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May 5, 2005
Geospatial Applications: Evaluating GIS Computer Programs for Farm Use
Farmers and land managers who use spatial management practices in crop production need geographic information system computer programs to visualize and interpret soil and crop variations within fields. GIS computer programs also are needed to prepare variable-rate crop-input maps. Several GIS programs, including some programs written specifically for farm applications, are available commercially. This column will evaluate John Deere’s mapping program called JD Office and Ag Leader’s Spatial Management Systems (SMS) mapping program. The evaluations are based on the following functions:
Ag Leader has two versions of its spatial management systems software, SMS Basic and SMS Advanced. This evaluation refers to the functions of SMS Advanced. JD Office requires all layers to be in WGS 84 map projection. JD Office also requires a John Deere boundary file for each field to display data from other GIS programs. JD Office generates a field boundary from John Deere harvest yield data. If you don’t have John Deere yield data, an alternative way to generate a field boundary for JD Office is the JDO boundary tool computer program available free from John Deere’s StellarSupport Web site at http://stellarsupport.deere.com/en_US/ag/stellarsupport/index.html. The JDO boundary tool makes boundary files from generic shapefiles. More information about geospatial technology is available from the NDSU Agriculture and Biosystems Engineering Department Web site at http://www.ageng.ndsu.nodak.edu. Follow the links to Extension Programs and Geospatial Technology Education. ### Source: John
Nowatzki, (701) 231-8213, jnowatzk@ndsuext.nodak.edu
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