Future Farming

This season, the Ullmanna hoe is operating in valerian and echinacea at Gerard Lanting’s farm in the Dutch village of Oosterhesselen (Drenthe province). Training the algorithms is taking more time than expected. Starting on time certainly helps to distinguish valerian properly from weeds.

Rometron is expanding its presence in the United States with a dedicated subsidiary for its WEED-IT precision spot spraying technology. WEED-IT uses optical sensors to detect vegetation and trigger individual spray nozzles in real time. Photo: Martin Smits Dutch precision spraying specialist Rometron has established a US subsidiary to expand sales and support for its WEED-IT spot spraying technology.

Harvest technology company Bushel Plus has changed its global brand name to BranValt. The Canadian company develops technology for measuring grain losses and optimising combine performance. Photo: Mark Pasveer Canadian harvest technology company Bushel Plus has officially changed its name to BranValt. The new brand name is now being used across the company, its dealer network and product communications worldwide.

With in-crop detection added, growers will be able to target weeds year-round across multiple cropping seasons, rather than only during fallow or pre-emergent windows. Photos: Agtecnic Australian company Agtecnic has revealed it is working on green-on-green targeted spot spraying for its SenseSpray platform, a step that would let the system detect and eliminate weeds growing inside standing crops rather than just on bare soil or stubble.

James and his son Joshua Martin assess the spot sprayer’s weed control results in their onions. Photos: Martijn Knuivers Arable farm Martin & Sons in Wisbech, England, invested in a spot sprayer. Spot spraying saves chemicals and causes less growth check in the crop. It is mid-June. James Martin (65) and his son Joshua (21), from Wisbech in eastern England, Cambridgeshire, are walking through a field of onions to assess the result of the spot sprayer.

The Dutch manufacturer AgXeed now also offers retrofit kits to make existing tractors and machines autonomous. Photos: René Koerhuis AgXeed can now make existing tractors and machines autonomous with VCU and TCU retrofit kits. This is based on the approach and philosophy familiar from field robots. Contractors, growers and livestock farmers who do not want to or cannot invest in a field robot, or who also want to integrate autonomy into their existing machinery fleet, can now turn to AgXeed.

Homburg tested the AI-controlled Escarda LaserWeeder for almost 2 years but ultimately decided against further cooperation with German manufacturer Escarda Technologies. Photo: Escarda Technologies Homburg is ending its partnership with German start-up Escarda Technologies. As a result, the Frisian importer will no longer represent the AI-controlled laser weeders in the Netherlands and Belgium. According to Homburg, the decision was taken after an extensive test period of around 2 years.

At a family farm in Kentucky, in the United States, a no-frills 135-horsepower John Deere 6135E now plants itself – accurate to within a centimetre and allowing the farm to reallocate labour. An autonomous retrofit kit, from US company Sabanto, has let farmer Quint Pottinger swap out 2 300-horsepower tractors, 2 40-foot planters and a second combine for a smaller, self-driving setup that finished planting 10 days faster.

Belgian company Hands On Tech is taking on the import of CyanForce laser weeders from China for the Benelux. The machine made its debut at the Belgian trade fair Foire de Libramont. Photo: Bart Parrein Hands On Tech from Tubize (B.) is presenting a laser weeder from Chinese manufacturer CyanForce at the Belgian machinery fair Foire de Libramont. The Belgian company is taking on the import of the Chinese laser weeders for the Benelux.

Joram Hofman is testing the Agxeed W4 wheeled robot over a longer period in cooperation with NPPL+R, manufacturer Agxeed and dealer Weevers Nieuwstad. Photos: Koos Groenewold Autonomous field robots are often associated with arable farming, but they may also offer new opportunities for dairy producers. Dutch dairy farmer Joram Hofman is testing an AgXeed W4 autonomous robot for mowing, tedding and raking grass.