The end of June marks the next step in the sharing of smart farming technology. The 2nd Annual IDEAg Interconnectivity Conference will be held June 26-27 in Altoona, Iowa, and will bring together innovativF e agriculture minds for two days of cutting edge education, exhibits and networking.

Precision Farming Dealer's Technology Editor Jack Zemlicka will be attending the 2-day conference and sharing photos, tips and insights on Facebook and Twitter along the way.

The conference will focus on new communication technologies and how they can make farm operations more efficient. For dealers, this will be an opportunity to connect with producers. “It’s really a knowledge conference about sharing information,” says IDEAg’s Marketing Manager, Samantha Kaplan. “Precision dealers will be able to meet the producers who use this equipment, how they use it and what their needs are. They will also get to meet other dealers and learn how they work with their customers. The aim of the conference is to make precision agriculture better and we can do that by sharing knowledge with each other.”

Conference highlights will include presentations and discussions with industry experts. Producers and leaders from business and academia will share their views on interconnected agriculture and how to apply today’s technology to produce better crop yields tomorrow. “John Deere will be presenting information on data acquisition from machines both on and off farms — data from sensors, integration systems and how they can tie a farm together. They will cover different types of products that are available so people can better manage their farms,” says Kaplan.

“Dr. Kevin Price of Kansas State Univ. will present on the use of drone technology and how it can be used on a farm. We’re very excited about this one and it’s something that’s new this year.

“We are also having several important discussions on weather and how that can affect production. In the last 2 years, the country has experienced major flood and drought conditions. We want to share how precision agriculture can help when you have volatile weather conditions.”

The conference will be organized as an intimate thought leadership event where dealers and industry leaders will be able to share knowledge. “Attendees will be able to meet with sponsors and manufacturers on site. Dealers can really get down to business with these folks and see how things work,” says Kaplan.

For full conference information, including registration, speakers and sponsor information, visit http://www.ideaggroup.com/ideag-interconnectivity.