Dan Forgey Named 2011 Farmer Award Winner For Precision Ag Excellence

Dan Forgey, Gettysburg, SD

Dan Forgey, Gettysburg, SD

Dan Forgery has been named winner of the 2011 Farmer Award for Precision Ag Excellence.

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Forgey is the agronomy manager at Cronin Farms, an 8,500 acre crop and cow-calf operation located in central South Dakota. He has been a no-till expert for 19 years growing spring wheat, winter wheat, corn, sunflowers, soybeans, field peas, and lentils as cash crops and numerous cover crops. He manages land for forage production for a 750 beef cow/calf operation and 12 different rotations over the 8,500 acres.

Forgey was a founding member of the Upper Midwest Space Consortium at the University of North Dakota. UMAC provides remote sensing (RS) imagery and collaborates with farmers to develop RS agriculture applications. He has been using RS and yield monitor data to create management zones for corn and wheat since 2003.

Recently, Forgey added real time kinetic (RTK) technology to map field elevations that now includes elevation to delineate zones. He applies phosphorus and nitrogen to corn and wheat using prescription maps designed to fit at square foot increments in fields. He optimizes fertilizer use efficiency and protects the environment by using variable rate fertilizer applications.

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Forgey started management zone analysis using data from his farm in 2003. He is now considered an expert at making this work. He will readily help other farmers learn how to use technology and make it work with equipment using many different crop rotations. Dan understands how to make the maps, implement the technology, and vary the rates in the field.

“I have a deep love and respect for this land. I am a firm believer that if you take care of the land, the land will take care of you. That’s the philosophy on this farm,” says Forgey.

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