We visited the DuPont Pioneer exhibit this afternoon to check out their award-winning technology, the PrecisionPac Herbicide Dispensing System. The product was cited as a Gold AE50 award winner yesterday by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. We came away with a good story and a great set of wrenches.

Dave Mengel, Kansas State University soil fertility expert, talks about some ways to minimize the effects of the ongoing drought on the management of soil nutrients in your fields.

One of the fascinating features of the AG CONNECT Expo is the wide range of displays by OEMs. The show provides a global platform for companies to network with manufacturers of all stripes. Nicole Feducia and Ursula Bonfiglioli spoke with me this morning about their company's widely used components. 

As mobile device use continues to grow on the farm, so does the number of mobile technology companies delivering new tools for farmers. The FieldScout GreenIndex+ app from Spectrum Technologies, Inc., has gained strong interest this week, winning a Gold AE50 award by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers.

Darrin Steinert (photo, left) stopped by the AG CONNECT Center Stage to say hello to the Agriculture.com/Successful Farming team, including Mike McGinnis, a.k.a. Marketeye. Steinert is a regular contributor to Agriculture.com Marketing Talk, where McGinnis posts daily reports on commodity prices and marketing strategies. This was their first chance to meet face to face.

Today's farm machinery is big, fast and efficient. But, only when it's running. When it's not, though, that efficiency can become inefficiency.

That makes it important to match your machinery technology with your farm size and be ready to make changes on the fly, economists said during a session at the Successful Farming Center Stage at 2013 AG CONNECT Expo in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday.

Iowa farmer Bill Horan talks with Successful Farming's Dave Mowitz about the challenges and opportunities ahead in the next 5-10 years at the 2013 AG CONNECT Expo.

Indiana farmer Kip Tom talks with Successful Farming's Dave Mowitz about the challenges and opportunities ahead in the next 5-10 years at the 2013 AG CONNECT Expo.

National Corn Growers Association CEO Rick Tolman talks with Successful Farming's Dave Mowitz about the challenges and opportunities ahead in the next 5-10 years at the 2013 AG CONNECT Expo.

Case IH Agriculture was among a number of companies honored Tuesday with innovation awards from the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. One of its winners, the Robo-Sharpener, was designed especially for Case IH True-Tandem 330 Turbo vertical tillage equipment.