By Gregg Wartgow, Special to the Association of Equipment Manufacturers --
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.”
“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.” -- Andrew Sunderman
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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.
“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. We also talk a lot about sustainability. Helping the farmer secure a sustainable operation through more environmentally friendly decisions and operations is also important.” -- Yannick Montagano
Today’s precision ag technology on equipment can have an enormous positive impact on farmers and the environment, ultimately enhancing productivity through more efficient use of critical inputs, such as land, water, fuel, fertilizer, and herbicides. In short, farmers who use precision ag equipment use less to grow more. Download The Benefits of Precision Ag in the United States.
Telematics, Interoperability, and the Next Frontier
Telematics is a fourth precision ag technology that Dimler said cannot be overlooked when discussing farmer productivity. Telematics data enables the oversight and foresight farmers need to regain control over some of the many variables that can derail productivity.
For example, telematics allows farmers to remotely monitor where equipment is and what it’s doing. Dimler said some telematics platforms can also help operators do a better job of estimating fertilizer levels in real time, which can be difficult to do “in your head” when applying variable rates. That enables better scheduling to minimize downtime and increase production.
Dimler is hopeful that adoption of precision ag technologies will continue to increase. He’s confident they will because the early adopters are demonstrating the benefits and ROI — particularly those who are utilizing multiple technologies simultaneously.
“The sum is always greater than the parts,” Dimler said. “Guidance makes machine control better, and variable rate takes machine control to the next level. The equipment is within a few centimeters of where it needs to be when a section turns on and applies the precise rate in that exact area. We already have some farmers who are unlocking this ability within the software. A four-section sprayer might be applying at a different rate in each section. This allows the farmer to fix fertility issues in the field in one pass. That’s productivity.”
Unlocking the productivity potential of multiple technologies underscores the importance of different types of equipment being able to work together.
“The reality is that most farmers have mixed fleets,” Montagano said. “Open architectures and interoperability are really important. Many precision ag technologies have been around for a while. We’ve learned a lot about technology adoption over the last decade. The biggest thing is that technology must be easy to use.”
“Platforms that help centralize machine, agronomic, and operational data help farmers monitor performance, coordinate field activities, and make more confident decisions across their entire fleet,” Sunderman added. “For growers managing diverse equipment, unified data and workflow tools translate directly into fewer delays, better-timed operations, and more consistent agronomic outcomes.”
In addition to having technology that’s easy to use, farmers must also have an easy time seeing a clear path to ROI, according to Montagano. Sometimes that path involves entirely new equipment, and other times it could mean a retrofit kit for an existing tractor or implement.
“Retrofit technologies give growers access to the most cutting-edge products without requiring a full machine replacement, lowering adoption barriers and allowing upgrades to happen one piece of equipment at a time,” Sunderman said. “These capabilities provide farmers with a cost-effective path to modernizing their operations while preserving the value of their existing machinery.”
“Doing a better job of explaining the ROI could help speed up adoption,” Dimler added. “A lot of growers assume it’s going to take a really long time, maybe 10 years, to get payback. We tend to shoot for a return within two years, sometimes sooner. Plus, a lot of these technologies are semi-autonomous, which makes it even easier for crop farmers to manage their operations and improve productivity. That is really important to growers today.”
This is the second feature article in a three-part series on the benefits of precision agriculture. Check out part one here. For more information about AEM’s study, contact AEM’s Austin Gellings at agellings@aem.org, or AEM’s Curt Blades at cblades@aem.org.
