NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665

December 3, 1998

Precision Farming Advances Give New Tools for Teaching and Research

Advances in computer mapping and global positioning systems are giving North Dakota State University specialists new tools for managing natural resources and improving farm management.

"This technology has become a key element in much of our on-campus and extension education efforts," says John Nowatzki, a water quality specialist in the NDSU Ag and Biosystems Engineering Department. The two primary tools are geographic information systems (GIS) computer programs that can be used to prepare maps that can contain vast amounts of information about specific areas. Global positioning systems (GPS) are satellite guidance systems developed by the military that are now used to guide everything from outdoor enthusiasts to fertilizer spreaders.

"These two systems give us very powerful sources of information that can be used for research and decision-making," Nowatzki says.

As an example, Nowatzki notes that he and NDSU water quality specialist Bruce Seelig use geographic information system mapping programs to explain and display assessment systems that predict potential contamination of water by agricultural chemicals. Seelig has developed assessment systems for pesticide contamination of surface and groundwater in North Dakota, and is currently developing similar assessment systems to predict potential contamination by nitrates.

Agricultural producers or others directly involved in applying pesticides or nitrates can use these computerized assessment systems to prepare maps of their fields. The maps will display areas of the fields in different colors based on the sensitivity of the area to the chemical. The assessment systems are based on detailed soil survey information available for each county in North Dakota. Individuals can access information for several North Dakota counties on the Ag and Biosystems Engineering homepage at http://www.ageng.ndsu.nodak.edu:83/.

The following counties are currently on this site: Dickey, Golden Valley, Griggs, McIntosh, Ransom and Williams. Rolette and Towner counties will be added later this month. Nowatzki is also working with Extension irrigation engineer Tom Scherer to prepare detailed maps of irrigable soil in North Dakota.

Global Positioning Systems technology is being used by Extension agricultural engineer Vern Hofman in precision agriculture applications. Hofman has developed educational programs to explain and demonstrate GPS and GIS technology uses for crop yield monitoring and soil fertility testing. Hofman and Extension soil science specialist Dave Franzen are demonstrating precision agriculture techniques at the USDA Agricultural Research Station in Mandan, N. D. In the Red River Valley, they are demonstrating sugarbeet yield monitoring with GPS units mounted in sugarbeet harvesters.

The Ag and Biosystems Engineering department has educational offerings both on and off campus. Professor Lowell Disrud teaches a three-credit precision agriculture class each year. The class is designed to give students a working knowledge of the technology and its application so they can use those tools on the job after graduation.

Off-campus workshops are being offered to instruct people in GIS and GPS technology applications in agriculture and natural resources. Workshops are currently scheduled for Dec 15 in Mandan and Dec 17 in Fargo. Additional workshops will be offered next year. Those interested in attending GIS/GPS workshops can get more information by contacting the Ag and Biosystems Engineering Department at (701) 231-7238.

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Source: John Nowatzki (701) 231-8213

Editor: Tom Jirik (701) 231-9629