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

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. 

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 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. 

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. 

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. 

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 Tim Hammerich. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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.