THE 17th Precision Agriculture Symposium of Australasia will feature farmer, associate professor and agronomist Lucas Haag from Kansas, USA as this year’s international keynote speaker, thanks to funding from the GRDC.
Lucas runs Haag Land and Cattle, a 10,000 hectare mixed cropping and cattle enterprise on the Nebraska-Kansas border with his brothers and parents. Their cropping rotation includes corn, wheat, grain sorghum, field peas and millet in a semi-arid environment.
Precision technology adoption has been key to the Haag’s operation beginning with the introduction of yield monitors in 2003. Since then technology has improved to whole farm, field level, and site-specific decision-making with on-farm research used to quantify the return on investment of PA technologies.
Lucas is also the district agronomist with Kansas State University, conducting research and extension, specialising in the application of precision agriculture in dry land cropping systems.
His recently completed PhD focused on alternative planting geometries for dry land corn and grain sorghum to stabilise and improve yields in water-limited environments.
During the symposium he will be outlining his experiences using and developing PA technologies for dry-land cropping systems. This includes the use of yield mapping, variable rate applications and decision-making tools and their interactions with agronomic and economic factors.
SPAA chairman Neale Postlethwaite says delegates will find many benefits from attending the event.
“The best thing about attending PA symposium is not only hearing about the cutting edge research into PA that is being done around the country, but the opportunities to quiz presenters about how and why they are doing it," he said.
“We have some practical farmer presentations that highlight both the benefits of PA and some of the challenges as well. There will be plenty of opportunity for people to raise questions and to challenge speakers on the direction their projects are going."
Eighteen other speakers will present delegates with a range of precision agriculture topics aimed at farmers, researchers and consultants working with grains, stock or grapes. The symposium will showcase recent developments in areas such as agricultural robotics for
weed management, satellite advancements, crop sensing for nutritional inputs, livestock monitoring and more.
Symposium delegates will also enjoy plenty of networking opportunities through tea and lunch breaks over the two days. A free social event – PA Connections – will follow Tuesday’s formal proceedings, followed by a 2-course dinner.
The symposium is on Tuesday September 2 and Wednesday September 3 at AAMI Stadium.
To register for the symposium and dinner, download the registration form available at www.spaa.com.au/events.php.
