Longtime farmers tackle new precision planting business

WASHINGTON — In-laws Jenna Schneider and Jerad Ropp have farmed together with Schneider’s father for years. But in August, the two took a leap for the business, acquiring Moeller Ag Services, the local dealer for Precision Planting equipment, when its owner retired.

They now co-own their own company, Advanced Field Solutions, which sells all manner of high-tech planter and sprayer equipment to help producers achieve consistency on their own operations.

“The precision technology side of it is something that I have always enjoyed,” Ropp said. “Over the year, we’ve messed around with a lot of technologies on our different equipment … so when Dave (Moeller) retired and this opportunity opened up, we thought it sounded interesting and decided to take it.”

A “SmartFirmer” sold by the business, for example, moderates every seed’s spacing, its depth in the soil, and the amount of dirt pushed in to fill the trench it leaves. It also has sensors that collect data on the soil’s moisture levels and temperature, and can detect unwanted residue in the dirt.

While the technology is a big investment for many farmers, it represents a wealth of information that can immensely improve an operation’s efficiency. It also opens up access to certain hybrid seeds that require more carefully controlled growing conditions.

“Part of the appeal on this is just the amount of data that you get,” Ropp said. “It’s hard to make changes if you don’t have the information. What this does is, it allows you to get a bunch of information as you’re going across the field, and feel more comfortable making changes off of that. You can’t change what you don’t see.”

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It’s advantageous that Ropp and Schneider are farmers themselves, and have firsthand experience with the same equipment they’re selling.

“That helps us be able to educate farmers on it, and also be familiar with it so we’re well-rounded for our customers,” Schneider said.

Now a few months into the new business, the two say they’re still getting used to their role as Precision Planting dealers.

Marketing the equipment is quite different from marketing grain, and both plan to devote more time to Advanced Field Solutions in the future: Schneider by wrapping up her custom hog feeding contracts she fills, Ropp by hiring truck drivers to free up his own schedule. Both also have kids who are willing and able to help more around the farm as they grow older.

While it’s still a work in progress, both said they were excited about the future of Advanced Field Solutions.

“I’m still pretty excited about where it could lead, after starting it,” Schneider said. “I love to help people, and if we can help other farmers improve, that excites me.”

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com