Digitalising the vineyard
Working grapevines on steep slopes is as traditional as it is demanding. Three students are looking to simplify the process, and to save winemakers time and effort with the help of "Bacchus" software.
“Fertiliser should ideally be 100% effective.”
Agricultural contractor AIS Schier has been focusing on core fertiliser and lime applications for many years. General manager Holger Schier describes how they even out the pH value of a field and why this approach is a good starting point for precision agriculture.
Island potatoes
In France, on the island of Noirmoutier, the tradition of harvesting early potatoes stretches back over two centuries. We meet with the producers of tubers which have a sophisticated taste and high added-value.
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Lives and Livelihoods in the Balance
Through its support of the Rayuwa initiative, John Deere is helping farmers in Nigeria improve their profitability to better weather the times of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Agave: Tequila turned biofuel
Lick the salt, take a shot, bite the lime. Tequila! This might be a more typical association with the alcoholic derivative of the agave plant, but in the continuing search for alternatives to fossil fuels, one research project has grown it to produce bioethanol.
Regulation will be key in Spraying technology
Jørgen Audenaert is an expert in spraying technology. For almost 25 years he has contributed to many technological breakthroughs like data collection, artificial intelligence, sensor technology and pulsing nozzles. He expects spraying technology to further advance in the future, "but regulations will be decisive."
A guide to low carbon farming
Agriculture is a contributor to greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, but the adoption of low carbon practices can turn this around.
Dossier
Precision Farming
Automatic steering systems and site-specific field management are finding their way onto farms as the options become wider and more diverse. Precision farming can make businesses more efficient, more sustainable and more economically viable.
Getting into precision farming
Three farmers who dared to step into precision farming talk about their experiences.
This is how precision farming works
Have a look at this infographic to see how precision farming supports farmers at different steps of the cropping cycle, from planning to harvest.
Supporting animal health and ecology
How the digital modernisation of farms opens new opportunities for livestock producers to cope with upcoming challenges.
HarvestLab™: Silage in the best quality
The right food makes both animal and farmer happy Contractor Andreas Feil knows this well. Thanks to the HarvestLab™ 3000, he can analyze the corn harvest down to the last fiber while still in the field, thus harvesting only the best silage.
Biostimulants boost crop and soil health
Biostimulants are growing in popularity, with increasing scientific evidence to prove that they work. But for many farmers, the concept remains myth and magic - so what are they really all about?
Aftermarket connectivity key in operation efficiencies
Buying a tractor can be a challenge - keeping sight of operational requirements and budget while being wowed by shiny new kit. But with farms shelling out on average £83,300 on a new tractor (Defra, 2019), how can farmers be sure nothing runs like a Deere?
Precision tech for a green future
Technology has boomed in popularity over recent decades – its advancement hailed as the making of a fourth agricultural revolution. But while precision technology has a sleekness in design it is far from vanity gadgetry and offers producers an insight into sustainable data.
Making Protein out of a Feather
While conducting his field doctorate research, Dr Mohammad H A Ibrahim came across an interesting bacterium at a poultry farm in Egypt. Now it is part of a process producing high-grade feed protein and bio-degradable plastics from waste organic matter.
Controlled Traffic Farming is a win!
Controlled traffic farming and minimum tillage are increasing crop yields and profitability in Ukraine.
Harvesting metal with plants
Some plants absorb the metal in impressive quantities. In certain cases, this phytoextraction can be put to good use.
“Apps bring benefits of the Operations Centre to the field”
At John Deere's site in Kaiserslautern in Germany, Torsten Kreutzer works on developing mobile apps for modern agriculture and precision farming. At the family business based in his hometown, he personally tests the applications in the field.
“Producers gain power over their decision making”
How to get started with precision farming, and how quickly does it spread in practice? An interview with Peer Leithold, the managing director of Agricon, a consulting firm he founded in 1997.
Precision Farming: How it works
Variable rate application can now be used in almost all work areas. However, the focus is not on tools, but on the agricultural goal. Here is a current overview of data sources and their practical use.
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Getting into precision farming
Precision farming can make farms more efficient, sustainable and economic. But with the multitude of possibilities, the question often arises: "Where to start? We show examples of three farmers who have dared to take this step and tell you how they did.
Sunflowers: Spain is developing new high-quality varieties
Heliotropic sunflowers (which follow the sun’s movements) are resilient to scorching summer weather. And high yielding varieties which are rich in oleic acid are the prime material in healthy and sustainable vegetable oils.
Nemo’s Garden
The US firm Ocean Reef is experimenting with underwater cultivation in the Italian Riviera. The goal of the project is to develop a technique for using the ocean for irrigation in arid regions.
Success through diversification
Zambian farmer Stephen Chinyama depends on several means to make a good living. We offer a sneak peek into a day in the life of a man running his family business with acumen, good risk management and a talent for improvisation.
Crofting in the Outer Hebrides
There are few places in the British Isles as remote as the Outer Hebrides; 24 miles off the west coast of Scotland with little between them and Newfoundland, these islands are truly unique. Breathtakingly beautiful but with notoriously volatile weather, farming here is challenging – yet these resilient people are not only surviving but thriving.
Better Animal Health and more Ecology
A lot has happened on farms in recent years in terms of digital modernisation. Although it is difficult to predict where all these complex developments will lead, new options are emerging for many farms to meet future challenges.
Brazilian farmers aim for sustainability
Brazil is known for its soya cultivation and rainforest, however agriculture in this economic superpower involves more than that. A lot of Brazilian farmers also look at the longer term and work on ensuring healthy soil.
Enough water – longer dry phases
Water is one of the essential foundations of agriculture. How will its availability in Europe develop in the future? Our infographics provide an overview.
Farming for the Prince of Wales
Being interviewed for a job by the Prince of Wales would set anyone’s nerves on edge – so when he asked David Wilson whether he would be prepared to try some biologically sustainable farming, Mr Wilson did what anyone else would do - say yes and find out what it is later.
“Climate adaptation will be an ongoing process.”
The European LIFE "AgriAdapt" project has been working on the topic of climate adaptation for four years. Patrick Trötschler from the German project partner “Bodensee-Stiftung” speaks about the prospects in the cultivation sector and efficient drought prevention.
Storing water to cope with droughts
Farmers in Sweden, France and Germany are striving to retain water when there is plenty available so they can use it during dry summer months. Water is stored in ponds, marshes, or in the ground. The Furrow reports.
Direct sales instead of supermarket
During the corona crisis, farmers are seizing the opportunity to open up new business areas. We have collected three examples from three countries.
Organic production tickles the tastebuds
The family-run organic farm Bio Alberti combines traditional farming with modern processing techniques – and produces goods both for the nearby village and the global marketplace.
“Coronavirus crisis shows the benefits of Connected Support”
With Connected Support, John Deere sales partners can actively support their customers from afar. Matthias Steiner, responsible for customer support at John Deere, explains how exactly it works and what benefits it offers during the corona crisis.
The soil never forgets
On a test site at the University of Halle, crop cultivation endurance tests have been running for more than 140 years. Created by Julius Kühn in 1878, several plots of the 'eternal rye crop' have been grown in a field ever since, providing guidance for future agricultural practice.
The autonomous swarm tractor from John Deere
What would an electric tractor look like if we didn't have to think about the power supply anymore? Simon Pfaffmann from John Deere's ETIC invites us to take part in a thought experiment – and explains how real this idea is.
Small island with busy summers
Søren and Helle Svennesen run the only farm on Barsø in the southern part of the Little Belt, Denmark. Summers are busy here with lots of activity and visitors, and there are challenges all year round, both inescapable and self-imposed.
Bringing traditional and modern together
Kakheti in Eastern Georgia is one of the oldest wine-growing regions in the world. The peculiar geographical region on the border between East and West has always enjoyed ample water supplies, fertile soil and bright, warm summers - a God-send for wine-growers, fruit-growers and farmers
Interview: The laser is coming
Merve Wollweber, biophysicist at Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (Hanover Laser Centre) is developing a laser-based weeding system.
5 farmers, 1 farm
The traditional freehold is no longer the only form of ownership in Danish agriculture. One alternative consists of the Go-Gris I/S partnership in eastern Jutland, which is owned in equal shares by three young and two senior farmers.
Green Revolution in the Desert
In Egypt’s traditional farming regions on the alluvial soil of the Nile, there is hardly any good farmland left. Multiple projects are therefore trying to transform the desert into arable land. Can that work, and is it sustainable?
A dream team in Provence
Lavender and einkorn wheat are a dream team. This pairing makes the farmers of Provence happy, as well as their customers all over the world.
Self-fertilising maize
In southern Mexico, researchers have discovered giant maize with astonishing properties. Other varieties can benefit from this.
Growing Deeper Underground
Deep below the suburban streets of London, beneath the feet of hurried commuters, lies something unexpected – a farm, in a converted World War Two air raid bunker.
Tradition and pride
The sound is both exhilarating and deafening. This is Switzerland at its traditional best: Hundreds of brown cows – complete with cow bells - returning from the alpine pasture to their winter homes, creating a festival for tens of thousands of people. Welcome to the Alpabfahrt - the Alp Descent.
Remote Monitoring for Health And Productivity
A technological revolution is changing the face of modern dairy farming in the form of a bolus that can detect temperature, activity and pH, sending early alerts of heats, calvings and illness to the producer.
Infographics: Protein in Europe
The autonomy level of European animal husbandry varies depending on the protein group. Fact is: Europe will remain dependent on imports. However, in the long term, breeding and technical advances will increase independence. See our interactive graphics to find out what is happening where.
Interview: Using more home-grown sources of protein.
Alexander Döring, secretary general of FEFAC (the European Feed Manufacturers’ Federation), on reducing the protein gap.
Protein in Europe: is it enough?
Making Europe less dependent on imports of protein raw materials is a challenge for the future. We meet two producers who are doing their bit to improve Europe’s protein production.
Let it rain
Only a small fraction of farmers, gardeners and winemakers use the rainwater falling on their farm and roof surfaces to irrigate their crops or as drinking water. The mindset plays a greater role here than economic calculations.
A Comeback in East Africa
Halters, twine and rope: Farmers from across the world rely on products spun from the natural fibre, sisal. Until the late 1960s, Tanzania was the leading producer of sisal worldwide. But then the successful advent of synthetic fibres resulted in a prolonged slump. Now this versatile natural fibre, and thus northern Tanzania, is experiencing a new boom.
Let’s tell the children
A modern farm is no place for children, it’s often said. So how will they discover and understand the joys and challenges of rural life? Peter Grimshaw met some farming champions who are dedicated to inspiring the rising generation.
Farmers help to shape Cuba´s Future
Cuba is allowing more and more private enterprise and is seeking normality in its relations with the US. Agriculture is also changing as a result.
Poultry farmers lead the way in antibiotic reduction
Antimicrobial resistance is a serious public health concern and livestock producers are increasingly under pressure to reduce antibiotic usage in animals. In the UK, the poultry industry is leading the way.
From hazelnut to cotton
Turkish agriculture has lots to offer. With products such as hazelnuts, figs or sultanas, Turkey is a global leader in production. Looking at the whole industry shows an impressive variety of products, whereas many regions concentrate on growing only one specific crop.
Green Energy on the Farm
Methane, biomass, solar panels: there is no shortage of resources on farms for producing energy locally. From Picardy to Provence, things are picking up steam.
Buckwheat – The unknown Russian
When Russia is mentioned, most people think of chernozem soils and vast wheat fields. Few people are aware that buckwheat reveals a great deal about the Russian soul. This becomes clear at the very latest when you sit down to eat. Because Russian cuisine without buckwheat is unthinkable.
Neighbourhood: cultivating a good relationship
The countryside is a space to live and to work. And thus often an arena of conflicts of how to use that space. A challenge that needs to be tackled by farmers themselves.
Manage the farm digitally
What was previously only possible with different individual software tools, the John Deere Operations Centre is combining into one easy-to-use solution: All work operations in the palm of your hand – on your desktop, tablet, and smartphone.
Combine with Pedigree
John Deere has over 100 years of experience with harvesters – and the first combine is already over 90 years old. To date, we have produced over 750,000 combines, including over 120,000 single rotor machines. This is a short story about a long tradition.
Turnout in the Flint Hills
Each spring truckloads of cattle from as far away as Mexico are brought to the Flint Hills, the last remnant of tallgrass prairie in North America to graze on the rich early-growth grass – a major logistics effort for farmers and forwarders.
Soil Compaction:
Facts and Figures
It is particularly hard to assess the damage caused by compaction in deeper soil layers. But research data and statistics indicate a considerable impact on agricultural productivity.
Talk about it, ask for help
Farmers are no strangers to challenges, but realising how it affects their mental health is not easy. With more than one person in UK agriculture committing suicide every week, it’s a subject that cannot be avoided.
River Mile 270: A major hub for agriculture
The Columbia River is the largest river in North America in terms of the volume of water flowing into the Pacific. With over 26m tonnes of grain moving through it, it is the third largest transport corridor for grain.
Expert Check: The expert for peace of mind
With the Expert Check, service technicians like Thomas Merkel help to avoid expensive repairs and ensure peace of mind. The most important pre-requisitions for this: A lot of experience and structured work.
Simulating the future
Researcher Andrew Leakey is simulating atmospheric conditions for the next half of the century. The data obtained is supposed to mitigate the consequences of climate change.
Herbs from meagre soils
Albanian agriculture has plenty of challenges, but the sector still has great potential. It is one of the largest producers in the world of medicinal and spice plants. But while many farmers are hoping that the country joins the EU, if and when that will happen is still uncertain.
Your farm in your pocket
In 2016, Alexandru Haita started to use John Deere’s web-based farming platform MyJohnDeere.com and the associated tool “Operations Centre” to manage his farming operation. And he has not looked back since.
Soil under pressure
Soil compaction is a well-known problem, but its impact is often underestimated and difficult to assess. And it is a growing concern for farming stakeholders.
Farmers as trade experts
Fresh players in the market and new factors influencing pricing mean grain prices are fluctuating significantly more than in the past. When selling their grain, farmers therefore need to focus on good risk management.
Free farrowing – The future of British pig production?
High welfare pig production isn’t always about free-range systems. With growing demand for ethically produced but inexpensive pork, high welfare indoor systems could be the way forward for the industry.
Don’t take soil compaction lightly
Prof Rainer Horn qualified as a professor of soil science in 1981 and from 1998 to 2017 he held the chair for soil science at Kiel University, Germany. His scientific interests are soil physics and soil ecology with a particular focus on physical land degradation.
Diversity under threat
The Mekong Delta is one of the most fertile regions in the world. Its farmers produce for both the Vietnamese and the global market. However, climate change and intensive cultivation are threatening its future.
Grazing management in the spotlight
Milk producers are under pressure from persistently low producer prices. At the same time, demand for more natural foods is rising. One solution could be to focus more on grazing management. But just "opening the cowshed door and let the cows out" is not enough.
“Know how a futures market works.”
Jan Peters is the founder of the information service agrarfax.de (today owned by Landwirtschaftsverlag GmbH). He is a correspondent for the specialist publication Agrarzeitung and provides agricultural information on a daily basis to Reuters Hamburg, Dow Jones Newswire London, and VWD Frankfurt.
How to get started with contracting
Many farmers consider contracting as an option to spread their overheads and generate additional income. It’s also a potential route into agriculture for new entrants. But it’s not easy, so what should prospective contractors know to make them top of their field?
Hidden Hunger
There are many types of hunger. If we want to feed the world, we should not only pay attention to the quantity but also to the quality of food.
“Know your costs and keep your focus”
Charlie Morgan, Director of Grassmaster Ltd, a grassland consultancy in the UK, gives advice on how to optimise grassland management.
Green gold
The pumpkin is a special crop that has a long-standing tradition in Styria. Now, the fruit with its seed oil is also making an international name for itself. Local farmers and also the region are benefiting from this.
“Compaction is relevant in grassland too”
Compaction is an issue that is often discussed in relation to arable land – but it can also be a problem in grassland. Olivia Cooper speaks to soil expert Philip Wright to find out more.
A Deere a minute
Do you drive a John Deere 6 series tractor from the Mannheim factory? Then you will be particularly interested in this article, because we are going to take you on a tour of the factory and show you how our tractors are built.