Really want to harness precision ag technology for profit? Then don't miss the "Precision Ag: Decision-making for a profitable future" program.

Related: Dairy Robotic Tech Update set for N.Y. Farm Show

That's the theme driving a fast-moving afternoon seminar on Thursday, Feb. 25, at the 2016 New York Farm Show. The program, developed by New York Farm Viability Institute's precision ag steering committee, will be a strong mix of keen farmer experience and ag industry expertise, says NYFVI Executive Director Dave Grusenmeyer. Certified crop advisors are eligible for 2.5 continuing education units.

TAILORED-FIT FOR THE FIELD: Precision-applied inputs can optimize costs and yield returns especially on variable soils such as shown here.

Here's a quick summary of the program that begins with registration and refreshments at 2:30 p.m. in the Bistro Room at the State Fairgrounds' Arts and Home Center.

2:50 p.m.: Welcome and introductions

3:00 p.m.: Precision Ag basics, opportunities and industry trends: Cornell University's Harold Van Es will cover concepts supporting precision management of crop inputs in field crop and horticultural systems, plus enabling technologies. He'll home in on greatest opportunity areas and new technologies enhancing precision management.

3:20 p.m.: Hardware and software capabilities, and options:

* Transforming yield data into management decisions. This session, by Ag Leader's Jim Begley, will cover how to evaluate growing season planting, soil testing, yield and application data, plus feed quality data from the John Deere Harvest Lab). He'll also tackle interpreting the information plus streamlining record keeping for FSA/Crop Insurance. 

* Harvest tech tools to document production is the topic for Erick Haas, integrated solutions specialist for Cazenovia Equipment Company. He'll demonstrate the value of yield maps/data and it be used to improve farm operation efficiency.

4:00 p.m.: Cost and benefits of entry-point tech: That's the topic tackled by Hass and John Hanchar, from Cornell's Northwest dairy and field crops team. Haas will give an overview of auto-steer technology and important points to consider. John Hanchar will review auto-steer's expected financial impacts via partial budgeting and capital investment analysis.

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4:20 p.m.: Optimizing variable-rate seeding tech: Savanna Crossman, precision ag research coordinator for the N.Y. Corn and Soybean Growers Association will present a variable-rate seeding model to be farm-tested this year. It's customized to vary prescription seeding rate by hybrid, soil type, topography, plus soil sample data.

Related: Lock in your 2016 Farm Show lodging

4:40 p.m.: Precision ag survey summary: Aaron Ristow, Cornell Extension associate, will share results of a farmer survey on promising technologies, barriers to adoption, cost, labor concerns, plus educational and infrastructure needs.

4:50 p.m.: Grower panel: Bruce Wright, SUNY Cobleskill, will moderate a panel discussion of precision tech experience with three products by three producers: Ag Leader by Travis Torrey of Torrey Farms; John Deere by Dan Shirley of North Harbor Dairy; and Trimble by Joe Brightly, Brightly Farms.

The session closes with summary comments and door prize drawings.

Program sponsors include: Ag Leader, Agrinetix, Cazenovia Equipment, Clinton Tractor, Cornell University, Empire Tractor – Cazenovia, Farm Credit East, FS Growmark, Hudson River Tractor,

Morrisville State College, New York Farm Viability, NY Corn & Soybean Growers Association, Soil Max, SUNY Cobleskill, Trimble, Whites Farm Supply and Z & M Equipment.