TECHNOLOGY HELPS COLORADO OPERATION IMPROVE PRODUCTION AND MAXIMIZE PROFIT POTENTIAL

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1 SUMMER 2017 TECHNOLOGY HELPS COLORADO OPERATION IMPROVE PRODUCTION AND MAXIMIZE PROFIT POTENTIAL Silver Reef Organic Farms Wellington, Colorado In Northern Colorado, the majority of seasonal water comes from adjudicated wells and from purchased or rented water from ditch companies both sources can be expensive. With adjudicated wells, there is usually a limit on the amount of water you can pump every year. And, in the case of ditch water, we must project our water needs before the season starts, said Amanda McGee of Silver Reef Organic Farms. If we underestimate our needs, we are out of luck. There is no additional water to be rented after the season starts. And that, McGee said, is one of the reasons FieldNET by Lindsay is an important part of the 2,300-acre operation near Wellington, Colorado. FieldNET allows us to monitor our water use throughout the season, which gives us a better estimate for how much water to rent for the following season, McGee said. continued next page 1

2 The industry s leading remote irrigation management solution, FieldNET also gives Silver Reef s irrigation manager the ability to view and control the operation s 18 pivots from almost anywhere. We have fully integrated FieldNET into our operation through the use of the apps on our phones and tablets, as well as a dedicated officebased computer, McGee said. Our irrigation manager is able to monitor the pivots throughout the day and make changes easily and efficiently without having to drive to each pivot. The alerts and safety features of the technology allow us to address issues before they escalate to potentially costly repairs. McGee added that FieldNET has also resulted in meaningful labor savings. FieldNET has helped our bottom line through labor savings, because we no longer have to walk or drive out to each pivot every time we need to change or move direction, she said. We ve also seen electrical savings, because we are now able to start and stop the pivots exactly when we need to, rather than overshooting or having to sit and monitor. FieldNET is just one of the new technologies utilized at Silver Reef Organic Farms. They also use Variable Rate Irrigation and drone technology to improve production. All of our fields have electromagnetic profiles, which show extreme variables in soil types, she said. Variable Rate Irrigation allows us to manage each soil type individually and adjust to reflect holding capacities and run-off potential. The ease of FieldNET s VRI dashboard allows us to make these changes quickly based on our weekly field health monitoring system. Their weekly system includes both on-the-ground and birds eye views of their fields. Walking the fields is effective to find trouble areas, but inefficient to cover every acre, every week, she said. Our drone uses near infrared imagery to give us a green index of our crops showing us where there are areas of concern or areas that are growing well. With the help of this technology, the growers at Silver Reef were able make one of their trouble fields more profitable. The field has significant changes in slope and elevation, as well as extreme variations in soil types, McGee said. In 2016, the bottom half of this field was planted to corn silage. Our first drone flight showed that we had some significant areas of crop health. At that time, our water schedule was a baseline 1-inch without changes in variable rate. We found that in the areas of lower holding capacity, this rate was effective. But in areas of higher holding capacity, this rate was too much, and it was causing the roots to drown. A VRI prescription with the necessary adjustments was designed for the field and within a few weeks the crop health profile became more uniform. continued next page Electromagnetic Profile July August 2

3 Due to the extreme variations in soil profiles, this field has historically produced no more than 16 tons of organic corn silage per year, McGee said. Because we were able to use VRI through FieldNET, we produced 25 tons of organic corn silage, which equated to about $500 per acre more in gross revenue. We want to be the best farmers we can be with what we have. We ll use technology with our equipment, tractors, irrigation and data to become the best, he said. The data that we receive helps us better understand our farm s capabilities, so that we can make informed decisions to maximize profit potential. IA DEALER CONTACT: Quality Well & Pump U.S. Hwy 85 LaSalle, CO Website: Owner Greg Schreiner said he and his staff will continue to implement new technologies as part of their commitment to being good stewards of the land. For more information about FieldNET by Lindsay, Growsmart by Lindsay Precision VRI and other new irrigation technologies, talk to your local Zimmatic dealer or visit SILVER REEF FARMS Website: LinkedIn: Silver Reef Organic Farms LLC 3

4 REVOLUTIONARY IRRIGATION MANAGEMENT TOOL OPTIMIZES IRRIGATION THROUGH BETTER DECISION MAKING A groundbreaking new tool from FieldNET by Lindsay is taking irrigation management to a new level. FieldNET Advisor is a new smart irrigation decision support tool that is integrated into the existing FieldNET remote management platform. This FieldNET-exclusive capability incorporates the grower s existing field data and massive amounts of data from several high-quality third-party sources. It leverages patented and proprietary technologies derived from proven crop-science to deliver valuable information to make faster, betterinformed irrigation decisions helping to maximize profitability per acre. By providing recommendations to help growers know when crops need irrigation and how much water to apply in every zone throughout the field, FieldNET Advisor helps simplify and add confidence to growers irrigation management decisions. Further, due to the seamless integration with FieldNET, growers can put those decisions into immediate action and monitor their progress via the integrated remote control and monitoring functionality provided by FieldNET. Field trials have shown the financial benefits, as well. FieldNET Advisor helps maximize yield potential by keeping crops at an ideal moisture level throughout their development avoiding both water stress and overwatering. This also reduces input costs and increases yield potential by avoiding the leaching of key nutrients in the soil and saving unnecessary pumping costs and water usage. FieldNET Advisor is a gamechanger for growers and the irrigation industry, said Brian Magnusson, vice president of technology products at Lindsay Corporation. This innovative solution uses FieldNET s industry-leading remote irrigation management platform to drastically simplify and automate the use of proven irrigation scheduling methods, which are backed by more than 40 years of research, to help growers decide precisely when, where and how much to irrigate. In a single map or list view, you can see the most critical information across all your fields, including current soil water depletion, recommended next irrigation start date and application depth recommended to avoid crop stress. Magnusson said FieldNET Advisor provides growers with continuously updated, science-based irrigation recommendations that are customized for each field. After entering the field s crop type, hybrids and planting dates, FieldNET Advisor will: Track the available soil water throughout the field by combining a soil map of the field, proprietary dynamic crop canopy and root growth models, the most accurate hyper-local weather data available, and the applied irrigation history. continued next page 4

5 Create a high-resolution map showing the amount of water available to the crop on a 5-meter grid across the entire field. Forecast the crop s future water needs and predict when and where, without additional irrigation, the yield will begin to decline due to water stress. It also calculates the amount of yield that would be lost due to the stress, which varies based on the crop s development stage and the severity of the stress. Automatically generate Variable Rate Irrigation (VRI) prescriptions, which are continuously updated to account for soil variability throughout the field, as well as the dynamically changing crop water requirements and root growth, season-to-date and forecasted weather and the up to the minute as-applied irrigation. Provide growers the ability to immediately put their irrigation decisions into action by controlling their pivots and monitor their progress via the full integration with FieldNET. CROP DEVELOPMENT Before FieldNET Advisor, growers typically had to manually track the critical variables at each growth stage. FieldNET Advisor automates this process and removes much of the guesswork from irrigation decisions, which helps maximize yields while reducing water usage and other input costs. In field trials conducted last growing season, FieldNET Advisor demonstrated its value to growers delivering critical, science-based information to help determine when to run the irrigation system and how much water to apply. One of the tests, conducted on corn fields in north central Nebraska, showed that FieldNET Advisor delivered a three percent yield increase, while using 17 percent less water than the control field resulting in almost $35 per acre increased profit. This incredibly powerful new tool takes the hassle out of irrigation and helps growers better optimize their irrigation management Magnusson said. FieldNET Advisor gives growers information that s based on years of proven crop research to help them make better-informed decisions about when to run their irrigation systems and how much water to apply helping improve yields while reducing overwatering and the related input costs and nutrient losses. Magnusson added that for growers who already have FieldNET remote monitoring and control equipment installed on their pivots, FieldNET Advisor requires no additional hardware or sensors. IA For more information about FieldNET Advisor, talk to your local Zimmatic by Lindsay dealer or visit fieldnetadvisor.com. FieldNET Advisor delivered a three percent yield increase, while using 17 percent less water than the control field resulting in almost $35 per acre increased profit. CROP WATER USAGE ROOT DEPTH 5

6 GROWSMART IM3000 MAGNETIC FLOW METER OFFERS UNPARALLELED VALUE by Woodie Zhao, President, GloTech Corporation Coral Springs, Florida It s a growing trend in rural America more and more local water districts are requiring growers to add flow meters to their irrigation systems to monitor groundwater usage. Magnetic flow meters ( mag meters ) are generally the preferred option, as they have proven to be more accurate, reliable and maintenance-free than traditional turbine meters. But with more than a dozen manufacturers that offer mag meters for the irrigation market, how do growers know which one is best for their operation? When choosing among the different mag meter options, we recommend growers consider the following critical product features: 1. Reliable measurement accuracy that meets or exceeds local regulations 2. Quality and durability to withstand harsh, outdoor environments 3. The cost and ease of installing the meter in the field With a robust and heavy-duty design, the Growsmart IM3000 delivers a unique combination of all three key features: accuracy, durability and, unlike many competitors, ease of installation. While experts agree that optimal measurement accuracy typically requires long run of straight pipe upstream of the meter, a recent study shows that the IM3000 delivers exceptional accuracy even when installed with little or no straight upstream pipe. The study, conducted at Utah State University, showed that the IM3000 s accuracy can be maintained to within +/- 2%, even when close coupled to a turbine pump discharge. These exceptional results are the best of any meter on the market. It means that growers can typically avoid the high installation costs often associated with retrofitting existing pipe layouts to meet the more stringent straight pipe requirements necessary for other meter brands to deliver a similar level of accuracy. Our biggest obstacle when installing flow meters is staying within the state s straight pipe guidelines on existing pump stations with extremely small Our biggest obstacle when installing flow meters is the state s straight pipe guidelines... It s nice to know they (Growsmart IM3000 flow meters) can be installed with much tighter straight pipe distances and still be extremely accurate. footprints. Moving pump pads, indives, trust blocks, booster pumps and fittings can get very expensive, said Brice Beck of Butte Irrigation, Inc. We have been installing the Growsmart IM3000 since 2014 with good results. It s nice to know they can be installed with much tighter straight pipe distances and still be extremely accurate. This can save the grower a lot of money and the welder a lot of time if they don t have to redesign and fabricate the entire pumping plant to make room for the meter. IA For more information about the Growsmart Magnetic Flow Meter, including its performance relative to straight pipe requirements, contact your local Zimmatic dealer or visit 6

7 FIELDNET EXPANDS PIVOT CONTROL LINE OF PRODUCTS PIVOT CONTROL LITE OFFERS SIMPLE, AFFORDABLE REMOTE IRRIGATION MANAGEMENT FieldNET by Lindsay has added a new product to its industry leading line of remote pivot monitoring and control solutions Pivot Control Lite. This innovative product provides growers with a simpler, more costeffective option for remote monitoring and control of existing center pivots. An end-of-pivot mounted controller, Pivot Control Lite delivers many advanced irrigation management capabilities that previously were only available with more expensive and complex solutions. Pivot Control Lite is the simplest and most economical way to add remote control and monitoring capabilities to center pivots, said Reece Andrews, product manager and FieldNET business manager at Lindsay Corporation. This lower cost option is the perfect solution for growers who don t need or want some of the more premium capabilities that come with the full FieldNET Pivot Control solution such as remote start. Pivot Control Lite is designed for retrofit on virtually any brand or model of electric center pivots. The many advanced capabilities in this compact yet powerful solution gives growers the ability to: Check the status of their pivot anytime from virtually anywhere via smartphone, tablet or computer Receive immediate and customizable text message alerts when the operational status of the pivot changes Remotely change the application depth, reverse or stop the pivot, control the end-gun and run variable rate plans Utilize FieldNET Advisor, the only fully-integrated smart irrigation management solution that delivers recommendations on when, where and how much to water Consolidate different brands of pivots onto one universal remote interface, so all irrigation equipment can be monitored and controlled via the same FieldNET web portal and mobile applications Easily transfer the equipment from one pivot to another on leased or rotational land This is an especially great solution for growers with leased land where they have no ownership of the pivot but want the benefits of remote monitoring and control, Andrews said. Its location at the last tower makes it extremely simple to install any time of the year. Pivot Control Lite also comes with an optional cable theft detection Pivot Control Lite is the simplest and most economical way to add remote control and monitoring capabilities to center pivots... package, so even when the pivot is powered off, Pivot Control Lite will be actively monitoring the span cable. Thieves can strip miles of cable very quickly and often go unnoticed, Andrews said. With cable theft detection, an or text alert will be sent when a disruption in continuity is detected. This is valuable, real-time information that can be passed to law enforcement or neighbors to prevent further theft. IA For more information about Pivot Control or Pivot Control Lite, talk to your local Zimmatic by Lindsay dealer or visit 7

8 DEALER VIEW NEW ZEALAND NATIVE INVESTS IN THE FUTURE OF MONTANA AGRICULTURE Brett Severinsen s journey toward becoming a successful Zimmatic dealer began rather atypically actually, it began nearly 8,000 miles away. I m originally from New Zealand raised on a sheep and cattle operation on the North Central Island. I also spent time working on the South Island before traveling to the U.S. in 1987, Severinsen said. At that time, I was part of an agriculture exchange program that sent me to a ranch near Bynum, Montana. I loved the ranching life, but after a while I felt led to do something different. I then worked for Greyn Fertilizer for a while and later I began my own business building houses which is what my granddad had done in New Zealand. It was during that time that Brett met his now wife, Missy. Married in 1999, they have six children and live near Fairfield, Montana today. Brett has always been the kind of guy that can figure anything out. I love his ability to see what things can be, said Missy. We look at things from different angles and that can be challenging, but he s able to put things together and make them work. That ability makes it easy for him to design irrigation projects big and small. Their full service Zimmatic dealership, Severinsen Irrigation, is located in the north central part of Montana. When it opened, there were 86,000 irrigated acres in the region and no local Zimmatic dealer. I felt like I was a good fit as a dealer for the area, he said. And, because we re a full service Zimmatic dealer, we have also become certified to sell other Lindsay products including Watertronics pump stations, Growsmart Precision VRI, FieldNET and other plug and play add-ons. The only family owned and operated irrigation business in the area, the Severinsen team is made up of four full-time staff members Brett manages sales, service and designs; Tyler Strutz completes the service work and fills in where needed; Jeff Thompson, the owner/operator of Western Sky Enterprises, does the welding and other projects; and Missy is in charge of the books and computer-related part of the business. In addition, Shelby Strutz, Tyler s wife, fills in at the office on a part-time basis, when needed. We are a small, local business and when you do business with us, you do business with the owner, Severinsen said. We love what we do especially visiting with farmers and ranchers and finding the best irrigation solutions for their operations. Severinsen also is involved in an irrigation research project at Montana State University s North Ag Research Center (NARC), which focuses on water saving technologies. He and his team designed the center pivot irrigation system and installed two Zimmatic pivots, a Watertronics pump station, a weather station, soil sensors and Variable Rate Irrigation all monitored and controlled remotely through FieldNET. We re excited about the research NARC can now do with the Growsmart variable rate irrigation system to identify crops that use water more efficiently to help Montana growers and I wanted our Zimmatic pivots to be a part of this project, he said. IA DEALER CONTACT: Severinsen Irrigation 2231 Hwy 89 Fairfield, MT Phone: Fax: Website: Facebook: Severinsen Irrigation LLC Irrigation Advances is published at the corporate office of Lindsay, Omaha, Nebraska, for the educational purposes of growers, customers, dealers and employees. Editorial correspondence should be directed to Brian Magnusson, Editor, Irrigation Advances, Lindsay, 2222 N. 111th St, Omaha, NE Questions or comments are welcome. Call Brian Magnusson at Lindsay. All rights reserved. All brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Lean, Clean and Green. Lindsay Corporation is committed to developing environmental awareness and implementing sustainable practices to reduce the use of and protect energy, water, and all other resources. 8