Tile Finding Service Pays Off For Agronomy Consultant

2015 - Volume #39, Issue #2, Page #06

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Steve Hoffman and his wife Michelle have a unique business niche in Wisconsin agriculture. In a day when most agronomists and crop consultants are typically affiliated with supply co-ops, seed companies, chemical companies or laboratories, the Hoffmans are true independents who can quickly create new services as the need arises. “We started our business in 1992 with the idea of providing services and advice based on local experience and university research,” says Hoffman. “This way we have non-biased information that isn’t tied to any product or company.”

    One of the services they added most recently involves mapping existing tile lines in agricultural fields. “Locating existing tile on a farm is often difficult because of changes in land ownership, tiling by different owners and lack of a consistent mapping system,” says Hoffman. “Many of the existing tile systems are concrete or clay tile that was installed 30 to 50 years ago. These older systems often need maintenance or should be replaced. Current owners need to know exactly where the old lines are.”

    Hoffman’s company uses aerial imagery and yield monitor maps along with a farmer’s knowledge of tile locations. He says, “Imagery and yield maps work well for some fields, but for many it’s a long-term project to locate the lines, much like putting a jigsaw puzzle together. Thermal imagery and multispectral imagery may soon hold promise for locating lines, but our company hasn’t been able to put those technologies to work just yet.”

    Hoffman says he’s contracted with a company to fly some demo areas with multispectral imagery for the past 2 years, but the company has struggled to deliver the imagery as promised.

    Hoffman and his staff of 5 trained agronomists and scouts spend a lot of time in their client’s fields to gain first-hand knowledge during the growing season. “There are usually a few days in early spring when we can see the dry lines on bare soil that show where tile exists,” Hoffman says. “It’s an ongoing challenge, but the service is helping farmers improve their land so they produce healthier crops and more income per acre.”

    Hoffman has more than 25 years of consulting experience and carries CPAg and CPCC-I certifications. He and his wife along with their staff attend numerous classes, school and industry meetings over the course of a year to keep current on issues and technologies. Their company offers full service crop consulting, precision ag services, develops nutrient management plans, sets up and checks planters, provides GPS and GIS mapping services and soil sampling.

    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Steve Hoffman, In Depth Agronomy, 8426 Borgwardt Ln., Manitowoc, Wis. 54220 (ph 920 758-2988; www.indepthagronomy.com).

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Tile Finding Service Pays Off For Agronomy Consultant TILING MACHINES Steve Hoffman and his wife Michelle have a unique business niche in Wisconsin agriculture In a day when most agronomists and crop consultants are typically affiliated with supply co-ops seed companies chemical companies or laboratories the Hoffmans are true independents who can quickly create new services as the need arises “We started our business in 1992 with the idea of providing services and advice based on local experience and university research ” says Hoffman “This way we have non-biased information that isn’t tied to any product or company ”
    One of the services they added most recently involves mapping existing tile lines in agricultural fields “Locating existing tile on a farm is often difficult because of changes in land ownership tiling by different owners and lack of a consistent mapping system ” says Hoffman “Many of the existing tile systems are concrete or clay tile that was installed 30 to 50 years ago These older systems often need maintenance or should be replaced Current owners need to know exactly where the old lines are ”
    Hoffman’s company uses aerial imagery and yield monitor maps along with a farmer’s knowledge of tile locations He says “Imagery and yield maps work well for some fields but for many it’s a long-term project to locate the lines much like putting a jigsaw puzzle together Thermal imagery and multispectral imagery may soon hold promise for locating lines but our company hasn’t been able to put those technologies to work just yet ”
    Hoffman says he’s contracted with a company to fly some demo areas with multispectral imagery for the past 2 years but the company has struggled to deliver the imagery as promised
    Hoffman and his staff of 5 trained agronomists and scouts spend a lot of time in their client’s fields to gain first-hand knowledge during the growing season “There are usually a few days in early spring when we can see the dry lines on bare soil that show where tile exists ” Hoffman says “It’s an ongoing challenge but the service is helping farmers improve their land so they produce healthier crops and more income per acre ”
    Hoffman has more than 25 years of consulting experience and carries CPAg and CPCC-I certifications He and his wife along with their staff attend numerous classes school and industry meetings over the course of a year to keep current on issues and technologies Their company offers full service crop consulting precision ag services develops nutrient management plans sets up and checks planters provides GPS and GIS mapping services and soil sampling
    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Steve Hoffman In Depth Agronomy 8426 Borgwardt Ln Manitowoc Wis 54220 ph 920 758-2988; www indepthagronomy com

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