Advanced Technology on Wheels

Rapid pace of ag technology investment puts farmers in driver’s seat for innovation

Agriculture is heavily influenced by technology, shaping how many farmers operate. Advances like guidance systems, variable-rate fertilizer and seed placement are refining farm-management practices for unprecedented precision. Farmers can collect harvest data that when linked with soil tests and fertility records, provide farmers with a detailed picture of their operation in order to maximize efficiency and productivity.

The trend toward greater technology shows no signs of declining, as new, advanced tools are constantly being developed, putting more capability at farmers’ fingertips. Companies of all types recognize the role technology plays in increasing productivity, so they’re making the appropriate investments.

“From irrigation systems that automatically monitor the soil and irrigate as much and as often as needed, to equipment gathering data while running through the fields providing detailed maps of where nutrients and chemicals are needed, manufacturers are making the required investments to develop the technologies needed by farmers,” says Anita Sennett, director of agriculture product management for the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM).

The demand for enhanced capabilities drives manufacturers toward more innovations. The U.S. has approximately 1,700 farm-equipment-manufacturing companies, all trying to meet customer needs while attempting to develop exciting new technology that sets them apart from their competition.

For example, machinery manufacturers are developing powerful, more compact tractors with wi-fi capabilities. Combines with advanced sensors help to reduce grain loss during the harvest process. Tillage equipment is also utilizing modern technology to increase precision.

Over the past decade, meeting farmer needs has involved making both mechanical and technological enhancements. Environmental Tillage Systems (ETS), of Faribault, Minnesota, produces a heavy-duty strip-till and precision fertilizer-placement implement for row crops called the SoilWarrior, which was first commercialized in 2004.

“New technology plays a huge role in our roadmap,” says Derek Smith, ETS precision ag account manager. “We are constantly looking into what new tools we can implement now while not limiting ourselves in the future. We want to use technology that has a solid platform and a modular approach, so we can build on the platform. This is true for both mechanical and digital improvements.”

While some new developments enhance machinery performance or efficiency, many technological advances revolve around data collection.

For example, Smith says they can see how the implement is running in real time right from the tractor. Monitoring systems capture everything from fuel consumption to how efficiently a tractor is running. Smith says farmers can measure all these variables right from the cab and make changes on the fly to perform more efficiently.

After the work is done, farmers can load their data into a management system to log records, print maps and crunch the numbers, all to aid in decision making for the upcoming season.

“We can identify problem areas in the field, then look at the planting, spraying, and yield data as well as the soil type and imagery data, to identify what caused the problem area and how we can fix it,” Smith says.

Sennett says the best way for North American farmers to cut their costs while increasing yield is by gathering and applying data. Today’s machinery manufacturers are building the tools to help farmers do just that.

“There are more data points available to a farmer in one season today than there were in combined decades of farming previously,” says Sennett. “Where entire fields used to be treated in the same way, today farmers can use the right seed, the right applications down to the square meter, saving on input costs and producing healthier crops for increased yields.”