Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52NOVEMBER 2016 21 PRECISIONAGRICULTUREHAS taken hold and farmers, with the help of seed companies, and seed growers are deploying strategies to make the most of every acre with the goal of giving the crop what it needs precisely where it is needed in the most sustainable way. This means looking at ways to decrease the number of passes over the field, which results in less compac- tion, saved time and resources. Whether this comes in the form of a seed treatment, or fertilizer as a side-by-side, it delivers convenience, saving time and money. Can we take this same “precision ag” approach and apply it to our operations and logistics during seeding and harvest? To be as efficient as possible, here are a few questions to ask: 1. What tasks are required? Write down a list in chronological order from planter preparation to moving equipment from field to field. 2. What tasks are repetitive? From the list, mark the ones that are repeated the most and about how much time you allot for each task. 3. What slows down the team? When you look at years prior, which tasks held up the rest of the team? Is this a common occurrence? One task that I’m intimate with is the need to refuel equipment. It’s absolutely essential in getting the job done and it can be dangerous and time con- suming if you don’t have the right equipment. I often see growers using a slip tank in the back of their truck to fill up equipment. This works fine if you’re not operating far from base and don’t have multiple machines running through multiple fields. But sometimes, these tanks don’t hold enough fuel or the pump doesn’t fuel fast enough. As an alterna- tive, some growers opt for a non-legal tank on the back of a truck but this poses a danger, especially on roadways. These tanks are not intended for that, and the shifting weight can be problematic. Additionally, the hoses required to reach the tractor and combine are long and bulky. They can be annoying and cumbersome to uncoil and recoil. Anyone who has had to deal with this knows exactly what I’m talking about. Might this be a point where efficiency and convenience can be gained? We all know that time is precious during these two seasons and Mother Nature is not something that we can control. Let’s focus on controlling what we can and be as effi- cient as possible. Ken Pierson, Meridian Manufacturing Sales/Product Manager @pierson_ken kpierson@meridianmfg.com MeridianMFG.com STORAGE & HANDLING TIME, CONVENIENCE, EFFICIENCY KEY TO SUCCESS