The document summarizes a partnership between the American Soybean Association (ASA) and John Deere to promote precision agriculture technologies to soybean farmers. It discusses a contest held by ASA where 15 farmers were selected to use John Deere's GreenStar precision agriculture system on their farms for a growing season. It then provides results from a survey of the 15 winners, finding most were pleased with the performance of the system and able to plant and spray more acres with it. It concludes discussing regional meetings held for farmers to learn about the benefits of precision agriculture technologies.

1. Precision
Partnership
A Special Growers’ Guide
from the American Soybean
Association, September 2007
This publication is sponsored by John Deere Ag Management Solutions
Strategic Focus on Success
Since its founding in 1920, the American
Soybean Association (ASA) has been resolute in its
mission to increase market opportunities and
value for U.S. soybean farmers. ASA’s efforts are
founded upon a regimen of strategic objectives
that focus on keeping U.S. soybean producers the
most efficient and successful in the world.
“With an ever-growing global demand for soy-
beans, and the reduced number of soybean acres
planted this year, the United States has to find
ways to grow more soybeans more profitably on
every acre planted,”said ASA President John
Hoffman, a producer from Waterloo, Iowa.
“Precision farming methods are one of the keys
to increasing productivity and improving the
competitiveness of U.S. agricultural products in
world markets.”
The ASA approached John Deere about part-
nering in an effort to educate farmers on precision
farming and provide information to evaluate how
this new technology might fit into their operations.
The result is the ASA-John Deere“Reach for the
Stars”Program, a program that represents an edu-
cation-based partnership that encourages produc-
ers to“Reach for the Stars”with global positioning
satellite technology and support systems that will
conserve resources and advance farm manage-
ment practices to new heights.
“As the world’s leading producer of agricultural
equipment,goods and services,John Deere is
focused on the success of ag producers around
the world,”said John Deere AMS Marketing
Manager Mike Park.“Innovative precision ag solu-
tions allow greater efficiency and productivity,
ultimately leading to greater profitability.”
John Deere Ag Management Solutions
(AMS) is at the leading edge of providing
producers with many of the technologically
advanced tools and services necessary to
promote and secure agricultural sustainability.
A prime example is the John Deere GreenStarTM
System, which enables producers to make better
management decisions, increase productivity, and
provides value throughout the entire farming
operation.
“I believe precision agriculture is one of the
technologies that will help U.S. soybean producers
remain competitive and profitable in the future
through increased efficiency,”Hoffman said.“It is
one of the key elements that will help soybeans
compete for planted acres, and it is also one of the
technologies that will improve the sustainability of
U.S. soybean production.”
Through precision agriculture, producers can
more accurately evaluate optimum planting rates
and more precisely apply fertilizer and crop protec-
tion chemicals.
“ASA and John Deere are
working together
to help pro-
ducers better
understand
precision ag sys-
tems, and be
able to make an
educated decision
on how they will fit
into our operation,”
Hoffman said.“Not
only for the sake of
our bottom-line, but
for U.S. soybean cus-
tomers around the
world, precision ag is a
technology that’s worth
consideration.”
About the Contest
Earlier this year, ASA held a nationwide preci-
sion ag contest to provide growers with an oppor-
tunity to use one of 15 premium level precision
ag systems on their farm for the entire 2007 U.S.
growing season, and after the program ends,
Sign up today for this educational program and contest
and you could be one of 15 growers selected to
use a premium level John Deere precision ag system* on your
farm for the entire 2007 U.S. growing season.
TheAmerican SoybeanAssociation is partnering with
John DeereAg Management Solutions
to bring U.S. soybean producers
an unprecedented opportunity to learn more about precision ag systems.
Sign up now to receive a free packet of precision ag information, plus
complete contest rules and entry information.
If you want to bring more productivity to your farm, regardless of the color of your equipment,
this outstanding program is ideal for you.

2. qualified participants will be offered an opportuni-
ty to purchase the entire system, or just the com-
ponents they want to own, at a greatly reduced
price. More than 500 growers completed the
online entry form for the“Reach for the Stars”
contest.
“In today’s fast-paced business environment,
electronic communications are becoming more
and more critical to farm success,”Hoffman said.
“We felt it was important to select growers who
have an interest in using these new technologies.”
In addition, ASA checked contest entries for
completeness, and began looking at other demo-
graphic and geographic information, which
brought the list of semi-finalists down to 138
growers. ASA then reviewed individual grower
responses to questions such as,“Why are you
interested in using a precision ag system on your
farm?,”and“Tell us why you should be selected
to use a premium level John Deere Precision Ag
System on your farm for the entire 2007 U.S.
growing season.”
That process resulted in the selection of 15
contest finalists, and 5 alternates, that best repre-
sented a broad spectrum of growers by location,
farm size and experience level. For more informa-
tion about the contest, visit
www.SoyGrowers.com/pa/.
Summer Survey Data
To determine the growers’experience with
component installation and field usage, the ASA
conducted an in-depth survey of the 15 contest
winners in July. Each winner has the opportunity
to use the StarFireTM iTC receiver with SF2 signal,
the GreenStar Display 2600 with an AutoTracTM pro
module, an AutoTrac Universal Steering Kit, and
Apex Farm Management Software.
When they entered the contest, seven of the
winners reported they were already using a preci-
sion ag system, while eight of the winners said they
had no prior experience with precision ag on their
farm.Membership in the ASA was not a require-
ment, but later it was determined that nine of the
winners are in fact active members of the ASA.
“It was no surprise to me that the majority of
the winners were ASA members,”Hoffman said.
“ASA members are recognized as early adopters of
new technology, and I think‘Reach for the Stars’is
one of many reasons our members value the
opportunities ASA provides.”
The GreenStar system was installed by all 15
winners in one or more tractors. Six growers also
had components installed in harvesters, and five in
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000
Crops Covered with GreenStar System
by Contest Winners
13,330acresofCorn
10,445acresofSoybeans
1,400acresofRice
423acresofCotton
75acesofWheat
40acresofSorghum
484acresofOtherCrops
Corn
Soybeans
Rice
Cotton
Wheat
Sorghum
Other Crops
ACRES
0 2 4 6
Rating Product Performance of GreenStar
System by Contest Winners
Two growers said the performance exceeded their expectations
Four said they were very pleased with every aspect of the product
Five reported being generally pleased with the performance
Three said the product performed as they expected it would
One grower reported being disappointed with the performance*
COMMENTS
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
Grower 1 Grower 2 Grower 3 Grower 4
Field Green Star System Usage Hours by
Contest Winners
300-499Hours
200-299Hours
100-199Hours
50-99Hours*
*Grower reported he did not get the system installed until later in the season
HOURS
300-499Hours
200-299Hours
100-199Hours
50-99Hours*
*This grower, who installed the system in an articulated Case tractor that had a large spray tank mounted
on the front, said he hasn’t got all the kinks out of his system, but is looking forward to using the system
on his combine this fall

3. sprayers. Nine of the growers felt their John Deere
AMS dealer was very knowledgeable about the
equipment; five said that the dealer knew what to
do or found the answers; and one felt that the
process was about average for other equipment
installations.
When asked about the crops they covered this
spring with the GreenStar system, growers report-
ed using the GreenStar system on a total of 26,197
acres.The data provided by these growers indi-
cates that they collectively tested the GreenStar
system this spring for more than 3,000 hours in
actual field usage under real-world conditions.
Growers’ Comments
The contest winners were also asked to
respond to essay questions. For this issue of ASA
Today, ASA is featuring comments from seven of
the winners who were able to participate in one of
the three regional precision ag grower meetings
that ASA hosted in partnership with John Deere
during July.
When asked about the greatest advantage of
having a GreenStar system installed on his equip-
ment, Peter Kramer, who farms 1,100 acres near
Gibbon, Minn., said,“Being able to plant longer in
the day with less fatigue and not worrying about
following the marker when it’s dark.”The
GreenStar system“allows me to watch the equip-
ment and monitors more closely, giving me higher
quality stands and populations in the field.”
Scott Chesnut, who farms 1,600 acres near
Boone,Iowa,had similar thoughts.“Having the capa-
bility to do precision farming while planting and
spraying for long hours under marginal conditions
and still not experience operator fatigue,”Chesnut
said.He went on to say,“The AutoTrac allows you to
operate under very marginal conditions when
visibility is impaired by dust conditions,driving into
the sun in late afternoon,or at night while trying to
finish before a coming rain storm.”
When ASA visited with Chesnut at the Morton
meeting, he explained that he had a difficult
spring with too much rain leaving numerous wet
potholes. Chesnut said that after he mapped those
areas, it was incredible to watch as the AutoTrac
Universal Steering navigated around those areas
and right back on track on the other side.
Neal Kuhn, who farms 400 acres near Manilla,
Ind., said,“Since I am 69 years young, the ease of
operating equipment has been a great pleasure.
My rows are very straight and I can spray in the
same wheel tracks at all times to help prevent
compaction.”Minimizing com-
paction was a
benefit sited by several growers.
The greatest advantage for Chris
Von Holten, who farms 1,300 acres
near Walnut, Ill., was,“The ability to
move components from one piece of
equipment to another, and have the
GS2 system up and running in a
short time.”Von Holten also said,“The GS2 with
AutoTrac has allowed me to eliminate overlaps,
and I can spray faster because of not having to try
and see the foam marks after they settle into the
soybean canopy.”
When asked how the GreenStar system has
helped add value to his farming operation, David
Oberbroeckling, who farms 1,400 acres near
Davenport, Iowa, said“Auto steer is really a small
part of the big picture.The mapping and perma-
nent records are the most valuable part; docu-
menting where you did it, when you did it and
what you did. It sure beats scrambling to find
your notebooks.”
Oberbroeckling added,“This year we planted
corn and soybeans without using markers.”The
GreenStar system“makes it possible to have vari-
ety strips anywhere in the field by not planting
strips and coming back with different varieties.”
Even while planting on the contour,
Oberbroeckling said,“Every row in uniformly
spaced, which was impossible before.”
For Curtis Clayes, who farms 1,000 acres near
Delmar, Iowa, the value of the GreenStar system is
in“more accurate application of fertilizers, spraying
chemicals, and with planting.”
Ronald Tersteeg, who farms 3,000 acres near
Bird Island, Minn., said“The GreenStar system
allowed me to get more acres planted each day,
and on tillage equipment, it saved money and
time by avoiding overlaps.”Tersteeg also said he
appreciates being able to work after dark.
The panel discussion in Morton,Minn.,included (left to right)
University of Minnesota Precision Ag Specialist Jose
Hernandez,John Deere AMS Regional Specialist Jason
Schildroth,contest winners Ronald Tersteeg,Peter Kramer and
Scott Chesnut,and John Beadell of Kibble Equipment,is the
local John Deere AMS specialist from Redwood Falls,Minn.
(ASA photo by Bob Callanan)

4. Precision Ag Meetings
Many producers took advantage of the unique
opportunity to learn about the value of precision
ag systems at one of the three regional grower
meetings that were held in Morton, Minn., Plain
City, Ohio, and Bettendorf, Iowa.
Minnesota Soybean Growers Association
immediate past-President Bob Worth, Ohio
Soybean Association President Mark Watkins, and
Iowa Soybean Association President Ray Gaesser
welcomed growers to the meeting in their respec-
tive state and produced an overview of current
state activities.
ASA President Hoffman, and ASA Board mem-
bers Rob Joslin and Gary Joachim, each participat-
ed in one of the meetings and made a presenta-
tion on how precision ag is helping to meet global
demand for U.S. soy.
“These meetings are a great opportunity for
anyone who has considered integrating precision
ag into their operation,”Hoffman said.
Guest speakers included Jose Hernandez, a
Research Specialist/Lecturer in the Precision
Agriculture Center, Department of Soil,Water, and
Climate at the University of Minnesota; Matt Darr, a
Research Associate & Precision Agriculture
Specialist with the Agricultural Engineering
Department at The Ohio State University, and Mark
Hanna, an Extension Agricultural Engineer with
Iowa State University.
In addition, John Deere AMS personnel pre-
sented an overview of precision ag equipment and
farm management software, which was followed
by an open panel discussion featuring contest
winners. After lunch, participants had an opportu-
nity to take part in equipment demonstrations fea-
turing the John Deere GreenStar 2 System includ-
ing the AutoTrac Universal Steering kit and the
newly introduced iTEC Pro!
A series of three more regional grower educa-
tion meetings is planned for January 2008.
“Anyone who sees benefit in improving farm-
ing efficiency, regardless of farm size or equipment
type, will gain valuable information from these ses-
sions. It will also be a great opportunity for grow-
ers to see first hand some of the new technology
that John Deere has introduced,”adds Mike Park.
Watch for additional details of meeting dates
and locations in future ASA publications.
Participants at the Morton,Minn.,meeting had an opportunity
to take part in equipment demonstrations featuring the John
Deere GreenStar 2 System including the AutoTrac Universal
Steering kit and the newly introduced iTEC Pro! (ASA photo by
Bob Callanan)
At the grower meeting in Bettendorf,Iowa,Bob Braden gets a
hands on demonstration of the GreenStar 2 System with the
help of Josh Uhlman,AMS Regional Specialist.(BCS
Communications photo by Melissa Sandfort)