The image of agriculture is positive – and in many countries, it’s even improving. Recent surveys from across Europe reveal that farmers are widely respected. A closer look uncovers differences, similarities, and unique regional perspectives.
As in all areas of the economy, artificial intelligence (AI)-based technologies are making inroads into the agricultural sector at a rapid pace. One thing is already certain: AI will greatly transform agricultural work. Nevertheless, farmers must remain the ultimate decision-makers in the barn and on the field.
There is a new generation of farmers coming through in Heidal, Norway, one that is motivated to breathe new life into the industry – and preferably on a green and yellow tractor.
At just 40, Rémi Janin can both look back with pride and forward with determination. He can be pleased with his efforts to protect his family tradition of organic farming and direct selling. With a degree in landscape architecture, he is working to make his farm in Vernand, Haut-Beaujolais, France, more resilient to climate change. At the same time, he is striving to make the landscape more meaningful for the people who live in the region and for visitors.
A fluffy body with long legs and a long neck, then a head with big googly eyes, often crowned by a funny hairstyle – it’s the alpaca. This species of camel has been experiencing a surge in popularity in recent years, with many farms offering alpaca products and events. But how can farmers handle farming and breeding, regardless of the trends? Elisabeth Freitag manages the largest alpaca breeding farm in Germany and shares insights into the opportunities and challenges.
The ladybird brings good luck to agriculture because its favorite foods are plant pests like aphids, spider mites and their eggs. It is the best-known species in the ladybird family, which consists of around 6,000 species and subspecies worldwide, with different colours, sizes and numbers of dots.
Thanks to geothermal energy almost all of Iceland’s energy is sourced from renewable resources. Farmers are able to grow tomatoes, strawberries and even bananas. In fact, some farmers have even constructed their own geothermal power plants.
For Lars Andersson and 20 other livestock farmers collaborating with Biokraft Mönsterås, low earnings and problems with spreading manure are no longer an issue now that biogas production is ramping up in Sweden.
In the South of the “Beautiful Country,” the number of exotic fruit farms is increasing, since tropical fruits are more profitable than other crops and more in demand than ever, both domestically and across Europe. However, careful land selection and agronomic management is important, as proven by the 10-year experience of the F.lli Bilardi Farm, in Calabria.
Participants from banks, NGOs and machine manufacturers learn more about the current challenges facing agriculture and possible solutions at the Lighthouse Farm Academy. With the accumulated knowledge, they can make decisions that will help farmers transition to more sustainable systems. Marc Gijsbers is one of these participants and reports on his experiences as a member of the Academy.
Building an agrivoltaic installation can be expensive; however, when integrated with greenhouses or polytunnels, this system may provide a more cost-effective solution while also improving the nutritional content of plants. This perspective is based on an interview with Elinor Thompson, Assistant Professor at the University of Greenwich.
Agrivoltaics as a technology is still new, but it shows potential. What systems and framework conditions already exist, and what energy output can be expected?
Agriculture accounts for around one fifth of Ghana’s gross national product. In addition to export successes like raw cocoa and palm oil, there is further potential, although some structural deficits still need to be overcome.
Many German farmers are concerned about their land because the federal government is focusing on rehydrating peaty soils to achieve its climate targets. However, in some circumstances, there are prospects of using this rehydrated land profitably.
Prof Jean-Pierre Sarthou is a specialist in agro-ecological systems and professor at the Toulouse school of agricultural and life sciences. He talked to The Furrow about the definition of regenerative agriculture and its future prospects.
What does regen Ag look like in practice? In the absence of any regulatory or scientific definition, it can be difficult to pin down. Overview of the main goals and technical indicators.
An old 2030 LS tractor with a transmission fault had been sitting forgotten in the workshop of a school in Zambia. Retired John Deere expert, Günter Becker was drafted in to help with the repairs. To make sure nothing went wrong, he practiced on a duplicate model in Germany.
In their pursuit of better returns on their small livestock farm, John and Nina Andersson, based outside Ängelholm in Sweden, turned to the legendary Japanese Wagyu cattle. They are known for their famous premium marbled meat, which is cherished by food connoisseurs and chefs across the world.
The Global Crop Diversity Trust has set itself the goal of preserving the genetic diversity of all agricultural crops. The seeds are stored in a gigantic vault in a mountain in Norway. In an interview, managing director Stefan Schmitz explains who benefits from this.
It was once a much-praised country on the Silk Road, but then came along cotton and a bad reputation. Uzbekistan set out to change that – and has achieved a great deal in just a few years.
In the past, camelina was cultivated throughout Europe as the ‘rapeseed of the Bronze and Iron Ages’. It was then forgotten in favour of more lucrative crops and ended up on the red list of endangered native crops. A German scholar rediscovered it: Thomas Kaiser has been working tirelessly for over 30 years to reintroduce camelina into arable farming.
Vertical farming can help cities become less reliant on imports. Singapore, Taiwan and Seoul all make use of the system to produce herbs, lettuce, and other leafy vegetables. And even rural areas can benefit from the space-saving concept.
Turning one’s own products into a brand promises higher added value, but requires efficient marketing. This infographic shows the advantages and disadvantages of establishing a brand, which steps should be considered and how to create a good logo.
Carolin Schäfer founded the agency Agrarmarketing Detailreich (Agricultural Marketing in Rich Detail) and works with, among others, farmers who enter into short supply chains or direct sales. The Furrow speaks with her about brands, branding and communication using social media.
In the Berry region of Nerondes, France, Marion Breteau and Damien Sneessens produce a wide range of "superfood" seeds, which they market under their own brand. In doing so, they now buy from some 50 contract farmers. We meet this couple of young farmers, full of initiative and conviction.
Creating your own food brand based on your farm’s produce can be a challenging but rewarding journey, as arable farmer Thomas Björklund and other Swedish farmers can attest.
Aisha Hassan and Lukas Paltanavičius are cycling across the world to learn hands-on about practices of regenerative agriculture. In a series of articles, they share their insights from the field. In this guest article they look at the business models of regenerative farms.
Dr Monika Joschko, Biologist at the Leibniz-Zentrum für Agrarlandschaftsforschung (ZALF) e. V., researches soil. She knows how soil can be analysed using medical computer tomography and how farmers can protect their soil.
Aisha Hassan and Lukas Paltanavičius are cycling across the world to learn hands-on about practices of regenerative agriculture. In a series of articles, they will share their insights from the field. In this guest article they look at how regenerative farmers are managing water resources.
Aisha Hassan and Lukas Paltanavičius are cycling across the world to learn hands-on about practices of regenerative agriculture. In a series of articles, they will share their insights from the field. In this guest article they uncover how regenerative agriculture helps to increase biodiversity.
Biogas and its uses account for around 10% of all agricultural sales in Germany. This energy revolution has economic heft and offers an important opportunity for agricultural businesses and rural areas. But with expertise and production methods varying – how is it working in practice?
From pioneering renewable projects to local focused marketing, farmers across Europe are innovating in the drive for sustainability, but for Dutch farmers - cost is key.
The protein-rich soyabean has become increasingly important for both animal feed and food production with the lion's share imported from South and North America. But the number of soya growers in Europe is rising with production better placed to secure food supply and provide economic prospects in a more sustainable way.
European agriculture faces a demographic challenge. This is a situation that requires holistic solutions to make farm succession successful.
The Pearce family have entrepreneurial blood running through their veins – but passing that – and the farm – down the generations hasn’t always been a smooth process.
In Germany trees in the fields have a reputation for negatively affecting crop yields. A recent study in the south-eastern German State of Bavaria has now shown this is true, but only in the immediate vicinity of the trees. Outside of this vicinity, oat, wheat, and clover grass yields actually increase because of the favourable microclimate the trees help to create.
Gunsmoke Farms in the USA is harvesting in a big way. Contracted combines do their rounds in wheat and pea fields as far as the eye can see. With his image, photographer George Steinmetz captures the expansive nature of South Dakotan food production.
Even the most passionate of lobbyists wouldn't dream of claiming that biochar alone could save the world. But in interaction with other factors, aspects and agents, biochar may well contribute to long-term carbon sequestration and soil revitalisation in the future.
In the heart of Calabria, in the Italian province of Catanzaro, there are still people who grow mulberry trees and breed silkworms to produce one of the world's finest yarns. The core values at play here? Tradition, an artisanal supply chain, an organic process, diversification, ethical action and sustainable land development.
A John Deere fan lives and works in the Canadian province of Québec. His love literally gets under your skin. Swiss-born Jean-Charles Reihle's tattoos tell a story all of their own.
Dismantling the environmental myths surrounding grass-based British dairy farms has become a passion for one wife and husband team in north Wiltshire.
For British farming to reach net zero by 2040 more carbon needs to be captured: But the topic of carbon sequestration has become too high level and farmers need to bring it back down to earth – quite literally.
Farm-produced hydrogen could provide a new revenue model for the agricultural entrepreneur. In the Netherlands, a prototype has already proven the feasibility of this technique. The next step will be to demonstrate its economic viability and its influence on the crop and the soil.
Bees are important for the environment and for crop yields. But how important are they for the global food supply? Here we present an overview of the diversity of these insects and their role in crop production.
Bees are important for the environment and for crop production. However, agriculture is often blamed for a decline in bee numbers. But there are several initiatives in the agricultural sector to counteract the death of bees. We took a closer look at some of them.
A new "Precision Farming Free DLC" game for Farming Simulator 22 will be released on April 19. Benedikt Dahme and Markus Steinmüller from the John Deere gaming team have tested the free game expansion and reveal which new features make the sim even better.
Slovenia is a great example of why small farms should have their place within modern agriculture, next to bigger, more intensive operations. They can meet the challenge of reinforcing dialogue between farmers and non-farmers and, in so doing, create new revenue models for farming.
The sooner insects are discovered in grain stock, the better. It increases the likelihood that only a small part of the stock is infested and that the farmer can successfully combat the pests. The Beetle Sound Tube System is designed to detect the greedy little animals by making them audible.
Adapting farming practices to boost insect life can have massively beneficial effects on farm productivity and chemical requirements. So how does it work?
Tinned tomatoes are not considered a big money business. But despite this, one Italian producer has managed to achieve success by focusing on quality and fair conditions for its farmers. So what has been Mutti's recipe for success?
Soya imports are becoming more and more expensive and get increasingly criticised, especially for organic livestock farms. In Scandinavia, feed and seed manufacturers are about to commercialize a protein feed concentrate made from grass, clover, and alfalfa for non-ruminants such as pigs and poultry.
Carsten Behr and Ulrich Löhrs’ families have lived next to one another for generations. But being good neighbours means more than just that. One of these farm managers uses conventional means, the other organic. Last autumn, both farmers entered into a farm partnership for the FINKA biodiversity project. Will it succeed?
A chef and a team of scientists are the first to have domesticated the plant Zostera marina with the intention of using it for food products because of its high nutritional benefits. The growth of this plant is associated with great subaqueous biodiversity and a decrease in ocean acidification.
In eastern Croatia, between the rivers Sava and Drava, 80% of the country's agricultural products are produced. Welcome to Croatia's agricultural heartland – Slavonia.
A passion for soils has seen one farmer achieve net zero without sacrificing yields, using techniques which could cut input use drastically.
Agricultural has a stake in climate change, and at the same time the soil is a powerful tool against warming. This will lead to new regulations for farms - and hopefully new opportunities.
A good content of organic matter not only helps the environment, but also the fertility of the soil - for Henning and Arne Beecken, the two aspects cannot be separated from each other. Following this principle, the young farmers have completely converted the family farm's cultivation system.
Field crops are gaining recognition because of the important climate benefit they offer: Storing carbon in the soil by increasing its organic matter content. This creates new expectations of agriculture, but also new opportunities. Visit to a French farmer who markets his CO₂ storage.
In his guest article, Markwart von Pentz, president of John Deere's agricultural machinery division, outlines the biggest challenges facing agriculture and shares his outlook on how to overcome them.
Nowadays, when it comes to weed control, farmers have a number of new, sustainable and efficient agricultural technologies at their disposal. Apply the agtech correctly, and farmers can strike the perfect balance between meeting their legal requirements and economic targets as well as improving agricultural sustainability.
Wastewater minus water and contaminants equals a very potent, and more importantly, recycled, fertiliser. The Swedish company EkoBalans aims to capitalise on this as it develops a more sustainable NPK fertiliser.
The cattle industry is under increasing scrutiny for its contribution to climate change, but with adversity comes innovation and agriculture has risen to the challenge by developing methane inhibiting supplements.
UK growers are investing to produce food in the most sustainable way, using technology to save energy, water and carbon emissions. Natalie Noble visits a world-first low carbon greenhouse project in East Anglia to find out how they are putting ‘home’ back into ‘homegrown’.
Pollinating bees could provide an effective way to apply fungicide to strawberries.
Prof. Peter Pickel, responsible for future technologies at John Deere's European Technology Center in Kaiserslautern, explains new ways of combining efficient agriculture and environmental protection.
The European Bee Award aims to protect pollinators through technical innovation and the implementation of new agricultural practices. The award is based on a joint initiative by John Deere and the European Association of Professional Beekeepers. Gilles Dryancour, one of the founders of the award, shares his thoughts about the importance of bees and showcases some of the winning ideas.
Geothermal, solar and wind energy, methane extracted from manure to produce high-quality natural gas and electricity - there is plenty of green energy in a valley in the middle of the US desert.
This is life at Moellerup Estate: Hemp in the field and in a variety of foods, and the development of proprietary technology for the use of hemp and other raw materials. The estate was run as an ordinary farm for almost 800 years, until the owners discovered the possibilities of hemp as a crop.
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.
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.
Agriculture is a contributor to greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, but the adoption of low carbon practices can turn this around.
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.
Some plants absorb the metal in impressive quantities. In certain cases, this phytoextraction can be put to good use.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Water is one of the essential foundations of agriculture. How will its availability in Europe develop in the future? Our infographics provide an overview.
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.
During the corona crisis, farmers are seizing the opportunity to open up new business areas. We have collected three examples from three countries.
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.
In southern Mexico, researchers have discovered giant maize with astonishing properties. Other varieties can benefit from this.
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.
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.
Alexander Döring, secretary general of FEFAC (the European Feed Manufacturers’ Federation), on reducing the protein gap.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.