Many of today’s precision agriculture technologies have established a reputation for their ability to help farmers reduce the amount of fertilizer, herbicide, and water they need to grow crops. There is also an important story to tell with respect to on-farm efficiency and productivity.
AEM’s landmark study, The Benefits of Precision Ag in the United States, is helping tell that story by quantifying the productivity benefits of using several key technologies in crop farming.
“The precision ag technologies described in AEM’s study collectively help farmers increase productivity by improving the accuracy, timing, and effectiveness of nearly every field operation,” said Andrew Sunderman, vice president of PTx, a precision agriculture brand of AEM member company AGCO Corp. “Precision ag also improves soil structure and water infiltration, and supports more uniform plant emergence — factors that maximize yields across variable field conditions.”
Three technologies in particular — auto guidance, machine section control, and variable rate — are helping to boost annual crop production in the U.S. by an average of 5%. Another 6% bump is possible through wider adoption of the technologies.
That kind of production increase has a major impact on a crop farmer’s bottom line. As detailed in AEM’s study, a 5% increase in crop yield on 1,000 acres can yield an additional $66,000 in annual revenue. Coupled with the significant cost reductions that can also be achieved through precision ag, one can paint a compelling ROI picture for large and small crop-farming operations alike.
The ROI of precision ag extends beyond the direct financial implications as well.
“One thing we’re trying to do as OEMs is help producers gain better insights into their operations so they can make more profitable decisions,” said Yannick Montagano, president of AEM member company Kubota Canada Ltd. “We also talk a lot about sustainability. Helping the farmer secure a sustainable operation through more environmentally friendly decisions and operations is also important.
“We also want to help lessen the burden of being a farmer,” Montagano continued. “Equipment that is easier and less fatiguing to operate plays into this. And for growers that need to hire additional operators and are facing significant labor challenges, the productivity advantages of precision ag can also help demonstrate ROI and drive adoption.”
3 Technologies Driving Productivity
Auto Guidance -- By utilizing on-machine sensors and GNSS/GPS satellites, this technology automatically steers tractors and equipment, making things easier on the operator.
“With the technology we have today, staying on a 30-inch corn row should be no problem for the average operator,” related Joe Dimler, senior manager of business development at AEM member company Salford Group, a manufacturer of tillage and application equipment.
Auto guidance also helps minimize both overlaps and coverage gaps to make sure every inch of every field can produce as much crop as possible. Additionally, consistent row spacing helps ensure optimum nutrient application while preventing accidental damage to crops. Finally, the highly accurate and consistent travel of tractors and implements helps reduce soil compaction, which is the enemy of root growth, overall soil health, and crop yield.
“The opportunity to improve soil health is something that often isn’t talked about enough,” Montagano said. “Without healthy soils, the economics and sustainability of agriculture are put at risk. Precision ag technologies have a positive impact here. It’s not as easy to quantify the ROI. But farmers always have their eye on the longer term. They pride themselves on being good stewards of the land. They’re cognizant of the importance of soil health when it comes to their productivity, and that factors into their decision of whether or not to invest in the technology.”
Machine Section Control -- Machine section control is another technology analyzed in AEM’s study. Different sections of an implement — such as a sprayer, spreader, or planter — are turned on/off as needed at overlaps, headlands, wedges, point rows, etc. That prevents material from being placed where it isn’t needed.
“Section control helps reduce material use, especially in odd-shaped fields that aren’t that easy to navigate,” Dimler said. “Additionally, farmers save a lot of time because they’re able to apply their product a lot more efficiently. We really see the benefits of this technology on smaller fields that are more topsy-turvy with a lot of hills, ditches, and ponds, making efficient application a challenge. Farmers like bigger equipment with bigger booms and wider spreading distances. Technology that makes this larger equipment more precise also makes it more productive.”
The more precise application of fertilizers and herbicides also helps drive crop yield.
“Think about section control for liquid herbicide application,” Dimler related. “The level of control you can get is down to the individual nozzle. When you’re talking about a large sprayer with a 120-ft. swath that’s turning in a field, the system reduces the chemical rate on the nozzles closest to the tires because product is often overapplied due to the speed being so much slower. The inverse is true on the outside of the boom where it swings around really fast. Section control helps ensure that some plants aren’t overexposed to chemicals, while also making sure there aren’t weed escapes.”
Variable Rate – Variable rate is a data-driven technology that allows farmers to match the rate of application to what the different sections of a field actually need. That takes a lot of pressure off of the operator.
“Everything still starts with a soil sample,” Dimler pointed out. Then the variable rate system uses that field fertility map to make intelligent decisions in the field, i.e., this area requires 50 pounds of fertilizer per acre, and this area needs 800 pounds. The operator essentially becomes a driver at that point.
“With variable rate, the equipment can autonomously do the best job possible of hitting those precise rates while traveling at high speeds of 15 or even 20 mph,” Dimler said.
To read the full article from Gregg Wartgow, click here.
