what he used to teach about soils?
19:36: Writing “Henry’s Handbook of Soil and Water”
23:15 The top takeaway from Les’ writing
25:18 Research needs to start with a real problem
26:00 Recent writing on cover crops
28:00 Variable rate and SWAT MAPS
34:03 Government interference
35:36 What Les is most proud of
37:50 Doing things “My Way”
Purchase a copy of “Henry’s Handbook of Soil and Water”
Learn more at SWATMAPS.com.
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Tyler Kessler joins us to discuss his independent agronomy consulting business in Southern Saskatchewan. The company provides a range of agronomic and precision agriculture services for farmers who want to optimize yield, improve soil health, and reduce environmental impacts. They are also a service provider of SWAT MAPS. Before incorporating Kessler Ag Ventures in 2015, Tyler worked in ag retail for eight years and spent a couple of years with an ag chemical manufacturer. He says in those days he wasn’t seeing a lot in precision ag that convinced him it was really adding a lot of value to farmers. That was of course until he discovered SWAT MAPS. Tyler shares his pursuit in helping farmers with agronomy and technology, using SWAT MAPS, on-farm trials, and a whole lot more.
“We're doing a lot of research and development on our own, so seeding rate, fertility responses, herbicide. We're breaking new ground and our network of consultants and the network that Croptimistic has continues to share their information and knowledge….We've got a great map now. We've gotta match the agronomy on the best map there is.” - Tyler Kessler
2:17 - Meet Tyler Kessler who discusses his independent agronomy consulting business and how he got involved with SWAT MAPS
3:50 - Discover how clients encouraged Tyler to investigate and eventually incorporate SWAT MAPS into his offerings
4:59 - Understand the vetting process Tyler did to insure SWAT MAPS would be a good fit for both his business and clients
5:59 - Hear how Tyler not only has added SWAT MAPS to his business but also uses it on his own operation
6:37 - Explore the geographic variability Tyler finds on each field for each client and the insight SWAT MAPS provides him to accommodate for that
8:04 - Understand the barriers of ag tech adoption for some producers and how Tyler works around and with them
8:56 - Explore the protocol Tyler uses for incorporating SWAT MAPS into his services with a grower
10:03 - Discover how Tyler continues to expand his agronomy consultant business and client list in his region
11:10 - Learn how Tyler’s job has changed with ever emerging technology over the last ten years
12:47 - Explore what other ag tech Tyler has incorporated into his client offerings and what he sees being developed to help his growers
13:47 - Learn about various ag tech products that were not a good fit for Tyler’s business and clients and how he identified them
15:09 - Understand the new technologies Tyler is exploring and the network he has developed with Croptimistic to get his producers the best combination of products and technology
16:42 - Discover the relationship that has to be forged between producers and agronomist to optimize success on the farm
17:55 - Explore the variables Tyler has found that make a big impact for producers and the methods he’s using to maximize production
19:46 - Understand the ROI Tyler has experienced for his business after adding SWAT MAPS to his services
20:52 - Learn about what issues are top of mind for Tyler’s producers in 2024
21:53 - Discover what direction Tyler anticipates new technology is headed in and how he plans to use them going forward
Learn more at SWATMAPS.com.
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Trav Hair is based in Horsham, Victoria and has worked in ag for 20 years. He’s part of the agronomy team at Crop Opti Services and works closely with research and development companies at their trial site bringing new products to market. As well as looking after his own agronomy clients, Trav also works with machinery companies to help growers utilize their machinery purchases to enable them to achieve better results through the technology these machines provide. Trav shares the value they’re finding in both SWAT MAPS and the SWAT CAM, and the big strides they are making with variable rate herbicide applications.
“Any person that's stepping into precision ag, if you're doing it to save money, I think you're doing it for the wrong reason. I think stepping into precision ag is a really good platform to get a better return on investment and actually make more money at the end of the day.” - Trav Hair
2:49 - Meet Trav Hair and discover where he is from and his journey into his current role at Crop Opti Services
5:43 - Explore how Australia’s agriculture practices have stayed at the forefront of precision ag practices in development and use
7:39 - Discover the origins of mapping in the area and the pitfalls in execution and understanding prior to the use of SWAT MAPS
9:24 - Learn about the practicality of installing and using SWAT MAPS technology and the many data sets produced by them
10:37 - Explore the process from acquiring data from the SWAT MAPS to making practice changes on each individual field and operation
12:17 - Understand the economics involved in employing spot spraying technology and the amount of financial benefit some producers are achieving
15:52 - Discover the barrier to adoption for different options for “See and Spray” technology including machines, technology and chemical variety
18:45 - Learn about the catalysts that best encourage producers into exploring this technology and discovering its benefits
22:10 - Explore how variable rate fertilizers may be the best way to initiate variable rate technology onto an operation that hasn’t previously used it before. Variable rate herbicides and seeding rates are likely to follow.
26:03 - Discover the advantages SWAT CAM have provided Crop Opti Services and the producers they support
29:45 - Learn about where Trav feels precision ag will go in the future and how it has and will influence the industry going forward
As always you can learn more at SWATMAPS.com
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Nebraska farmers, brothers, and co-owners of JTM Ag, Trent and Justin Mastny join us to talk about their search for a system that would serve their farm better. They also discuss how JTM Ag now helps other farmers in the area take their variable rate technology to the next level through SWAT MAPS. They now combine the precision of SWAT Maps with soil and tissue sampling through Agronomy 365 and BW Fusion and have had some remarkable results. They go on to share about research they’ve been doing on population economics, experiments they’re conducting on their own farm, and their early impressions of the SWAT CAM technology.
“So what we're trying to do is we're not necessarily trying to save people's seed, we're just trying to put those dollars in areas of the field where it's gonna return their money better. So in our wetter areas, our zones seven, eight, nines and tens, we are trying to push those populations. And then as Justin said, in those lighter areas, 25, 26,000 to still get that average of 29 to 30,000. That's really what we're after… We're just trying to relocate those dollars to make you more money in those areas.” - Trent and Justin Mastny
2:12 - Meet Trent and Justin Mastney and their search for a system to better serve their farm and find out how they landed on SWAT maps.
2:26 - Discover what led to the formation of JTM Ag and what precision ag options including SWAT maps they are able to offer their clients
4:14 - Explore their personal farming operation and how they have incorporated new technologies and practices into its management
5:19 - Learn about the impact of pursuing efficiency with dry fertilizer on their operation and the benefits they have observed
6:21 - Discover how the benefits and results of SWAT maps quickly overcame their initial skepticism in using the SWAT suite of tools and how they help other producers come to the same conclusions with trials of the technology
11:14 - Explore the financial ramifications in the use of precision technology and the revenue it can generate for the producer
14:14 - Learn the many different conditions and land variability the SWAT map can account for and allow the producer to adjust his practices to best support
15:28 - Discover how JTM Ag introduces SWAT maps to an operation and the fees associated with it
16:36 - Explore what Trent and Justin feel are still challenges they are facing on their operation and how they are mitigating those issues
19:28 - Explore the ongoing research, trials and experiments Trent and Justin are conducting on their land to evaluate future technologies
22:30 - Discover what SWAT Cams are and how they can be used to benefit operations
25:53 - Hear the advice Trent and Jim share with other producers exploring practices in precision agriculture
Follow Trent Mastny @TrentMastny and Justin Mastny @JMastny27. As always you can learn more at SWATMaps.com
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A1 Agronomy owner and operator Anita Renwick joins us to discuss her independent agronomy business in Manitoba. A1 provides soil sampling programs and in-season agronomy services in the southwest corner of the province as well as parts of southeast Saskatchewan. Born and raised on a mixed cattle and grain farm in Southwest Manitoba, Anita studied agronomy at the University of Saskatchewan. She ultimately decided to start A1 Agronomy for growers interested in maximizing the yields and looking for unbiased advice. She shares the need she saw for independent agronomy in the area, how she is helping some farmers adopt precision agriculture for the first time, and what a difference this more detailed approach is making in yields and profitability.
“That's just an example of being able to add complexity to the decision making and just really bring in the detail on those specific fields, because it's not every single field that's going into this crop that's getting this treatment. It's just the fields where this is relevant and this is a potential issue and we're trying to ensure that we do everything that we can to get the yield that we think is possible out there. So yeah, just a more detailed approach.” - Anita Renwick
2:12 - Meet Anita Renweck and explore the background she had which led her to founding A1 Agronomy
4:22 - Explore the unique benefits in hiring an independent agronomist and how the SWAT Maps program can augment their offerings
5:32 - Learn about the crops Anita primarily works with and what determines which crop is best suited for the area
6:29 - Explore the introduction of precision agriculture to producers in the area who might not be using it yet and what makes it appealing to their operations
10:50 - Understand the journey to incorporating precision agriculture in an operation and how Anita navigates that with her clients through data
11:39 - Learn about the biggest challenges Anita faces along side her clients including salinity and how precision agriculture has affected its management
16:45 - Discover the success Anita has found with precision agriculture in her business
18:44 - Explore what the future holds for A1 Agronomy and the challenges Anita expects to face
20:20 - Understand the growth of A1 Agronomy overtime and the team Anita has cultivated
23:09 - Look to the future with Anita and where she expects technology and producer needs to go
Check out what Anita is up to at a1agronomy.ca or on twitter @a1agronomy
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Agronomist Deb Campbell of Agronomy Advantage joins us to talk about her work in Ontario, Canada. Deb has a great perspective as a Certified Crop Advisor who has worked directly with farmers for many years. As you’ll hear, she not only runs a thriving business, but also has been very involved on the Certified Crop Advisor Board of Directors, the Provincial Soil Action Group, AgScape, and many other entities. Deb talks about some of these responsibilities, and of course her thoughts and experiences with precision ag tools.
“We're running very quickly into a deficit of people in this industry, in this channel, from start to finish and thinking that we're gonna do that all with robotics and computers, I think is a fallacy. So trying to cultivate that next generation to spark some interest in pursuing agriculture from the perspective of CCAs, just I'm very passionate about that and trying to open doors for young people to get them started.” - Deb Campbell
1:50 - Meet Deb Campbell and learn about the Agronomy Advantage clientele and how she has integrated SWAT maps into their offerings for clients3:56 - Get to know what technological opportunities producers in her area have available and how she helps clients choose which products will work best for them5:43 - Explore her journey into precision agriculture and how she came to find and use SWAT Maps. 8:41 - Understand the pitfalls with yield data and the difficulties producers face with trusting their results10:46 - Discover Deb’s journey from employee agronomist to independent business owner managing her team14:48 - Deb shares her involvement in the Certified Crop Advisor of Ontario Organization and the mentoring program she helped to implement there18:26 - Explore the Ontario Agriculture’s Soil Health and Conversation Strategy, who was involved in its development, the goals it is pursuing and the actions it supports going forward24:45 - Discover how soil zones can also give insight into pest management
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Learn more about SWAT MAPS: https://swatmaps.com/
Evan MacDonald's Twitter and LinkedIn
Senior Precision Agronomist Evan MacDonald joins us to talk about water, potatoes, and some of his research in Prince Edward Island in Eastern Canada. In addition to working full time for Croptimistic Technology, Evan began pursuing his PhD with a project focusing on variable rate seed spacing in potatoes. He now has two years of data from trials showing variable rate seeding can significantly impact potato farmer profitability. His journey has been one of identifying missing pieces of the puzzle when it comes to precision ag and then trying to find and validate those pieces. And that’s what ultimately led him to SWAT MAPS.
“All in all over two years in my trial sites, it was a benefit of about $170 an acre Canadian with a variable rate seeding strategy. So I think the economic return is definitely there. We can manage these areas of our field a little bit differently just by tweaking spacing. It's not like we're putting extra fertilizer down or something. All we're doing is just kind of changing the distribution of the seed across the field.” - Evan MacDonald
2:06 - Hear about Evan’s background and his journey to Croptimistic Technology including a role in the department of agriculture and drone imaging where his focus was the impact topography and soil erosion had for producers.
4:41 - Evan explains the benefits of drone technology but also the limitations of their use and how they are a tool to be used but not solely relied upon
6:35 - Gain an understanding as to how Evan researched the use of drone imagery to predict crop yield resulting in a correlation found between the topography and water distribution to better yielding areas
7:30 - Discover how Evan first found SWAT MAPS, what appealed to him about their use and how he was able to introduce them to potato crops
9:30 - Evan explains the difference in approach and value between grid sampling and SWAT MAPS and where both can be best utilized
11:05 - Explore the benefits in managing risk, reduced inputs and higher yields Evan has observed with producers that employ SWAT MAPS
13:51 - Learn more about Evan’s research into variable rate seeding and the economic impact that technique can have
17:44 - Evan discusses the soil building crops commonly used in rotation with potatoes and the additional benefits they offer
19:11 - Discover more ways research is exploring the potential of precision agriculture focusing on variable rate irrigation
24:24 - Evan shares the potential for variable rate seeding using drone technology and the benefits of satellite imagery and the improved resolution producers are experiencing there especially when used in conjunction with SWAT MAPS
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Josh Lade farms along with two other families north of Saskatoon, SK where they raise wheat, canola, peas, lentils and barley. Josh grew up on Kangaroo Island in Australia, on a sheep and seed potato farm. Upon moving to Canada over 12 years ago, Josh found a keen interest in the technology side of the business. He joins us to talk about precision weed control, his experience with the SWAT CAM, and harvest weed seed management.
“That's going to be a way that I feel that we can really prove to the wider population that we need these chemicals to be sustainable in a way that we don't have to go back and till everything, but we're putting them where we need them. We're not putting them everywhere.” - Josh Lade, Saskatchewan farmer
Follow Josh on Twitter
On Today’s Episode:
2:05 - Meet Josh Lade and discover his journey from growing up in Australia to farming with variable rate technology in Canada
3:45 - Learn how Josh has integrated newer variable rate technologies on his operation and how alkaline soils motivated him to pursue it
05:38 - Explore the unexpected benefits Josh encountered while evaluating and mapping soils including different levels of sulfur and how that helped balance the additional cost of having the soil maps created
9:44 - Discover the future benefits which affects his seed rates and input expenses that Josh has been able to achieve as he continues collecting and monitoring the data generated by SWAT maps
9:39 - Learn about the SWAT CAM used by Crop Pro and how easy it is to use and the value it provides producers like Josh for kochia management
13:53 - Hear about the value in harvest weed seed control and the use of the seed terminator that helps reduce the influence of weeds in the soil seed bank
17:31 - Explore the already realized financial benefits to these technologies
21:52 - Josh discusses how technology is best introduced and evaluated for use on his operation to determine if it will be a good investment and fit
26:54 - Josh shares some parting words of advice for any producers thinking about exploring precision agriculture and how best to introduce it
Make sure you subscribe to this show on your podcast platform of choice. You’ll find the SWAT Agronomy Podcast on all of them: iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, etc.
If you have a question you want answered on a future episode, send it to us on Twitter using the hashtag #SWATAgronomy.
The SWAT Agronomy Podcast is brought to you by SWAT MAPS, and hosted by Tim Hammerich.
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ServiTech’s Rob Swieter joins the show to talk about their new partnership with SWAT MAPS. This alliance will provide farmers with enhanced tools for informed decision-making on their farms through the practical application of high-resolution soil maps, data, process, machinery, and agronomy knowledge. ServiTech provides independent crop consulting and laboratory services throughout Iowa, where Rob is located, but also in Texas, Kansas, Colorado, and Nebraska. Rob and I discuss how he looks at zone management, what led to becoming a SWAT MAPS partner, how the current conditions are impacting farmer perspectives on variable rate technology.
“I wanted something that was the tip of the spear, as I like to say, the industry leading solution. And that's what SWAT MAPS provides. So it's a turnkey solution. They've got everything figured out. It works perfectly. It provides the highest quality zone map possible in my opinion. And it works for what we're trying to do.” - Rob Swieter, Iowa Territory Leader with ServiTech
On Today’s Episode:
1:54 - Meet Rob Swieter and hear about the background he brought to ServiTech when he joined them as territory leader last year
3:07 - Discover why ServiTech is partnering with SWAT MAPS and how zone management can greatly benefit their customers especially with variable seed and fertilizer rates
7:17 - Explore what ServiTech has to offer producers and their history as an independent crop consultant company and laboratory
9:44 - Learn about the unique characteristics of Iowa that producers need to adjust for making ServiTech’s services very valuable
10:50 - Explore the local interest in Iowa into zone mapping and the limitations they may have experienced in grid sampling prior to employing SWAT MAPS
12:24 - Hear about how Rob introduces the use of management zones based on proper data layers to producers who may not be aware of their benefits
13:30 - Learn about the logistics of using a SWAT box and how the ServiTech agronomists use and apply it to different operations
15:04 - Discover how the influence of input prices has increased the interest in zone management and variable rate technology
16:32 - Explore the SWAT Academy and the onboarding process for the ServiTech team
17:42 - Learn who is the ideal ServiTech customer and the broad customer base they serve
Make sure you subscribe to this show on your podcast platform of choice. You’ll find the SWAT Agronomy Podcast on all of them: iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, etc.
If you have a question you want...
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In this episode we are joined by Brad Dunnington of Croptimistic Technology. Brad was the first employee when he joined the company in 2008 and is now the SWAT MAPS manager based remotely in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Brad processes raw data from a SWAT BOX into SWAT MAPS for an agronomist to ground truth, and then use for soil sampling. This then becomes a prescription file or controller file for a farmer to apply variable rate products in their field. We explore how data collected in the field becomes a useful map for farmers and agronomists and what it took to develop this product over the years, to what it is today.
“The SWAT MAPS we make now are far superior to what we used to make. It's easier to make SWAT MAPS in certain areas than it is in others. Luckily, we started where we did, because it was a lot easier. Then that helped us develop new techniques for making maps.” - Brad Dunnington SWAT Maps Manager for Croptimistic Technology
On Today’s Episode:
2:08 - Meet Brad Dunnington and learn the experiences that led him to working at Croptimistic Technology.
4:06 - Explore the process of taking data from a SWAT BOX and converting it to SWAT MAPS
5:23 - Discover the progression of equipment, technique and technology with soil mapping for SWAT MAPS
8:39 - Learn the pitfalls of mapping prior to smartphone technology and how Brad was able to turn a mistake into a new customer acquisition
9:20 - Hear about the initial software now known as ADMS that Brad started with and continues to use to produce maps for agronomists
10:11 - Discover the benefit of SWAT RECORDS and the process agronomists will use to continue their analysis
11:24 - Explore how agronomists use multiple SWAT MAPS to evaluate the soil quality and determine what approach they should take for their client
12:45 - Brad gives us an example of how SWAT MAPS are used in his area of Eastern Canada
13:44 - Discover the advantages Brad can offer his clients by having extensive experience in agricultural map making
16:04 - Explore the growth and expansion of the company, the techniques and the technology of Croptimistic Technology
Make sure you subscribe to this show on your podcast platform of choice. You’ll find the SWAT Agronomy Podcast on all of them: iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, etc.
If you have a question you want answered on a future episode, send it to us on Twitter using the hashtag #SWATAgronomy.
The SWAT Agronomy Podcast is brought to you by SWAT MAPS, and hosted by Tim Hammerich.
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Jonathan Freeman introduces us to SWAT WATER and the significance of this tool - especially in irrigated agriculture. Before joining Croptimistic, Jonathan worked as an inhouse agronomist for a large sugar company where he also managed their precision ag program. He has nearly two decades of experience in water resource management, and has worked in multiple countries in southern Africa as well as New Zealand and Australia. We will explore the ins and outs of irrigated agriculture including some specialty crops like sugar, avocados, and macadamia nuts. Irrigation goes beyond just moisture monument Irrigation contributes greatly to nutrient movement and ultimately a crops success
“I think the consensus at the end of the day is that your soil moisture level, and also how that soil moisture interacts with your various soil types and soil conditions is really what is driving, your crop productivity. ...So that really was the segue from SWAT MAPS to then include SWAT WATER as a measure of saying how much water is available.” - Jonathan Freeman, precision agronomist and soil water specialist with Croptimistic Technology
On Today’s Episode:
2:16 - Discover the variation between the agriculture industry in Southern Africa versus North America
4:06 - Explore the origin of SWAT WATER and how Jonathan was introduced to and eventually joined SWAT MAPS
5:40 - Learn about SWAT WATER's process and capabilities
7:13 - Jonathan explains the value in adding soil texture data and organic matter data to soil sampling analysis
8:36 - Discover the practical application and impact of SWAT WATER for producers
12:44 - Learn about the irrigation management options SWAT WATER offers
14:20 - Understand the significance of water management as being closely tied to nutrient management
18:50 - Explore the different inputs and how they can be tailored to the soils needs based on water movement
20:56 - Jonathan shares the frequently asked questions in regards to SWAT WATER and maximizing its benefits
22:57 - Learn how the data acquired from SWAT WATER can help in irrigation design
26:38 - Understand how introducing mapping to an operation can focus on the individual concerns of that operation and allow for more efficient production
SWAT WATER Global Launch Video
Make sure you subscribe to this show on your podcast platform of choice. You’ll find the SWAT Agronomy Podcast on all of them: iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, etc.
If you have a question you want answered on a future episode, send it to us on Twitter using the hashtag #SWATAgronomy.
The SWAT Agronomy Podcast is brought to you by SWAT MAPS, and hosted by Tim Hammerich.
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Our conversation today covers Wes Anderson’s extensive agronomy background as the vice president of agronomy at Croptimistic Technology. We will discuss the opportunity he saw with SWAT Maps, what’s happening with SWAT water and some of his thoughts on the role site-specific agronomy in some of the carbon and sustainability metrics that are being discussed in agriculture.
Wes was originally hired by Crop Pro Consulting three years ago as the first employee in Alberta, and has since grown the business to servicing around 70,000 acres in the province. As the company shifted strategy to license their technology to agronomy service providers, his role changed to vp of agronomy for Croptimistic. In this capacity, Wes and his team support the agronomists and partners around the globe who work with SWAT Maps and the SWAT ecosystem of products.
“I always say before you can manage it, you've got to first map it and then you’ve got to measure it. And until you map it and measure it, it's hard to manage it. So we have all these amazing tools. What really gets me excited every day to come to work is seeing the opportunity to combine multiple technologies to provide value.”
- Wes Anderson, vice president of agronomy at Croptimistic Technology
On Today’s Episode:
1:59 - Discover Wes’s background in agriculture and his experiences that led to crop science and agronomy
3:50 - Learn about the opportunity Wes got to participate in in Australia and what differences he observed in the agricultural practices there
5:59 - Wes shares how he was first introduced to SWAT Maps and how he became involved in their operation
7:09 - Explore the benefits SWAT Maps has brought to Wes’s ability to help producers
9:41 - Hear about how Wes integrates the SWAT Map technologies with other tools to create a cohesive integrated plan for his clients
11:59 - Learn what makes SWAT Maps unique and stand out from its competitors
13:07 - Discover the benefits of SWAT water and how it can contribute to an operation’s productivity
19:49 - See how precision agriculture techniques can be altered and applied once mapping and testing is performed
22:01 - Learn about the effects of varying organic matter in soil composition
23:55 - Explore the groundtruthing process and how that is incorporated into the mapping process
25:11 - Wes shares answers to common questions he receives including measuring carbon and managing nitrous oxide emissions
29:50 - Discover the SWAT Maps onboarding protocol for agronomists
Follow Wes on Twitter @fielddirt
Make sure you subscribe to this show on your podcast platform of choice. You’ll find the SWAT Agronomy Podcast on all of them: iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, etc.
If you have a question you want answered on a future episode, send it to us on Twitter using the hashtag #SWATAgronomy.
The SWAT Agronomy Podcast is brought to you by SWAT MAPS, and hosted by
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In this episode we are joined by Mike Palmier and Jeff Bennett. We dive into how these two collaborate and use technology to improve Jeff’s operation agronomically. You’re going to get some great insights into this approach, how they’re balancing agronomy with logistics, and how they’re integrating multiple technologies to capture the synergies between them.
Mike is the owner/operator of Max Ag Consulting, which specializes in field scouting services and works with technology providers like SWAT Maps and Crop Intelligence soil moisture probes. Jeff is a 4th generation farmer who has been farming full time for the past eight years in the Dodsland, Saskatchewan area. Jeff grows a variety of crops including lentils and canola. Because of their collaboration, Mike is able to test new techniques and protocols on Jeff’s farm which offers a great chance for all of us to learn from their experiences and journey into variable rate technologies.
“There are times where I will add a product like a zinc on a zone one and four on a field, so a hilltop and upper slope, and not put it anywhere else in the field. We're putting in higher rates, more meaningful rates, getting good yield response in year one with doing that, but actually not spending as much money as we would be if we did that nutrient over the entire farm.”
- Mike Palmier, Owner/Operator of Max Ag Consulting
On Today’s Episode:
1:56 - Discover what sparked the friendship and collaboration between Mike and Jeff and how their relationship has evolved over time
3:58 - Jeff shares his introduction and journey into variable rate technology and the data his farm is producing
3:45 - Mike shares his approach and goals for Jeff’s farm resulting in a compilation of data over years to analyze and create the most efficiency
9:36 - Jeff shares the pitfalls and limitations of relying on incomplete data and variables out of his control. He goes on to describe what tangible information he finds highly valuable when using variable rate technology.
12:39 - Explore the use and integration of Crop Intelligence moisture probes with SWAT maps while evaluating crop potential and making adjustments to additives.
17:31 - Learn how Jeff balances his pursuit of data with his bottom line, amount and type of inputs and making his operation financially successful.
22:58- Explore what the future holds for their collaborative efforts using variable rates and SWAT MAPS
Follow both our guests on Twitter @MikePalmier and @JeffBennett44
Make sure you subscribe to this show on your podcast platform of choice. You’ll find the SWAT Agronomy Podcast on all of them: iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, etc.
If you have a question you want answered on a future episode, send it to us on Twitter using the hashtag #SWATAgronomy.
The SWAT Agronomy Podcast is brought to you by SWAT MAPS, and hosted by Tim Hammerich.
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Mark Huso of Huso Crop Consulting and Soil Testing joins us in this episode. Mark and I talk about how he’s working with farmer customers during this dry year they’ve had in North Dakota, how he’s training the next generation of agronomists, the technology he finds useful, what he’s still learning about salinity, and some of his thoughts for the future of agronomy.
Mark started his own company about 10 years ago doing independent crop consulting after working in ag retail. He works with a variety of crops in the area including cereal grains, canola, corn, edible beans, soybeans and sunflowers. Mark attributes some of his success to developing a support network so he can always be learning and growing. He says he has benefited greatly from relationships he has with other independent crop consultants in the area.
“If you’re in agronomy, have a support network…. It's great to be the leader, but it's also great to understand that there are other good leaders out there and know what they know and understand what they are trying to tell their customers at the same time.”
- Mark Huso, Huso Crop Consulting and Soil Testing in Lakota, North Dakota
On Today’s Episode:
1:52 - Learn Mark’s background and what led him to becoming an independent crop consultant
3:13 - Discover the network Mark has established between his company and other local agronomists to better serve the producers in their area
3:45 - Explore this years challenges for agronomists in the North Dakota region and what adjustments he is recommending for producers to account for them
7:06 - Hear about how the use and adoption of technology has changed over the years including the use of variable rate techniques
8:38 - Explore how Mark has employed SWAT MAPS and how it has benefited his clients
9:28 - Discover what other new technologies Mark has used and found success with including the use of software on Ipads, new data-input techniques and zoned sampling
11:48 - Learn about how Mark has incorporated agronomy interns into his business model and the hands on experience they get from being a part of his program
17:26 - Hear about the trials Mark is involved with and how they analyze those results
18:17 - Discover how Mark handles salinity issues and what new techniques he is exploring and learning from
20:36 - Hear about what solutions Mark feels technology may provide going forward
22:21 - Learn what advice Mark wants to share with other agronomists entering the field
Follow Mark Huso on Twitter @HusoCrop
Make sure you subscribe to this show on your podcast platform of choice. You’ll find the SWAT Agronomy Podcast on all of them: iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, etc.
If you have a question you want answered on a future episode, send it to us on Twitter using the hashtag #SWATAgronomy.
The SWAT Agronomy Podcast is brought to you by SWAT MAPS, and hosted by Tim Hammerich.
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Alberta farmer Landon Friesen runs Southman Ag Ventures in Crystal City, Manitoba. He farms canola, wheat, edible beans, sunflowers, and flax with his dad and brother. In this episode, he joins the show to talk about his journey into precision agriculture, how he’s using drones, what he’s looking for in new technology.
“(Our grandfathers) didn't farm with technology. I can just imagine how annoyed they'd be with us to see a tractor worth $500,000 sitting on the edge of the field as we're waiting for it to reboot the monitor so we can drive in a straight line or, you know, do these applications…So I always think about that when we think of efficiency and keeping moving and will this technology make my farm more efficient? Will it help? Or is it just going to cause me problems and delays?”
- Landon Friesen, Southman Ag Ventures in Crystal City, Manitoba
On Today’s Episode:
1:53 - Learn what was Landon’s personal journey that led him back to the family farm
2:49 - Discover how he has made drone technology pay for itself on his operation
5:26 - Hear about how much training is involved in becoming proficient at piloting a drone.
6:07 - Explore Landon’s introduction to technology and his preferences for new technology going forward
8:12 - Discover what technology was not as successful as others on the Southman Ag Ventures operation
9:02 - Learn about how the use of data has always been important on their operation and how the new tools in technology are facilitating that all the more now
9:24 - Hear about how Landon was first introduced to variable rate technology and the process he took to integrating it in his system with SWAT MAPS
16:37 - Landon identifies where his water was accumulating and what he could do with his equipment to help it flow more efficiently
19:18 - Learn about what Landon feels would be the best technology going forward
20:39 - Explore the value in tissue testing and the benefits Southman Ag Ventures have found with the additional testing
22:51 - Hear about where Landon goes to learn about new farming techniques and to improve his practices
Follow Landon Friesen on Twitter @Landon707
Make sure you subscribe to this show on your podcast platform of choice. You’ll find the SWAT Agronomy Podcast on all of them: iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, etc.
If you have a question you want answered on a future episode, send it to us on Twitter using the hashtag #SWATAgronomy.
The SWAT Agronomy Podcast is brought to you by SWAT MAPS, and hosted by Tim Hammerich.
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Today on the SWAT Agronomy Podcast Tim interviews Josh Messer, a certified crop advisor with AgIntel Agronomy Consulting. Josh grew up on a farm in North Dakota and started his career in ag retail. After taking a national agronomy role, he missed the one-on-one interactions with growers, so he started AgIntel a few years ago.
“We don't have to accept the status quo for what it is. Start gathering information and start questioning whether or not what we've been told for years and years is actually the right answer. Collect your own data, validate it. In some situations it may be the right answer, but it's not in all.”
- Josh Messer, Certified Crop Advisor with AgIntel Agronomy Consulting in North Dakota
Josh Messer goes on to share about his independent agronomy consulting business. We talk about how he tries to thread the needle between agronomics, economics, equipment, and soil health with his farmer customers. We discuss everything from strip tillage to management zones to his technology stack to even a tangent into soybean phytohormones, and everywhere in between.
On Today’s Episode:
1:43 - What is your approach to agronomic consulting?
3:31 - Can you give us an example of adjustments you might recommend? What type of equipment modifications would need to happen?
5:32 - How do you determine the potential ROI an adjustment might have for a grower?
8:54 - Do you address one problem at a time? How do you decide what to attack and when?
9:46 - Why didn’t you like zoning imagery prior to SWAT maps?
11:53 - What do you do to get baseline data? After getting a SWAT map, what else will you do to get started?
12:58 - What is your process as far as the technology you use to get started?
15:19 - What data do you turn to to try to determine where the bottleneck is in production?
18:46 - How do you grow your business while still providing the level of service for the standard you’ve already set?
21:12 - How much more can new technology grow your business?
23:08 - Do you work with irrigated acres as well?
24:58 - If you were to get on a soap box in a room full of fellow agronomists, what topics would be important to talk about?
26:54 - Do you run on farm trials throughout the growing season when looking at new products for your growers?
28:14 - If you’re given the opportunity to go back and farm full-time, is it something that you can see yourself doing?
Make sure you subscribe to this show on your podcast platform of choice. You’ll find the SWAT Agronomy Podcast on all of them: iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, etc.
If you have a question you want answered on a future episode, send it to us on Twitter using the hashtag #SWATAgronomy.
The SWAT Agronomy Podcast is brought to you by SWAT MAPS, and hosted by Tim Hammerich.
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On today’s episode, Tim continues his conversation with Cory Willness, President of CropPro Consulting and Croptimistic Technology. Today we share more questions sourced from social media on topics such as precision agriculture and SWAT MAPS.
“If you don't have that real solid connection to the ground, your best technology in the world is not going to perform to its fullest potential.” - Cory Willness, President of CropPro Consulting and Croptimistic Technologies
This show will feature people from a variety of backgrounds and geographies and interests in agtech and agronomy, but for now we are continuing our conversation with Cory Willness. I got him to answer some of your questions in part one, and we continue those in this episode with questions like: what’s the learning curve like for a new tech-enabled agronomist? And what’s coming next for precision agriculture? And what’s happening behind the scenes with all of this data?
On Today’s Episode:
1:36 - Could SWAT MAPS be used to map soil borne disease pressure in a field?
3:31 - How does the industry look at precision ag from an input provider standpoint?
13:20 - Does data analytics have a role in managing increased volatility of yield from climate change?
20:44 - With SWAT MAPS, you’re collecting all this data. You’re using it to help the farmer but what happens on the other end? Who owns it? What's the agreement on the data side with SWAT MAPS?
Make sure you subscribe to this show on your podcast platform of choice. You’ll find the SWAT Agronomy Podcast on all of them: iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, etc.
Tune in for part two with Cory to hear more interesting questions about precision agriculture technology. If you have a question you want answered on a future episode, send it to us on Twitter using the hashtag #SWATAgronomy.
The SWAT Agronomy Podcast is brought to you by SWAT MAPS, and hosted by Tim Hammerich.
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