New global positioning system for eastern Ontario

NORTH GOWER – Crop farmer Jordan Wallace loves his Global Positioning System so much that he’s signed on with an American company to sell the product that he says can guide the tractor to within an inch of where to plant, fertilize, spray or harvest.

"This is the first of its kind in eastern Ontario," said Wallace. He’s now erecting a network of seven towers on top of silos to provide growers with the most precise system available, he says. "This is within an inch and its repeatable every year.’

The 6 ft. high towers are going up on top of silos now, including on his own farm, and at Stittsville, Manotick, Winchester, Moose Creek, Brinston and in North Lancaster. The new high-precision satellite technology is called Real-Time Kinematic, using single reference points to get real-time pinpoint accuracy.

"There are a few growers who have their own towers," he said. "But there is no network."

The latest in technology will cost about $20,000 to buy and install, with a $1,500 annual subscription fee for the up-to-date signal.

He said the technology saves the farmer 15 to 45 per cent on input costs because it prevents overseeding and overfertilizing or spraying. "This is going to pay real quick."

How quick? "For a grower who has 1,000 acres of corn, he can potentially save enough fertilizer and diesel fuel to pay for the system in the first year, especially with today’s fertilizer and fuel prices."

He will erect another 12 towers next year to have a signal that covers from the Quebec border to Trenton. He hopes that by 2012, his GPS system will cover all of eastern Ontario from Peterborough County.

Smaller farms might prefer that standard GPS that is accurate within 12 inches, he said, noting he has sold 400 standard units at almost $3,000 each this year alone. The standard unit includes a monitor with a 5 in. by 7 in. screen that can be attached to the inside of a tractor cab. An antennae is put on the roof.

For another $4,000 a farmer can install auto steer and cruise control, he said. "It’s fantastic. I’ve been cutting hay for five years hands-free."

Last year he cut 3,000 acres. "It drops driver fatigue by 50 per cent . I’ve seen this all over the place. I’ve seen guys able to drive an extra five or six hours easily. If the weather’s good you can go all night."

He says he know of one farmer near Arnprior who sprays in the moonlight. "It’s a lot nicer to spray at night because there’s no wind," he said. "His weed spray is getting a 15 per cent better kill at night."

Wallace bought his first GPS from U.S. based Trimble Navigation nine years ago. Management took notice of his interest in the product and trained him to join the company.