Life on the Cyber Farm

In recent years, the agricultural industry has made tremendous gains in productivity and efficiency with the emergence of wireless communications, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Global Position Systems (GPS), information management tools, and Internet-based software and services.

Today, many mainstream farmers across the US are relying on these technologies and tools to maximize their operations and decision-making. Precision agriculture, as the practice is called, uses a Real Time Kinematic (RTK) positioning and tracking system to provide farmers with autosteer guidance, soil mapping, fleet management, asset tracking, inventory management, and vehicle tracking.

Though there are a few companies offering this technology, such as John Deere and Trimble, their products have some common characteristics. These systems allow the operator to visualize the farm site in real time (usually from a dedicated display) in 3-D and to have real time two-way communication with assets. With this technology, farmers can multi-task, produce straight crop rows with sub-inch accuracy, reduce idle time, lessen the wear and tear on machinery, and engage in precision seeding and spraying.

And that is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

Other companies are coming up with unique tools and products to help farmers farm better. Last year, Leica Geosystems introduced a unique feature called the Virtual Wrench. This web-based diagnostics and servicing tool allows Leica service technicians to remotely reach into any system via the Internet to fix problems and fine-tune equipment while field work is underway. The operator merely presses a button to request a Leica Virtual Wrench service technician and soon afterward receives a return call.

According to a recent article in Farm Industry News, Leica now plans to use the same technology for its Virtual Wrench product to provide farmers remote access to all aspects of the farming operation via the Web. The farmer just needs to got to the website where he can not only monitor operations, but send information to operators in the field and control any software enabled variables. This service will also be available for mobile devices, such as smartphones.

 

Telematics: Getting the Most Out of Your Machinery

If you are particular about the quality and maintenance of your field machinery, then you should consider incorporating telematics into your fleet operations. Telematics has begun to make its way into the farming industry as a method of improving overall efficiency and production.

In general, telematics involves sending, receiving and storing information via telecommunication devices. Information is sent from the field via cellular network to a computer with special software that reads and processes the data.

This technology offers many possible uses and benefits for farmers that go way beyond simple vehicle location. Farmers can track fuel levels, vehicle performance, engine temperature, and hours worked in the field. Special sensors placed throughout the machine can also alert farmers about the breakdown of parts and components, even before it happens. Some systems further allow for the remote setup and control of machinery. All this monitoring is conducted in real-time from a remote location, such as a home office.

Aside from the obvious benefits, telematics technology is also becoming more affordable for the average farmer. The necessary hardware, including devices, wiring, and antennas, will run about $400-$600. There is also a small daily service charge. Equipment can be purchased directly from equipment dealers or retrofitted by third party companies.

Agrievolution Conference Reveals World-Wide Trends in Agricultural Machinery

According to presentations made at the first Agrievolution summit that was held last month in Rome, evolving and growing economies are increasing the global demand for agricultural equipment. As a result, equipment manufacturers and dealers are experiencing a world-wide shortage in farm machinery supplies.

The summit included several major farm machinery manufacturers from around the world who convened to address the issue of producing more food for thriving world populations by analyzing economic and industry trends as well as new technologies.

The summit focused on six regions that are significantly effecting the world market: Europe, Brazil, China, India, Russia, and the US. A common theme among these regions is that farmers are looking for bigger, more powerful machinery. There was also a unified call for open trade and the exchange of ideas across boarders.

In short, there seems to be a bright future ahead for the global agricultural industry.