Get Your Field Borders Back From Congress

2008 Farm Bill Restricts Public Access
To Important FSA CLU Data

The 2008 Farm Bill was finally signed, but with it comes bad news for Surety® users. The 2008 Farm Bill unfortunately includes Section 1619, Information Gathering, which prohibits public access to Farm Service Agency (FSA) Common Land Unit (CLU) data. More commonly known as field borders, CLU data includes field boundaries, acres, tract numbers, farm numbers, field numbers, primary classification of land unit types and administrating county and state offices – information that significantly improves accuracy and communication for chemical applicators, insurance agents, land managers, crop consultants, farmers and other agricultural professionals.

Section 1619 was inserted without public hearing or debate during the 2008 Farm Bill conference committee process. It focuses on information gathering and geospatial systems. In short, it has restricted public access to new or updated CLU data since May 23, 2008. Prior to Section 1619, access to CLU data has been available on the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) data gateway to anyone requesting such information. In order to restore access to this important data, a Technical Corrections Bill or an amendment to the 2008 Farm Bill is required.

In addition to AgriData's ongoing efforts to get this bill amended, we are asking for assistance from other agriculture organizations. Many ag professionals utilize field border data to save time, improve accuracy and enhance communication. Losing the ability to access this information would be a detriment to these individuals and their professions, and it would be a step backward for modern agriculture.

To help amend Section 1619, click on the links below to contact your congressional delegation and important farm organizations.

Click here to contact your congressional delegation.

Click here to contact your agricultural organizations.

AgriData, Inc. Partners With AgriSmart Information Systems LLC And Opens New Doors For Ag Applicators

With the increased demand for fungicide applications, aerial applicators are looking for innovative new ways to spray more acres more efficiently and more accurately. Feedback from retail dealers, consultants and growers indicates that fungicide-treated acres will continue to grow over the next few years, and the market will remain a sustainable for many years after that. Higher yields and better plant health combined with higher commodity prices make fungicide treatments in corn, soybeans, and wheat a greater value than ever.

This increased demand puts challenges on aerial applicators, who are looking for ways to spray more acres per plane per day. In addition, as operations grow, applicators will need tools that will help them manage more planes and pilots. Finally, these businesses are always looking for ways to save time and fuel and improve communication with their customers.

AgriSmart Information Systems, in a partnership with AgriData, is introducing Flight Plan Online – an information management system for aerial applications. Flight Plan Online lets aerial applicators and their customers manage all the key components of aerial applications from start to finish, resulting in timely, efficient and accurate applications. With Flight Plan Online, aerial applicators can achieve higher overall and net income, as well as a greater number of satisfied customers.

Flight Plan Online boasts many innovative functions, including user-friendly tools that make it easy to master forecasting, scheduling, records, reports, billing, invoicing and inventory management. The result is professional, efficient, profitable data communications and workflow management. Once applicators use Flight Plan Online, they'll wonder how they ever worked without it.

Another key component of Flight Plan Online is its order and mapping system, powered by Surety® Custom Online Mapping. Surety® transforms information flow into an interactive combination of digital field maps and aerial photography that is precise, customizable and easy to use. All the necessary information is on the field map, including field size, state, county, section, township, range, and latitude and longitude. This program enables users to choose fields located almost anywhere in the United States. They can select entire fields or specific portions. In addition, shape files can be exported from Surety® and downloaded into GPS guidance systems in the airplanes for pilot convenience and spray accuracy.

AgriSmart is also launching a sister product for ground applications. Ground Control Online will be utilized by retail dealers that provide custom application of fertilizer and crop protection products. The features of Ground Control Online and Flight Plan Online are very similar, and both are intended to help the application industry become more efficient and profitable. More details on Ground Control Online will be announced by AgriSmart in the near future.

Flight Plan Online and Ground Control Online from AgriSmart are going to change the way ag application businesses are run. By combining Surety® Customized Online Mapping with the innovative tools for inventory management, billing, etc., AgriSmart is the integrated management system ag applicators have been waiting for.

For more information about AgriSmart and its products, go to www.agrismartis.com or call (800) 890-6945.

For more information on Surety® Customized Online Mapping, visit agridatainc.com.

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2008 Aerial Imagery Is On The Way For Surety^® Users

Surety® Customized Online Mapping will soon feature new aerial imagery from the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP). All imagery will now be one-meter resolution. Starting this year, the USDA plans to cover one third of the United States, meaning the one-meter resolution will be on a three-year cycle.

Click here to view 2008 NAIP coverage.

Subscribe Now To Surety^® Customized Online Mapping

Map your world with Surety® Customized Online Mapping. It's the ultimate way for land managers, aerial applicators, insurance agents, crop consultants and farmers to prevent costly mistakes, improve communication, build profits and improve business.

Subscriptions for Surety® can be purchased at one-, three-, six- and twelve-month rates. Subscriptions are designed for a single user only.* Additional users within the same organization are entitled to discounted rates, with the first subscription at full-price and additional subscriptions at half-price. Special rates are available for ten or more users within the same organization. Please contact our office if multiple subscriptions are needed.

*AgriData, Inc. requests that you adhere to the license agreement that was signed when you first subscribed with Surety^®.