SHELL ROCK -- Last Wednesday Jeff Reints thought his life was over. He ruined his cellular phone.

"I ran it through the wash," Reints, a farmer and seed dealer near Shell Rock, reluctantly confessed. "I was totally lost. I made my wife make a special trip to town to get a replacement and have it activated."

To many people, the loss of a cell phone isn't a life or death matter. But to farmers, who rely on them for peace of mind while working alone with dangerous equipment in isolated fields, or use them to improve efficiency, the loss of a phone is exactly that.

Cell phones are more than just communication devices to farmers. They're invaluable tools that save them time, sometimes make them money and keep them safe. And yes, they keep them connected to family during long days in the field during planting and harvest.

Sometimes farmers -- especially the older generation -- are reluctant to embrace technology. That doesn't appear to be the case with cell phones. Farmers say the devices are one of the most important technological advances to help agriculture.

A survey by Successful Farming magazine said 75 percent of farmers have the hand-held communication devices, which is about 10 percent higher than the general public, according to industry figures.

Reints, 44, said communication is critical to running a successful business. After farming for 26 years and selling seed for almost as long, he experiences both sides first hand.

As a farmer, he can keep tabs on school activities of his children or call for a part from the seat of his tractor. And as fellow farmers plant this year's crop, producers call him for more seed or advice on which hybrid to plant.

"Having one is real critical," Reints said. "I don't know where I would be without one."

That's music to the ears of the telecommunications industry. Cell phone providers are listening and developing products specifically geared for farmers.

For example, U.S Cellular is using its easyedge data service to provide up-to-the minute updates on weather and commodity markets. It even provides wireless Internet access. Two-way communication, like Nextel's walkie-talkie service, is also on the horizon so people can merely press a button to talk instead of dialing a number each time.

"Farmers were some of the early adopters" of cell phone technology, said Jodi Valenta, sales manager for U.S. Cellular in Northeast Iowa "It's all about efficiency and staying in constant contact for a home business, which farming is."

Time savers

Farm communication has come a long way since the big dinner bell in the front yard. When farms were 160 acres or less and horses tilled the land, the bell announcing dinner or signaling another reason to come home worked just fine.

But today with farmers sitting comfortably in cab tractors with roaring diesel engines, sometimes miles from the farmstead, the bell is a lawn decoration, outside the Amish community, anyway.

Lowell Biermann, his dad and brother have been using cell phones on their farms near Tripoli since the early 1990s. They used to use two-way business radios to communicate. Since the family didn't have a repeater tower, the radio's range was limited to about 25 miles and the airwaves were often cluttered, unlike the nationwide service of cell phones.

Plus, two-way radios and CB radios aren't mobile like cell phones. They require someone to be at a radio in a truck, tractor or base.

"I wonder how we ever got along before," Biermann said. "Efficiency is the big thing. If I have a problem with an implement, I can call the dealer to troubleshoot in the field. (They) can spoon-feed you through it."

A perfect example was a problem with his old John Deere planter. The 16-row unit had a recurring electrical problem that would shut down half of the rows.

Instead of folding up the unit, leaving the field, going home and making a trip to the dealership, Biermann fixed the problem on site. He called the implement dealer from in the field, who guided him to a wiring harness with 30 wires.

"I would have spent half a day trying to figure that out myself. Instead, I figured it out in an hour," Biermann said.

Tom Engledow, parts manager at Waterloo Implement, said cell phones have drastically reduced down time. He can call most customers as soon as a part comes in, instead of leaving a message on an answering machine.

It is not uncommon for a farmer to be combining corn and hear a worn belt start to whine. The producer can immediately call the dealership and order a new one.

"We'll just lay a part on the counter for the wife to pick up," Engledow said.

Money makers?

Grain farmers deal with razor-thin margins and volatile commodity markets. Not keeping constant tabs on corn and soybean prices can be costly.

Some cell phone providers like U.S. Cellular provide current grain quotes and markets. Armed with the latest data, farmers can watch for rallies or dips in the market.

Rich Bishop, grain merchandiser at East Central Iowa Cooperative in Hudson, said it is not uncommon for the market to move 10 to 15 cents a bushel either way in a matter of hours. With timely marketing decisions, a farmer can cash in big or avoid a large loss.

"If the market was up 12 cents and a farmer didn't know it, and they have 12,000 bushels of corn to sell, that's (big)," said Bishop of the possible $1,440 gain. "Time is of the essence sometimes."

He maintains a list of cell phone numbers to increase his clients' chances of profitability.

Both Biermann and Reints said they've checked markets on their cell phones, and have made wise marketing decisions they otherwise would have missed.

"It's made us money. Absolutely it pays for itself," Biermann said.

Some commodity advisors use cell phones to help clients as well. Alan Brugler, president of Brugler Marketing and Management in Omaha, Neb., charges clients across Iowa between $1,000 to $1,500 a year for marketing advice and commodity information. Usually this comes online or via fax.

For an extra $139 annually, subscribers get calls on their cell phones with breaking news -- a service Brugler started late last year.

"When you get surprise rallies, you need to know to make a cash sale, buy a put or whatever," Brugler said.

Safety

The National Safety Council reported 710 farmers were killed and 110,000 disabled by injuries in 2003. Producers know they work in a dangerous profession. Keeping a cell phone on their hip makes them feel secure.

"Since many farmers work by themselves, what may be a minor injury could become life-threatening in a remote area. A cell phone is a lifesaver on the farm," said Chuck Schwab, Iowa State University Extension safety specialist.

Biermann and his family farm about 2,400 acres. The land is spread out between 15 to 18 miles north to south and 10 to 12 miles east to west. When he's out in the field alone, a long way from home, having his cell is comforting.

"I'd probably give up my home phone before my cell phone," he said.

Besides personal safety, farmers use cell phones to monitor the welfare of livestock. Auto-dial alarm systems in livestock buildings can immediate call a producer's cell phone in case of emergencies.

If the temperature inside a hog confinement building exceeds a certain level, the farmer is notified to prevent animals from dying of heat stroke. Depending on the sophistication of the system, a farmer can be called if a gate pops open or a water line bursts.

Some cell phone providers also provide current weather forecasts, weather warnings or allow users to download Doppler radar images on the phone's screen. A farmer knows to get out of a field before a storm hits, or that there's time to get the work done.

"People feel more connected. (Cell phones) provide information and the lifeline (they) need," Valenta said.

Contact Matthew Wilde at (319) 291-1579 or matt.wilde@wcfcourier.com.