NOMINEE MIKE CORNELISSEN ▶▶▶
The farmers switched to strip-till in 2007. Variable Rate Application (VRA) was introduced in 2013.
identified what prescriptions worked where. “We may have jumped on variable rate maize seeding too early and didn’t get the returns we wanted initially,” he says. “With variable rate seeding and nitrogen, you don’t get it right your first year. You have to define your zones.”
2019 was the first year where everything on the farm was done varia- ble rate.
The right equipment The Cornelissen discovered quickly that by just varying the amount of a general nutrient blend doesn’t cut it. In fact, Mike says one of the most interesting things they have learned from the smart grid soil sampling process is just how
8 questions for the Top 10 nominee
1) Who are you? Mike Cornelissen of Cornelissen Farms Inc. 2) When did you first start with precision farming? We started with a yield monitor on our combine in 1998, and began developing variable rate in 2013. 3) What is the main motivation for using the technology? To make our growing process more efficient 4) What are the most interesting things you have learned? How much greater potential some fields have compared to others. 5) What are your main tips for precision technology starters? Start by gathering yield data and incorporating variable rate technology on equipment when possible. 6) What is your main tip for experienced users? Don’t disregard data. Just because you’re not using it now, doesn’t mean it will never be useful. 7) What went wrong? We incorporated technology a little faster than we should have and didn’t know exactly how to make everything work. 8) What will be your next step(s)? Refining how we use variable rate for nitrogen application.
10 ▶ FUTURE FARMING | 22 May 2020
extreme the fertility is in some parts of the farm. “As a farm average the levels of fertility are high. But on about 25% of our land the levels are ex- tremely low,” Mike says. “When you account for that, even if you do a high rate of starter fertil- iser, you’re still getting significant yield loss.” In actuality, the rate of each component within the blend needs to be adjusted for each man- agement zone. In this way Mike says they are better managing both the overabundance and absence of different nutrients. To accomplish this, they built a customised strip-till fertiliser applicator. It’s a 12-row shank-style unit featur- ing three fertiliser tanks with a total capacity of 12 metric tons.
Each tank also has its own variable rate drive. A separate script is uploaded for each tank, so just the right amount of product is mixed and sent through each row unit. Fertiliser is band- ed between 4-6 inches (10.16-15.24 cm), with the machine being overall capable of apply- ing anywhere from zero to 500 pounds (227 kilograms) of fertiliser per acre. “We put three different scripts in the tractor. Each script puts the fertility exactly where it’s needed.” Says Mike. “We try to build the soils that are low, maintain the soils that are good, and deplete the soils that are extremely high.”
Advice, questions, and next steps Looking back, Mike reiterates one of the most valuable tools they had was his parents old Ag-Leader yield monitor. The context provided by so many years of historic yield data that was extremely helpful in understanding how to approach their variable rate goals. He en- courages others to accrue as much yield
PHOTO: MIKE CORNELISSEN
PHOTO: MIKE CORNELISSEN
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