Combining robotics with precision agriculture expertise

The collaboration combines the strengths of Bonsai Robotics’ vision-based, autonomous navigation systems with Topcon Agriculture’s advanced autosteering, telematics and smart implement integration to create end-to-end solutions that address automating labor-intensive tasks, enabling data driving decision making, and providing high-precision harvesting technology in challenging environments.

“At Bonsai Robotics, we are revolutionizing orchard farming by automating some of the industry’s most challenging processes. Joining forces with Topcon Agriculture allows us to integrate our AI-first approach to vision-based autonomy with their suite of precision sensors and smart implement controls, offering farmers seamless solutions that drive efficiency and sustainability.”

said Tyler Niday, CEO of Bonsai Robotics.

“Topcon Agriculture’s advanced autosteering systems, telematics, and implement controls are designed to empower farmers with cutting-edge technology and insights. Teaming with Bonsai Robotics extends this capability to orchard farming, enabling us to globally deliver precision automation solutions that address critical pain points in orchard farming including labor shortages, resource inefficiency, and the need for sustainability.”

said Antonio Marzia, EVP and GM of Topcon Agriculture.

The post Topcon and Bonsai Robotics Partner to Develop Autonomous Solutions and Precision Technology for Permanent Crops appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

“After doing some research, we realized there was a truckload of good information about the economic benefits of precision agriculture, but very little information about the environmental benefits. So AEM has partnered with several other organizations (the American Soybean Association, CropLife America, and National Corn Growers Association) to take a look at this”

said Curt Blades, AEM senior vice president of ag services at AEM’s recently held member education webinar on precision agriculture.

AEM’s study, “The Environmental Benefits of Precision Agriculture,” examines the impact of various technologies on the production of row crops, broad acre crops, roots and tubers, as well as forage. The data overwhelmingly shows that precision agriculture can have a positive environmental impact in all of these areas.

What is precision agriculture?

Precision agriculture leverages technologies to enhance sustainability through more efficient use of land, water, fuel, fertilizer and pesticides. Essentially, farmers who use precision agriculture technologies use less to grow more, reducing both cost and environmental impact.

The five primary areas of technology are:

• Auto guidance, also known as auto steer, uses GPS to automatically steer machinery and avoid overlap during tilling, planting, spraying and harvesting. This more efficient operation reduces the time, labor, fuel and materials used.
• Machine section control turns planter, sprayer and fertilizer sections on/off in crop rows that have been previously treated. This helps to optimize material application, reducing cost and environmental impact.
• Variable rate technology uses sensors or preprogrammed maps to determine the application rates for fertilizer, seed and crop protection products. This equipment may also utilize supporting technologies such as GPS, yield monitors, and crop and soil sensors.
• Machine and fleet analytics encompass the real-time monitoring of equipment, including location tracking, route suggestions and idling. This technology helps to increase asset utilization and decrease the amount of fuel used.
• Precision irrigation provides the ability to apply different amounts of water to different areas. By applying just the right amount of water as needed, water consumption is reduced without negatively impacting crop performance.

“There is also a lot of enabling technology that goes along with the five key areas listed above. Things like remote sensing, GPS tracking, climate stations, integration with field prescriptions and on-the-go sensing all enable impact technologies like auto guidance and machine section control to take hold.”

Blades pointed out.

What does the data say?

In consultation with several environmental groups, AEM identified five areas with the most potential to impact the environment. The study shows that farmers consistently using various precision agriculture technologies achieved the following:

• 4% increase in crop production
• 7% increase in fertilizer placement efficiency
• 9% reduction in herbicide and pesticide use
• 6% reduction in fossil fuel use
• 4% reduction in water use

How do all of those improvements add up from an environmental standpoint?

• 2 million acres of cropland avoided due to more efficient use of existing land
• 30 million fewer pounds of herbicide
• 100 million fewer gallons of fossil fuel
• Enough water saved to fill 750,000 Olympic-size swimming pools

While the AEM study shows significant gains in each area, the potential for additional improvement is even more impressive.

Blades pointed out.

 “Now we can show the world that American commodities are grown sustainably, and precision agriculture is a big part of that. The great thing about these technologies is that no matter what kind of farmer you are, precision agriculture technologies have substantial value.”

said AEM Senior Director of Regulatory Affairs and Ag Policy Nick Tindall.

With respect to fertilizer use, an additional efficiency gain of 14% is possible through broader adoption.

“More efficient fertilizer use comes down to the four R principles: the right time at the right rate with the right source in the right place. Precision agriculture is absolutely necessary for all four of those principles to take place.”

Blades explained.

With respect to herbicide and pesticide use, the 9% gain already realized could be followed by another 15% gain through full adoption. That means another 48 million pounds of product could be avoided.

“These are amazing statistics to share. The crop protection industry has a lot of arrows on its back. We want to reduce the amount of product that’s on the ground. If farmers can employ technologies like auto guidance, variable rate technology and section control, it’s pretty amazing what is possible in terms of usage reduction.”

Blades said.

The potential for additional gains in water savings is perhaps the most impressive. Full adoption of technologies like variable rate precision irrigation and soil moisture sensors could result in another 21% reduction in water usage.

With fossil fuel usage, a number of things come into play. “Engine technology has come a long way,” Blades said. “But the big drivers in agriculture are auto guidance and machine telematics.” By leverage those two technologies, the industry could achieve another 16% reduction through full adoption.

Along with a reduction in fossil fuel usage is a discussion about CO2 emissions. Precision agriculture technologies are making an impact here as well.

Blades said:

“In all the data we have seen thus far, current adoption equates to roughly 10.1 million metric tons avoided. Another 17.3 million metric tons could be avoided through broader adoption of precision agriculture. This takes into consideration the more efficient use of land, herbicide reduction, fertilizer efficiency, water usage, and fossil fuels from machinery. All of these things come together to tell a really great story.”

The story could get even greater with more widespread adoption of precision agriculture technologies.

What will I take to increase adoption?

According to Blades, four key components will help accelerate adoption:

• Government policies that reward innovation
• Increased farm income to help facilitate investments
• Improved infrastructure (i.e., wireless networks over cropland)
• Improved consumer communication to build trust in the science

“Technology isn’t something we should be afraid of. Technology is something we should fully embrace to meet the challenges that are in front of us.”

Blades said.

One example of supportive government policy is the PAL Act (Precision Agriculture Loan Act) that has been introduced by senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) AEM will continue to keep an eye on this important piece of proposed legislation.

It should also be noted that embracing precision agriculture can also create additional economic opportunity for farmers. Nick Tindall, AEM senior director of regulatory affairs and ag policy, said significant outreach to organizations like the EPA, USDA and NRCS has been made as a result of this study.

“Now we can show the world that American commodities are grown sustainably, and precision agriculture is a big part of that. The great thing about these technologies is that no matter what kind of farmer you are, precision agriculture technologies have substantial value”

said AEM Agricultural Services Manager Austin Gellings. 

Austin Gellings, AEM agricultural services manager, has presented the study’s findings to various stakeholder groups around the country. One such group was a gathering of state directors of agriculture.

“Everyone was very receptive of the data we’re bringing out. There’s almost a thirst for these kinds of numbers as justification for a modern way of producing food. We’re not saying every farmer across the U.S. will implement all of these technologies. But if we can edge closer to 95%, we’ll make a big difference.”

Gellings stated. Gellings also presented the study’s findings to a gathering of farmers.

“They really appreciated this information, too. For those already using precision agriculture, these numbers validate what they are doing. Also, if they have a neighbor who is on the fence or skeptical about some of these technologies, they can point to these numbers as proof. Not only can you make a difference in the world, but you’ll also benefit from reducing herbicide application, for instance. That’s dollars and cents, and a farmer’s eyes light up every time”

said Gellings.

Source: AEM

The post The Road for Environmental Sustainability Passes through Precision Agriculture appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

The traditional approach for farm supply cooperatives is to save above-average profits when times are good (like now through the next 12 months) and then manage costs rigorously during the inevitable downturn, which we expect will begin in 2023.

Unfortunately, this approach exposes cooperatives to revenue volatility and declining earnings during down cycles, often lasting five or more years. We see an alternative path forward for ag retailers: expand their delivery of precision agronomy tools, services and processes, and earn fee income for doing so. Putting technology and information to work to help farmers manage their inputs and production is where farm supply co-ops excel. The current upturn in the crop cycle provides a timely opportunity to make the necessary investments in technology-experienced staff who can develop revenue sharing partnerships with partners across the value chain.

Farm supply cooperatives are enjoying success given current favorable U.S. farm economics

Ag retailers have enjoyed three consecutive profitable agronomy seasons and generally appear well positioned for fall 2021 amidst high grain prices and favorable farm economics (the partial risks to this outlook include weather volatility, expected shortages of certain crop production chemicals, and high fertilizer prices that may cause growers to ration purchases).

Notwithstanding the known risks, three factors support a continued favorable environment for input spending:

1. Cash corn, soybean, and wheat prices. Grain prices are currently well above the 2014-19 averages of $3.77 for corn, $9.56 for soybeans and $4.98 for wheat.
2. Strong net income. Industry sources estimate that U.S. net farm income will reach $111 billion for 2021 and $104 billion for 2022, versus average net farm income of $79 billion between 2014 and 2019 (i.e., the period prior to the recent “grain run”).
3. Favorable cash flows. Cash crop receipts, a cash flow proxy, are forecasted to reach $216 billion for 2021 and $221 billion for 2022, versus an average of $196 billion between 2014 and 2019.

Tight stocks-to-use in 2022 should support higher corn and acres and therefore, continued above-average crop prices and input demand

U.S. corn and soybean stocks remain very tight (at or near levels last seen during 2012- 14), a situation that we see continuing for the near future. What led the industry here was a combination of 1) strong domestic and export demand (especially from China) for food, feed and fuel, coupled with 2) lower production in Brazil, Argentina, and China in 2020 and 2021 resulting mainly from adverse weather (drought and freezes). What will keep the industry here is continued strong exports (see next page) and growing demand for oilseeds. Considering all factors, we see the demand imbalance in grain stocks and usage persisting until at least 2023.

Looking out several years, ag retailers will face increasing pressures from all sides

Ag retailers are facing risks that will only increase over time including the consolidation and growing market power of agro-chemical and seed suppliers and the maturation of ag tech startups. Another growing risk is the blurring of the lines between farm equipment dealers and agronomy providers as larger farmers demand advanced digitally enabled precision tools and services.

Two recent examples of this include CNH Industrial’s acquisition of Raven and Deere & Co.’s acquisition of Bear Flag Robotics. Both will help the original equipment manufacturers accelerate their offerings of autonomous and precision farming services, something that will compete with traditional agronomic advice provided by ag retailers.

The consolidation of U.S. farms into larger farming enterprises is a long-term structural risk for retailers

The number of U.S. farms continues to decline via consolidation as family and non-family farms seek greater economies of scale to boost profitability. While the total number of domestic farms dropped by 7.8% between 1997 and 2017, the number of large farms (defined as 2,000 or more acres) rose by 14.4% during this period.

We see these as the associated risks as this trend continues: 1) Retailers could lose their “agronomy edge” as the new class of commercial farming enterprises hire their own agronomy staff and demand more data-intensive precision ag services. 2) The larger the farm, the more likely the customer will demand volume-based discounts creating a double-edged sword for the local cooperative: selling at a discount depresses margins, but refusing to discount may force customers to purchase elsewhere.

So how should ag retailers increase their relevance to larger farm customers? More precision agronomy services

The 2021 CropLife magazine/Purdue University Precision Agriculture Dealership Survey confirmed that ag retailers continue to embrace data and digital tools (at some level) as part of their precision agriculture service offering to farm customers. While the survey indicated already strong adoption of certain sensing-technologies (such as grid or zone soil sampling) and variable rate technology (VRT) for fertilizer application, there are still tremendous growth opportunities for retailers for other technologies. Examples include unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)/drone imagery sensing for crop scouting and analysis, VRT pesticide applications, and precision seed recommendations and prescriptions. Longterm, several new technologies offer exciting growth potential, such as crop inputs applied using UAV/drones, and robotic crop scouting and weeding.

The business case for adding software income is financially compelling

Based on our analysis of an aggregated composite of CoBank farm supply cooperatives (FSC) in two Midwestern states, FSC margins average just 2% compared to 16% for software providers. The large variance reflects lower gross profit margins for commissions on crop inputs as well as higher fixed costs for the cooperative business model. Beyond providing farm customers with enhanced digital tools to farm more profitably, the business case for retailers’ expansion of precision agronomy services is financially compelling. The higher the margin, the more patronage the cooperative can presumably pay to its membership.

The ag retailer of the future will earn income from precision, carbon and sustainability programs in addition to traditional input product sales

The key for ag retailers is to adopt and adapt to new technology and transform the business model to generate fees for advice rather than rely on commission and rebate income from input product sales. Why should cooperatives transform? The answer is three-fold:

1. Precision agronomic services are in demand by customers.
2. These services can help cooperatives attract and retain high-value customers.
3. If retailers do not embrace changing market needs and preferences, equipment dealers and disruptive new entrants will step up and fill the void.

Conclusion

References Farm supply cooperatives are currently experiencing cyclically strong returns as the grain run enters its second year of an upturn. Growing global demand for feed grains and vegetable oil generally positions U.S. farmers and retailers for continued success over the next year (although product shortages and high fertilizer prices could cause some disruptions). The much bigger question is what does the environment for ag retailers look like after 2023?

We see several structural risks facing farm supply cooperatives in the coming years, namely: larger, more sophisticated farm customers seeking advanced technological tools, increased competition from input suppliers and equipment dealerships providing precision agronomic services, and disruption by ag tech startup companies. However, we believe the aforementioned challenges present an opportunity for cooperatives to transform their business model to survive and thrive in the future. Putting technology and information to work to help farmers manage their inputs and production is where farm supply co-ops excel.

The path forward is to expand this delivery of precision agronomy tools, services and processes, and earn fee income for doing so. The current upturn in the crop cycle provides a timely opportunity to make the necessary investments in technology-experienced staff who can develop revenue sharing partnerships with partners across the value chain.

The post What Will the Future of Precision Ag Retailing Be Like? Ken Zuckerberg Discusses New Challenges and Opportunities appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

Morton Fertilizer, which encompasses D&B Morton Fertilizer Service, Inc. of Bureau County, IL and Du-Mor Crop Care, Inc. of Clinton County, IA, will immediately become part of the Brandt organization, strengthening the company’s commitment to Central Illinois while providing Brandt’s first outlet in Iowa.

“We welcome Morton Fertilizer to the BRANDT family,”

said Rick Brandt, CEO & President of Brandt.

“Gary Morton and his team at Morton Fertilizer share our values, putting agronomic service and trusted advice first. A family business, they were even founded the same year as Brandt: 1953.”

The acquisition of Morton Fertilizer fits Brandt’s aggressive corporate strategy of providing superior agronomic advice and services to Illinois growers. The combined company has 27 retail locations throughout central Illinois and one location in Iowa. Brandt serves more than one million acres of production farmland, offering a broad range of services, including plant nutrients, crop protection products, precision Ag, seeds, and custom application.

Morton Fertilizer will be integrated into the Brandt Agronomic Services operating company, under the leadership of Chief Operating Officer & Executive Vice President Tim McArdle and Vice President John Allen.

“We have been working on this transaction for more than five years. It took patience, tenacity and vision to get it done,”

said McArdle.

“I want to thank Gary for sticking with us and recognizing that together we can provide world class services and trusted advice to his legacy customers. That’s what he built his business on and we are committed to carrying that forward.”

Gary Morton, owner of Morton Fertilizer, and his seven full-time employees will become members of Team Brandt immediately. Morton will remain with Brandt as manager of the Brandt Wyanet location, providing operations management and key account leadership. Mark Jacobs, the current manager of Grand Mound, IA, will continue on as the Brandt Grand Mound plant manager.

“I’m excited that we now have certainty for the future with a company that shares our founding philosophy,”

said Morton.

“Our whole team is thrilled to be part of the Brandt organization, as now we can provide an even higher level of customer care. But the real winners are our customers. Brandt Agronomic Services provides the best advice in the business and offers world-class input products. We know: We have been proud to carry Brandt Smart Trio for years.”

Morton Fertilizer was founded in 1953 by Don Morton. He purchased the Iowa location in 1977, beginning operation in the fall of 1977.

“This is an important move for Brandt, representing our first retail foray into Iowa,”

said Rick Brandt.

“We are committed to advancing the business that Gary’s father founded and to taking care of the Morton team. Together we will continue to deliver for our customers and build on this terrific business.”

Source: Brandt

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