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The Precision Farming Primer
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The Precision Farming Primer is based
on
Precision farming involves doing the right
thing, in the right way, at the right place and time. It isn't just
a bunch of pretty maps for visceral viewing, but mapped data and a set of new
procedures linking these data to appropriate management actions.
The Precision Farming Primer discuss the innovative software applications and
their role in precision farming and site-based management. The global
positioning system (GPS) positions a tractor within a few feet anywhere
in a field. On-the-fly data collection devices provide continuous data
logging of crop yield and variable rate control units alter the amount of farm
inputs as needed. Working in concert, these intelligent devices and
implements (IDI) effectively apply seeding rates, fertilizers and
herb/insecticides, among other inputs, precisely where they are needed for both
economic and environmental gains. Geographic information systems (GIS)
are used to store, display and analyze these data. It provides the link
between crop productivity and field conditions used in constructing
"prescription maps" for effective planning and management of farm
activities. Of the three underlying technologies (GPS/GIS/IDI), the
extension of GIS from simply pretty maps to map analysis is the least
understood, yet holds the greatest promise to revolutionize farming practices.
The Precision Farming Primer describes
a comprehensive approach to precision farming consisting of four parts.
The early discussions are concerned with the nature, accuracy and application
of the two types of spatial data used in precision farming¾ continuously logged data, such as yield measurements and discrete
point data, such as soil samples. The third part of the book
discusses the procedures of mapped data analysis used to derive
relationships between farm outputs (yield map) and the inputs (maps of soil
properties, nutrient, terrain and other factors). The final portion of
the book investigates spatial modeling approaches that use site-specific
relationships to determine appropriate management actions. The book is
available for online viewing at www.agriculture.com.
CD disk and hardcopy versions with tutorial software and exercises are planned
for spring 1999.
This book is ideal for farmers, crop
consultants, farm input advisors, technology developers and scientists who are
interested in a basic understanding of the concerns and considerations
surrounding precision farming. The concepts are presented in an informal
manner designed so the reader can grasp the broad issues and then delve into more
detail, even to the algorithm level.
Joseph K. Berry is president of Berry & Associates // Spatial Information Systems, Inc.(BASIS), consultants and software developers in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology. He has authored over two hundred papers on GIS, and since 1976, presented hundreds of workshops on its implementation and applications. He is a columnist for GeoWorld magazine and Successful Farming’s @gInnovator newsletter, as well as the author of the popular books Beyond Mapping and Spatial Reasoning. Formerly, Joe was an Associate Professor and the Associate Dean at Yale University's Graduate School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and is currently a special faculty member at Colorado State University. He holds a bachelor's degree in forestry, a master's degree in business administration and a doctorate emphasizing remote sensing and land use planning.