TREMONT, Ill. – Efficiency in the field is the main focus of a conference in Tremont this week that is bringing in farmers from across North America.
Farmers from the United States and Canada, as well as watchers virtual locations across the country, are descending on Precision Planting’s Winter Conference.
Product Engineer and farmer Luke Stuber says making a profit and getting the most out of your tools is one of the top concerns for farmers in 2025.
“Commodity prices were significantly dropped over the course of 2024, input prices have stayed up, equipment prices have stayed up, so it’s really all about how do I drive efficiency on my farm,” Stuber said.
Several technologies showcasing efficiencies were on display in Tremont. One of the newer technologies on display uses cameras on field sprayers to detect weeds.
Stuber says that leads to chemicals being saved by not spraying spots on fields that are weed-free.
“You’re seeing 50-60% type chemical reductions with this sort of technology,” Stuber said. “You’re seeing around $20-30 an acre of cost saving. So if you take that over a 2,000 acre grower, you can talk $40,000 to $60,000 that they didn’t spend on chemicals.”
Stuber says it also has a positive impact on the environment by using less chemicals.
The technology comes with touch-screen monitors to control spray pressure, camera sensitivity, and amount sprayed.
Another piece of technology on display is an automatic soil analysis lab, which can display fertility levels. Stuber says it can tell a farmer how much fertilizer they need to place on specific portions of their fields to get the most return on their investment.
The conference runs through Friday.
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